Need a Good Alternator

[troutstreamnm]

Where can I get a good quality alternator?  I've gone thru two rebuilt alternators from AutoZone on my 71 Challenger in the last year (probably less than 1000 miles).  The last time I was driving and lost all power and fried the fusable link.  I can get another AutoZone alternator under warrenty for free, but I'm asking myself why in the he#L would I want another AutoZone rebuilt POS.    Any suggestion as to where I can get a decent quality unit?  Thanks.

[72rtchallenger]

mine came from summit and has been very dependable so far 2 yrs later,,and jegs has good parts and year one which is a sight sponsor

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Bought mine for $15 from the junkyard four years ago. Upgraded to a denso, they aren't in the junkyard for a bad alternator  I did that after going through several "lifetime warranty" alternators. I don't want a lifetime warranty, I want the dang thing to work a reasonable amount of time! Got my money's worth 

[troutstreamnm]

Hey 72rt, what alternator did you end up buying.  I was looking at Summit and Mancini Racing to see what was available.  They have a PowerMaster 50 amp roundback single field which they list for the 70-74 Challengers.  They also have PowerMaster 75amp squarebacks that just indicate they are for big/small blocks.  All the alternators that have failed on my car were the round back.  Would I be better off to try the 75 amp square back?  Thanks for any input.

[ShelbyDogg]

So you think the fried fusible link was caused by a bad alternator?

[quapman]

ALL 70-up cars should run a square-back alternator.

[troutstreamnm]

Hey ShelbyDog,
All I know is there was a major short in the system that fried the fusible link and killed the car while I was driving.  Upon inspection, there are no noticable wiring issues that I could see and the alternator tested bad.  My last alternator had the power post break internally and that caused a short.  All the wiring harnesses on the car are fresh.  The last time I completely fried a fusible link was when a short between the starter and the header occurred.  I just assumed the alternator was the culprit again 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

  I'll take a good OEM used over chinese remakes any day!! 

[troutstreamnm]

Thanks for the input guys.  I'll go ahead and order a 75 amp square back and hope that solves my alternator problem for good!

[Aussie Challenger]

There was mention of a short, have you checked the back of the AMP guage or where the wires go through the firewall, some by pass the connector at the firewall.   

[ShelbyDogg]

I just hope that the new alternator fixes your problem.  I've used lots of those Autozone lifetime alternators and still have one on now. I only blew a fusible link once, Like Aussie Ch said, when the Amp wires shorted to the cluster case.

Good luck with the new one.

[troutstreamnm]

I'll take your advise and inspect the amp wires to make sure they look good.  I need a new alternator anyway so that will get ordered promptly.  Thanks for the comments. 

[duodec]

Pardon the late reply.  You could also check to see if your locale is blessed with a local auto electrical shop that does rebuilds in house.  That turned out to be my solution the last two times I needed recent alternators (but for the Challenger I've got a date-incorrect NOS in the box waiting to  be installed).