Reply With QuoteGood thought, as I approach 80K I am going to start looking that way.
A word of advice regarding alternators
Just an FYI...
lugnutjon's alternator died on his 10AE this afternoon. His car has 106k on it, and it went without much warning at all, just like mine did a couple of weeks ago at 101k.
FWIW, the only "non-stock" electrical devices either of us have are radar detectors. Both cars have factory stereos, no added electronics, etc.
Apparently, there isn't much of a local stock on Miata alternators, and when they go, they will render the car inoperable (obviously). Jon uses his 10AE as a daily driver (like me), so he had to scramble to find one at a salvage yard in Houston that could be shipped for delivery tomorrow so that he could get the car up and running ASAP.
I'd highly suggest that if you've got over 100k miles on your car, you might want to pick up a spare alternator to keep around. Either that, or go ahead and replace yours, especially if you daily drive the car, as no one keeps them in stock locally. Otherwise, be prepared for the car to be inoperable for a few days when it goes.
As a side note - does anyone know an alternator rebuilder in Tarrant County? I'd like to have my old one refurbished, so I've got a backup for the junkyard one that is currently in my car.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Good thought, as I approach 80K I am going to start looking that way.
The local salvage yards and parts stores seem to have no problem stocking the ones for the NA miata, must just be an NB thing.
Just another reason why NAs are better.
Could be because there are a lot fewer NBs that have reached the point of needing a new alternator yet. I know Jon and I are atypical by having 100k+ on our NBs.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Holy cow I have about 170,000 miles on my alternator what should I do!
Must be a FORD problem.....
I've never heard of this and I've had more than my share of high mileage Miatas still on their original alternators. Of course, all but two were NA's......
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Maybe producing the spark for 88hp doesn't put enough load on the charging system to cause the alternator to fail prematurely?Originally Posted by POS Racing
Holy cow I have about 170,000 miles on my alternator what should I do!
Maybe the NAs have a more robust alternator design. I don't know. All I know is that the only two higher mileage NBs that I'm personally familiar with have both had alternator failures within a few thousand miles of 100k.
I've never personally had a timing belt fail, but that doesn't stop me from changing them before they fail so that they don't strand the car when they do. I think it's called "preventative maintenance"?
Besides, a timing belt is apparently a lot easier to locate on a moment's notice in DFW than an NB alternator. All I'm suggesting is that higher mileage NB owners might want to look at the alternator as a 100k mile maintenance item, unless they can afford to park the car for a couple of days if it does fail, as it did on my car and Jon's.
Take it for what it's worth.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Im apporaching 90k in mine, I'll add this to the list of things I'm working on....
Aw now you hurt my feelers! :ncool:Maybe producing the spark for 88hp doesn't put enough load on the charging system to cause the alternator to fail prematurely?
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