1996 2.4 L alternators dont last long

[gtracing96]

it seems like everytime i put an alternator in my car they always die quickly... so if anyne has any ideas or have had the same problem... plz let me know!

[rixGAphx]

People laugh at me about this, but it's true with the GA'S:
Service your battery cables.

Loose/corroded/dirty cable ends prevent current from reaching the battery.
The alternator over-charges trying to push current where it can't go, and the alternator burns-up its little diodes and/or built-in voltage regulator.

The battery usually dies shortly thereafter, 'cuz its not been re-charged properly and develops a kind of chemical 'skin' on the lead plates that decreases performance.

Check your entire charging system: Alternator, Battery, and,........
BATTERY CABLES/CONNECTIONS:

Battery cable ends must be clean and tight and shiny bright.
Even the best new alternator and the best new battery can't provide adequate power (volts and amps) if the connections are so dirty/loose/corroded that power doesn't flow thru them.
Bad connections will also kill both the alternator and the battery very quickly.

So, inspect/clean/repair/replace/tighten all THREE ends of both cables to provide maximum flow of electrical power.
Disconnect cables: NEG (Black) first, then POS (Red).
Cut the molded rubber boots from the battery connections, since water seeps thru them and corrodes the copper wire into useless powder.
(This step is VERY important. You can't just look at the outside and think, "They look alright".)

Dissolve corrosion with a paste solution of baking soda and water, applied with an old toothbrush.
Scrape/sand/wire-brush all the metal (cable ends and batt terminals) to shiny metal.
In an emergency, Coca-Cola poured over the corrosion will partially-clean it.

Pay attention to the Body Ground: This is a smaller Black (Neg) wire that comes from the battery terminal and attaches directly to the bodywork, somewhere near the left (Driver) side hood edge. This is a source of rust, and must be kept clean and shiny. (This is the ‘3rd end’ of the NEG cable.)
The POS cable has a ‘3rd end’ that connects inside the Main Junction Box, about 12 inches from the battery.

Reconnect cables: POS (Red) first, then NEG (Black); this is OPPOSITE of the way you disconnected them.
Replace the cut-off boots with new aftermarket slip-on rubber boots to protect against short-circuiting while allowing for future inspection and service.
* * *
Still having trouble? Verify that the heavy cable from the alternator, around the back of the engine and connecting to the starter solenoid, has good connections and conductivity. The alternator can't charge the battery if this cable is bad.

Weird things happen to GA's when the cables aren't in pristine shape.
ABS is a particularly sensitive system, and will often show a random 'ABS' light though nothing else appears to be wrong.

Battery cable/connection service is necessary and cheap (or even free), so there's no downside to servicing them immediately.

Good luck.
-Rick

[SE2000]

My 2000 has the original alt. and battery and it has over 100k mi. One thing it doesn't have is a big whopping sub. If you have accesories that are taxing your system, you may need to upgrade it. If your car is stock, maybe you have a bad battery or cables causing problems.
If the altenator is mounted askew, they could be breaking.

[Matt95GT]

Follow Rick's battery cable service first.

It may be worthwhile to upgrade the charging wire coming from the alternator too. Make sure the small connector is in good shape too - the alternator will not supply power if this connection is intermittent.

I would also avoid any re-manufactured alternators, like those available from Pep Boys, etc. I have blown through at least 4-5 of those over the years. The 100% new Bosch replacement has been the best one so far, even though they go for $20-40 above the cost of a re-man.