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 Replacement Parts Catalog
OEM Replacement Parts Catalog
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How do I know if I have a bad alternator?
The job of the alternator is to assist in the proper circulation of electrical current from your battery to the other vital components in the car, while it's running, such as your radio, headlights, and interior lights. Signs of a faulty alternator include dim or flickering headlights, trouble or hesitation while starting your car, dim or flickering interior lights, a radio that cuts in and out, or a complete loss of power altogether. Since electrical systems can be difficult to troubleshoot, you can take your vehicle to a professional who can test to see if your ignition spark is making it past the alternator. For help with your specific application, we recommend to ask in our car forum.
What's the difference between a standard alternator and a performance one?
Regular or stock alternators will simply keep the electricity flowing through the components you need during regular use. Regular use would be defined as street driving where you keep the car continually under the RPM redline and you don't operate large amounts of video or audio equipment. Stock alternators are more than enough to power your car's stock components and even some small additions such as some extra audio, extra lights, and navigation. For those who drive high performance cars with large engine displacement, turbo or superchargers, aftermarket ignition, and other add-ons like multiple TV screens and DVD players, they will need a performance alternator to deliver adequate spark to the car and the many trick additions. The performance alternator allows your car to run with a hotter spark more consistently while supporting more components.
How do I maintain my alternator?
The best approach to alternator maintenance is three fold. Since your alternator is driven by the serpentine belt attached to the front of your engine, the first step in maintenance is to maintain a healthy serpentine belt. To do this, you must make sure your belts are the right size, they are adequately tightened, and the rubber of the belt is not dry and cracking. Belts can be conditioned with store bought solution or by running a bar of soap against the moving belt while the car is running. The second part of alternator maintenance lies with the electrical system. Keep a fully functioning battery, working starter, and reliable ignition system to avoid any problems. It's best to have your electrical system load tested periodically to ensure that there is no loss of current. Finally, keep an eye out to make sure your alternator vents are not clogged and the alternator doesn't get too dirty. The number one cause of alternator failure comes from worn bearings inside the casing that have aged due to improper ventilation and dirt corruption.
What can happen if I don't change my faulty alternator quickly enough?
Not only do you run the risk of a complete electrical failure, as mentioned above, but a faulty alternator can cause unnecessary wear on other parts of your system. It can dramatically shorten the life of your battery while also jeopardizing the integrity of the rest of your ignition system. At the highest end of risk is possible damage to your car's central computer or ECU.
How do I know how many Amps I need from my alternator?
The number of amps needed for your alternator depends on the load that your electrical system will exert on it. There are a couple of ways to understand what your maximum amp load may be. You can simply add the amp requirements of all your components together to get your number, or you can use an inductive ammeter with a "peak hold" function clamped around the battery cable while the car is running. Keep in mind that alternators run at an average 60% of total output, so if you need 90 amps altogether, then your alternator should be rated for 150 amps. If you still aren't comfortable with the rating system and what you need, ask a professional while being sure to point out all the components you'll be using so he or she can understand the peak load.
Latest Kia Alternator Applications
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Bosch Alternator
02-05 Kia Sedona 3.5LV6DOHC24V 3.5 Remanufactured 120 amp Replaces "Mando" alternators only. |
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Alternator
05-07 Kia Spectra 5 2.0DOHC5dr 70 amp 70 amp 70 amp |
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Alternator
05-07 Kia Spectra 5 2.0DOHC5dr 70 amp 80 amp 80 amp |
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Alternator
04-07 Kia Spectra 2.0DOHC 4Dr 70 amp 70 amp 70 amp |
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Alternator
04-07 Kia Spectra 2.0DOHC 4Dr 70 amp 80 amp 80 amp |
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Bosch Alternator
95-02 Kia Sportage 2WD DOHC16 DOHC16V 70amp - Remanufactured |
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Alternator
00-04 Kia Spectra 1.8DOHC 5Dr 70 amp 70 amp 70 amp |
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Alternator
00-04 Kia Spectra 1.8DOHC 5Dr 70 amp 80 amp 80 amp |
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Alternator
10/00 - Kia Optima 2.4L DOHC-16V 2.4 95 amp |
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Alternator
10/00 - Kia Optima 2.4L DOHC-16V 2.4 95 amp New |
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Alternator
04-07 Kia Spectra 2.0DOHC 4Dr 70 amp 80 amp 80 amp |
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Bosch Alternator
95-02 Kia Sportage AWD DOHC16V 70amp - Remanufactured |
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Bosch Alternator
08/96 - Kia Sephia BP 70amp - Remanufactured |
Some Kia Alternator Applications (View Full Catalog Above)
| Kia Optima 2.4L DOHC-16V |
Kia Sedona 3.5LV6DOHC24V |
Kia Sephia |
| Kia Spectra 1.8DOHC 5Dr |
Kia Spectra 2.0DOHC 4Dr |
Kia Spectra 5 2.0DOHC5dr |
| Kia Sportage 2WD DOHC16 |
Kia Sportage AWD |
More Applications (View Full Catalog Above)
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