The alternator is not a complex piece of machinery, yet it’s an integral part of conventionally fueled vehicles’ electrical systems, and like all car parts, it will ultimately break down. Here are the ...

From the earliest days of motoring, cars have evolved dramatically. The very first car envisioned by Carl Benz bears little resemblance to the vehicles we drive today; since then, engineers have found ...

While all cars need electric current to work, none have an alternator driven purely by a turbine which spins by virtue of ...

Your car needs electricity. You don't have mice striking flint in your engine's combustion chambers, nor do you have kerosene lamps for headlights. You might be able to hire a string quartet to ...

Alternator sucking too much power from your engine? Try this.

Alternator trouble is a very common occurrence, and unless you live with a silver spoon in your mouth and have a dedicated person to do your dirty work, alternator trouble is in your future. When it ...

It doesn’t matter whether it’s in the deep chill of winter or the heat of summer, on a work truck, emergency vehicle, or personal rig—the last thing a driver wants to see or hear are dim headlights ...

In the early muscle-car days, an alternator capable of 60 amps was considered more than enough to handle the meager electrical demands of a point-triggered ignition system, a 20-amp defroster fan, and ...

More power from lighter, smaller starter motors and alternators is the consistent request from automakers. Matthew Beecham reports on how rotating electric suppliers are responding. The increasing use ...

I’m a former mechanic and I have a question for you. Some of your answers refer to alternators that have “died.” But as far as I know, you have never written about why they die. I know about bearings ...

An illuminated battery light means there’s something wrong with the car’s charging system, which primarily consists of the battery and alternator, along with some associated components such as the ...

For anyone involved in the construction of small electric vehicles it has become a matter of great interest that a cheap high-power electric motor can be made from a humble car alternator. It’s a ...