Possible cause for going through alternators quick?

[sweetdreams6t9]

Hey guys, I bought my car with a bad alt, I have since replaced it twice... And I suspect it's gone again. Are there any reasons why this may happen? Possible cause might be that the crank pulley has more side movement than it should (as in it shouldn't move sideways at all) could this cause the problem? If not then what other Things could make an alternator go bad. 3 in one year and possibly 4 isn't good. Thanks!

[marty1mc]

First, is there fluid leaking? The high pressure power steering hose leaking will wipe them out. Also, Oil leaks in the valve covers, cam seals tend to find their way to the alternator. So, if the alternator is dry, then next.

Where did you buy your alternator? Most parts house alternator (advance, autozone, etc) are of dubious quality. I have seen them fail over and over, sometimes really causing some damage. OEM is the best alternative, even if you buy a used one.

[Ace2cool]

...or an aftermarket high output alternator from Bosch, ect. That's what I'm running to keep from frying it out, as I have a system that demands higher power levels.

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Your crank pulley shouldn't move sideways at all. That's a weird problem on it's own.

Your high pressure power steering hose is probably leaking on your alternator, causing failure. Replace the hose, rebuild the alternator and call it a day.