Hi All!
45
Need some quick advice on what brand to roll with for a alternator on my 97 q45. Found a couple online from a company called DB Electrical but I have no clue on what brand roll with. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Without factoring in cost, my first choice would be factory OEM from Nissan. Second - Genuine Hitachi either new or rebuilt by Hitachi. Distant third - something you buy locally at an AutoZone/Advance Auto type place that has a lifetime warranty. With the warranty, you at least don't pay for the part again when it fails. Most online remans are a total crapshoot. Another option that I'd probably rank as 2.5 in my list, is to find an "old school" rebuilder in town and let them go in and fix you existing alternator. In a place as large as Raleigh, you have a decent chance of finding one that's still in business.

Heath

Once again Heath you advice is always on point and much appreciated! I went with a Duralast from Advance and now face the issue of replacing the alternator connector plug.

Did your old plug break, or is it not compatible with the new alternator?

Sorry for the late reply Heath....My old plug was pretty brittle and needed to be replaced. I found one on ebay, which I just placed in the car a couple of hours ago. Took the Q to advaced auto and had the alternator checked and the system read out great. So as of now it looks as if the issue was with the alternator connecter plug and not the new alternator I purchased. Thank you again for your quick advice and concern.

These alternators are stupid reliable..my mechanic told me that for whatever reason Infiniti alternators just last a long time. My original 2000 installed battery in my 97' lasted 10 years! I just probably jinxed by alternator, but you should return that. The labor involved to install a cheap alternator will eliminate any savings you get.

Just fyi, I have a spare orginal 97' Q alternator and harness, late reading post

BadQ45t wrote:These alternators are stupid reliable..my mechanic told me that for whatever reason Infiniti alternators just last a long time. My original 2000 installed battery in my 97' lasted 10 years! I just probably jinxed by alternator, but you should return that. The labor involved to install a cheap alternator will eliminate any savings you get.

I just had mine rebuilt a couple of months ago, and one of the shops I got an estimate from said Hitachi brand alts are notorious for internals failing because of engine heat. When you consider just how much radiant heat a VH41DE makes at normal operating temperature, I'd certainly be inclined to agree.

Nonsense! My factory installed 19 year old and over 312,000 mile Hitachi alternator has not failed yet,despite the heat from the even bigger 4.5 liter engine and age and high mileage.Dont believe everything you hear!

qship96 wrote:Nonsense! My factory installed 19 year old and over 312,000 mile Hitachi alternator has not failed yet,despite the heat from the even bigger 4.5 liter engine and age and high mileage.Dont believe everything you hear!

nobody else's alternator is allowed to fail because you have an exception...thanks for clearing that up.

Wiggler wrote:

qship96 wrote:Nonsense! My factory installed 19 year old and over 312,000 mile Hitachi alternator has not failed yet,despite the heat from the even bigger 4.5 liter engine and age and high mileage.Dont believe everything you hear!

nobody else's alternator is allowed to fail because you have an exception...thanks for clearing that up.

Sorry,but you are wrong again......mine is NOT an exception- spend some time reading through older posts here and you will see,there is no pattern of early factory alternator failures,quite the opposite actually- somebody fed you a line of crap that you obviously swallowed without question.

Sounds good, I'll do that. In the meantime you try working on sounding a little less pompous and a little more constructive. Have a nice day.

Sorry,did not realize you needed coddling.

No coddling needed from the likes of you, thanks. I'll get by with the more friendlier members of this forum.

holymolyNc wrote:Just fyi, I have a spare orginal 97' Q alternator and harness, late reading post

Thx brotha got her running like a charm!

Q451990 wrote:Did your old plug break, or is it not compatible with the new alternator?

Old plug wires were just extremely brittle.