Pro tip: the junkyard alternator I grabbed for $25 died on Route 9, but the fix was dumb

Seth Carr · 2026-10-17T18:30:05.053943+00:00

Two summers back I pulled a used alternator out of a wrecked Civic at the yard in Worcester, and I was so proud of saving $90 that I bolted it on that same afternoon without testing anything. About three weeks later it quit right on Route 9 near the Shrewsbury line, and the dash lights went dim before the motor just died at a red light. I coasted into a gas station, borrowed a wrench, and figured out the little ground strap bolt on the back had come loose and was barely making contact. Tightened it down in 10 minutes with a 10mm and never had another problem, but I still feel dumb about not checking it the first time. Did you guys learn to bench test yard parts the hard way too, or am I the only one who just bolts stuff on and hopes?

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Pro tip: the junkyard alternator I grabbed for $25 died on Route 9, but the fix was dumb | Budget Project Cars - HW Forums