Powermaster alternators = JUNK

[swervin ervin]

As a lot of you guys already know, I have a chrome Powermaster alternator #37293. This is the one wire, 140 amp model. It's a piece of junk. I bought this thing from Summit back in June 2002. But the kicker is it probably only has 10,000 miles or less. More than likely a lot less since I very seldom drive my truck.

Anyway, I noticed a few months ago whenever I would start the truck, the belt would squeal a tad every once in awhile. I thought it was maybe a loose belt and never paid it much attention. So I was driving it around 3 weeks ago and it was raining. So with my stereo and lights going, I noticed the voltmeter was sitting below 12 volts. I tuned off the tunes and proceeded to move along. I parked it in the shop after driving. I go to start it up again a few days later and the battery was dead as a door nail. I checked the battery and it was low so I thought the battery was the culprit since it was 7 years old even though it was a 8 year battery. I bought a new battery and put it in. Start the truck and the alternator was raising hell. I shut it down and take the alternator off. Tiny pieces of something fell out in my hand. The bearings are shot, along with what else I don't know.

I went to Powermasters website and sent them a friendly note. I asked them all kinds of questions and told them I thought this was pretty low quality on their end. Guess what? I haven't heard back from them. So I drop it off at the local alternator shop today to have it rebuilt. They said it would probably be around 90 bucks to fix it. I asked the guy so, these Powermaster alternators are supposed to be good ones right? He laughed and pointed to 2 more sitting in his office waiting on a rebuild.

So as a fair warning, stay away from Powermaster alternators. I am very sorry if anyone bought one because I recommended it to them. I was only going by what I had read and seen others say about them.