Need an alternator, will autozone work?

pcarlson · Jun 25, 2007

I was at autozone today, picking up some random things, and I decided to just check if they had any alternators that would work for my '68 289 coupe.

It turns out that they have a few alternators that I'd be able to get for $50-60. This is quite a difference in price compared to the $140+ in the parts catalogs. The brands were Duralast and Valucraft.

I don't mind the fact that it won't be an original and even though Autozone says that it is for my car specifically, I'm doubtful that it will fit.

Do any of you know if this will work? Is there anything that I need to check for? Has anyone tried these before?

Thanks for the help

StangDreamin' · Jun 25, 2007

Put a Duralast on the wife's Ram 1500 when the stocker croaked last summer (I can feel the comin' at me from both sides of that statement). It did well keeping up with the A/C (e-fans inside and on the condenser) and all the lights, electric windows, amps, horse trailer lights, etc. If it makes it through a second summer (adding some Ham Radio gear) without freaking out and boiling the battery; I'll give it a

Gotta say I've been impressed with OEM 3G alternators. That was the only alt I've changed in the last 15 or more years; even the Dodge's predecessor (a Pontiac Gran Prix POS) didn't lose an alternator - which made that alternator the only remaining original part left on the 9-year-old car when we traded it in!

EDIT: DJCarbine's post below reminded me that, along with the alternator; I put in a Duralast 84 month battery. I'll be happy to get 3 years out of it down here in the desert, surprised if it lasts longer. But then again, autozone started using batteries from Johnson Controls (same mfg on Motorcraft batts); those guys are pretty tough, so who knows?

DJCarbine · Jun 25, 2007

I've been running the autozone duralast alternator on my 66, it was better than the stock one. IIRC its got 10 more amps, and a warranty with autozone. Autozone takes back anything.......

Alternator has been running fine for 2 years, charging a redtop optima I got from autozone too

Its a perfect stock replacement

10secgoal · Jun 25, 2007

I run one for an 87 or so Camaro with EFI. 108 amp with life time warranty. Stil haven't burned up the first. Only had to enlarge the mounting hole. It's also internally regulated.

pcarlson · Jun 25, 2007

one mroe question

So if I got one with an internal voltage regulator, what would I need to do to my engine? I'm really clueless about this . So... I'd obviously take out the old voltage regulator, but do I need to change any wiring around or mess with any of that?

other_shoe · Jun 25, 2007

Been running one in my '67 since '95

Although it hasn't seen as much use as I'd like, I've been nothing but pleased with my 'zone alternator.

However, you must keep track of your phone numbers to make use of their warranties. Trust me; ten years from now, when you're living in another state, and your alternator gives up the ghost, you will be very happy about that warranty so long as you have the phone number!

DJCarbine · Jun 25, 2007

If you get the autozone one, its externally regulated just like the original. Get the voltage regulator for you car at autozone too, its the newer solid state type and it works awesome (no more dimming lights or strobing power).

Its a pretty good cheap combination that will last.

pcarlson · Jun 26, 2007

The voltage regulator is only $17, so that would be pretty cheap to replace. Is it something that typically has to be replaced on these? How can I tell if I actually have to replace it?

68stang351 · Jun 26, 2007

other_shoe said:
Although it hasn't seen as much use as I'd like, I've been nothing but pleased with my 'zone alternator.

However, you must keep track of your phone numbers to make use of their warranties. Trust me; ten years from now, when you're living in another state, and your alternator gives up the ghost, you will be very happy about that warranty so long as you have the phone number!

They can search for your file by last name, first name, and zip code too.
They can also search it by last name and store number, if you know where the store is that you bought it, they can look in the company store telephone directory, get the store number and search with that and your last name.

If they don't give you those options when you can't remember a number, they are just being lazy, although its rediculous for someone to be lazy enough to do that to you. So you might request the different search.

other_shoe · Jun 26, 2007

68stang351,

Thanks.

I actually got so pissed about the phone number thing with a starter that I went down the street to O'Reily's. The engine had been out of the car, and when I put the O'Reily's starter in and got it to start, it made a hell of a noise that I never thought to blame on the starter. Suffice it to say, two cities and three years later, I finally pulled it took, took it to Autozone, compared it to the Duralast, and found that the position of the gear on the shaft was slightly off and causing the gear to hit the flexplate. So that's how I bought a third starter, my second from Autozone with a lifetime warranty.

I guess the lesson, as always, is it's best to stand your ground.

DJCarbine · Jun 26, 2007

I got my optima redtop replaced when I ran it down, no questions asked, I only had a phone number and a last name.

And the voltage regulator is mounted on the radiator support, its got a wiring harness that plugs in. If you look at autozones website, enter your car information and look up voltage regulator. Its the Wells brand one, and there is an option for "location of component" or something. It will actually tell you where it is. Takes.... 35 seconds to replace, add on a minute if you need to find your screwdriver

For most purposes autozone employees are worthless and don't know much about older cars, but the parts they sell are of decent quality and I would purchase from them before I would order from a mustangs magazine simply because of the convenience, and price, and warranty.......

Heck, when I needed a clutch kit I went to autozone and got a 105 dollar kit that had the pressure plate clutch disc TOB..... its lasted for 3 years so far, hard driving with a medium built 289. AND they had the clutch kit in stock. I also got a distributor from them, and it was the EXACT OEM autolite distributor that came in my car, only rebuilt with all new components. That was also in stock, 75 bucks if I remember, and I turned in my old (demolished) distributor for 35 bucks.

Its nice to order expensive parts from catalogues, but sometimes it worth it just to cruise the autozone website and see what you can get on the cheap, thats of reasonable quality......

68stang351 · Jun 26, 2007

DJCarbine said:
For most purposes autozone employees are worthless and don't know much about older cars, but the parts they sell are of decent quality and I would purchase from them before I would order from a mustangs magazine simply because of the convenience, and price, and warranty.......

I've worked for Autozone for 5 years, and even traveled some to do setups/resets at other stores, and what I've found is that every store has a few retards. Not just Autozones but EVERY parts store has a few.

But every store also has at least a few VERY GOOD counter people too. So, you are right to an extent.

I really do believe we have good quality parts though, and for the most part you just have to know which people to talk to when you go into an Autozone. Heck, everything I've put on my car except sheetmetal, trans, rear end, front spindles are from Autozone.
My engine (Recon), complete front suspension/steering, and all brake parts, and all other engine/ignition parts are from Autozone.

DJCarbine · Jun 26, 2007

68stang351 said:
I've worked for Autozone for 5 years, and even traveled some to do setups/resets at other stores, and what I've found is that every store has a few retards. Not just Autozones but EVERY parts store has a few.

But every store also has at least a few VERY GOOD counter people too. So, you are right to an extent.

I really do believe we have good quality parts though, and for the most part you just have to know which people to talk to when you go into an Autozone. Heck, everything I've put on my car except sheetmetal, trans, rear end, front spindles are from Autozone.
My engine (Recon), complete front suspension/steering, and all brake parts, and all other engine/ignition parts are from Autozone.

Exactly!

Most people scoff when you say you are running to autozone to get parts, I think autozone gets a bad name from all the ricers that go there to buy aluminum wings and gaudy exaust tips

I am also considering a part time job at Autozone for the summer, school tuition > my checkbook

other_shoe · Jun 26, 2007

68stang351 said:
I've worked for Autozone for 5 years, and even traveled some to do setups/resets at other stores, and what I've found is that every store has a few retards. Not just Autozones but EVERY parts store has a few.

But every store also has at least a few VERY GOOD counter people too. So, you are right to an extent.

Yeah, there is a wide variance in aptitude and initiative. But you're right that almost every Autozone store I've been in has at least one person who knows cars. I try to make sure to go at the times when they're there. In the starter misadventure, I went too late and had to help the guys figure out how do to the core charge, but they were plenty friendly and trying to help.

In my experience, the Autozone parts are often closer to the original design than some of its competitors. On the O'Reilly's starter, the shield covering the plunger lacked the grooves that help alot in snaking the assembly up and in.

autopartsdeal · Jan 9, 2008

well i guess s**t really happens and we gotta deal with it..

68stang351 · Jan 9, 2008

looks like we have a solicitor, rehashing all the auto parts threads so he can pedal his junk

jcp123 · Jan 9, 2008

pcarlson said:
I was at autozone today, picking up some random things, and I decided to just check if they had any alternators that would work for my '68 289 coupe.

It turns out that they have a few alternators that I'd be able to get for $50-60. This is quite a difference in price compared to the $140+ in the parts catalogs. The brands were Duralast and Valucraft.

I don't mind the fact that it won't be an original and even though Autozone says that it is for my car specifically, I'm doubtful that it will fit.

Do any of you know if this will work? Is there anything that I need to check for? Has anyone tried these before?

Thanks for the help

I work at AutoZone right now. Yes, they will be the right ones, I have looked at them and sold a few. I would, however, stay away from the Valucraft units - Duralast is OK most of the time, but I really wish we had a Duralast Gold (non-remanned) unit. I run the equivalent to a Duralast from Kragen, a mid-range, mid-price rebuilt unit, have had it in there since the engine rebuild in 2002 and have never had a problem.

As far as original goes - the Duralasts are rebuilds from cores, so it will use an original case and even have an original C5XXXXXXXXXX Ford part number, so that should be a bonus.

2bav8 · Jan 10, 2008

No reason to bring back this thread.

Need an alternator, will autozone work?

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