"the loner" <theloner@nowhere.com> wrote
> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote
>> "the loner" <theloner@nowhere.com> wrote
>> about an 89 Civic DX sedan
>>> "the loner" <theloner@nowhere.com> wrote
>>>> Wento to go to mechanics this morning, car wouldn't
>>>> start, like the way a dead battery sounds. I kept
>>>> trying, it finally started Plus that brake warning
>>>> light was no longer on!!!
>>>> Took it to mechanic anyway---so far he's thinking
>>>> alternator. So I left the car there, and we'll see what
>>>> happens tomorrow. I'll let you all know
>>>> loner
>>>
>>> BTW, in general, are alternators really expensive? I
>>> mean the part itself--labor is always expensive!
>>
>> You can get a price on the alternator (possibly rebuilt)
>> at places like www.slhonda.com and
>> www.hondaautomotiveparts.com . Like Curly said, if if the
>> source of the problem is the alternator, most likely it's
>> just the brushes being too old and worn.
>>
>> Here's some info on the subject:
>> http://home.earthlink.net/~honda.lioness/id13.html
>>
>> How old are your alternator and battery, anyway?
>>
>> If the brushes have never been replaced, the probability
>> is good it is they.
>
> Hi again Elle. thenks for the links. The battery is about
> 1 1/2 yrs old,

Done any jumpstarts on it? My site talks about how this will
significantly reduce a battery's life.

But it's more likely the alternator's brushes can no longer
keep the battery charged.

> the alternator has brobably never been replaced. I looked
> through my old invoices & couldn't find anyting, but as I
> said, there's only 62,000 miles on it, so probably the
> brushes haven't been replaced
> I'll call them tomorrow am and ask about all this. If they
> do say I need a new Alternator, do you think that's a rip
> off?

No, not necessarily. ISTM the labor it takes to do just the
brushes can approach the total cost of replacing the whole
alternator.

Other parts go bad on alternators, just not as often.

ISTM a car kept 20 years should need at least one alternator
replacement in the course of those 20 years.

If one is a do-it-yourselfer and has the time, then doing
just the brushes makes sense. This is not so for someone who
doesn't work much on cars and wants a repair that will (1)
last; (2) not lead to throwing good money after bad.

This is my rough impression, based on only one personal
alternator experience, a little exploration on brushes, and
a lot of reading. I am really not sure how often independent
shops are willing to do 'just the brushes.' Look for others'
thoughts on this. Tegger, Socalmike, Michael Pardee, JT,
Curly (among other regulars)?

> Should I ask for the brushes to be replaced first, and see
> how it goes, then get an alternator if the new brushes
> don't fix the problem?
> Thanks again everybody--probably a new update tomorrow