Auto parts cross-reference guide?

[hbelkins]

Does anyone know where I can find a reliable auto parts cross-reference guide that will tell me equivalents for part numbers, specifically GM (AC Delco) parts?

My vehicle (2008 Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid, with Z as the eighth digit in the VIN) has a balky alternator. I am getting occasional occurrences of it not charging.

The current new part is a GM 24242950, according to the dealership where I bought the vehicle. Unfortunately, the cheapest I can find this part new is $1,000, and I don't have that amount of funds available. This is not the part number of the alternator that originally came on the vehicle. That alternator was discontinued and the 24242950 is the current part that's in production.

Various fitment charts on auto parts sites are of no use. I actually ordered the part that Rock Auto said would work on my vehicle, but unfortunately it didn't and I had to send it back. Even one GM official site gave me the wrong part when I entered the vehicle's VIN.

A couple of sites list a couple of other indirect cross exchange fitments, but I want to be positive. There are a few used parts with warranties available on eBay, but I want to make sure anything I buy will work. I'd love to have a definitive source where I can check to see if one of those part numbers will work with my vehicle.

As it is now, I can drive my vehicle a short distance, say seven miles. But if I stop briefly and then start it again, the battery light will come on. It's safe to drive home if I haven't gone too far. Then I can wait a little while, start it again, and the battery light will be off. So the alternator is having intermittent issues. It takes a special alternator because the vehicle is a hybrid. "Belt alternator starter" is the term used.

I've let two exact replacements get away from me on eBay, one at a great price, because I wasn't fast enough on the draw to make the purchase. There are a few out there that purport to fit, but I'd love to be able to find out for sure from a dependable and reputable source.

I have a garage lined up to replace it for me (too big of a job for me to do myself, even if I had the knowledge). I just need to find the part to put on it.

[renegade]

Is there anyone in your area, such as an alternator shop, that would be able to rebuild your alternator?  You might be able to save a few bucks that way.  There are only a couple parts that normally go bad inside, such as brushes and the voltage regulator, and those are easily replaced if the right person knows what they're doing.  Full disclosure:  I am not one of those people.   

$1000 is a lot of money.

[hbelkins]

Is there anyone in your area, such as an alternator shop, that would be able to rebuild your alternator?  You might be able to save a few bucks that way.  There are only a couple parts that normally go bad inside, such as brushes and the voltage regulator, and those are easily replaced if the right person knows what they're doing.  Full disclosure:  I am not one of those people.   

$1000 is a lot of money.

I'm going to check into it, but this alternator is a specialty item, apparently, so I'm not sure if anyone in my area would have the knowledge to do it.

[GCrites]

I can picture older hybrid alternators being a lot more difficult to track down than straight ICE unless it's for one of the more popular models.

[Max Rockatansky]

I can picture older hybrid alternators being a lot more difficult to track down than straight ICE unless it's for one of the more popular models.

If I recall correctly wasn't the hybrid system in a lot of those GM cars just a way over sized alternator?

[GCrites]

Could be, I think that was the case on the "hybrid-lite" GM models.

[1995hoo]

I assume you're a member of a Saturn forum and have asked there? If not, that would be my top suggestion because I'd be sure someone else there has had that problem.

[J N Winkler]

I assume you're a member of a Saturn forum and have asked there? If not, that would be my top suggestion because I'd be sure someone else there has had that problem.

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267548

(I am also a member of SaturnFans, though I haven't been active in several years--my 1994 SL2 has been boringly reliable.)

Another option is to source a replacement through a salvage yard.  I wouldn't start with the pick-and-pull places since it sounds like removing this alternator is an involved operation, but there are full-service yards that extract parts to store and sell.  There is actually a salvage operation in northeastern Kansas that specializes in Saturns and is often mentioned on the SaturnFans boards dedicated to the S-Series; I don't know if they also handle other Saturn models.

I had the alternator rebuilt in my Saturn five years ago (following the advice of OldNuc, the SaturnFans S-Series guru) and had to visit three shops (in a city of 400,000) before I found one that was willing to take on the job.  The first shop quoted a price that was slightly higher than that of an OEM rebuild.  The second shop wouldn't answer emails, and when I visited in person, the owners quoted a price slightly higher than new OEM, which was their way of saying they weren't interested.  The third shop, which actually performed the work and at reasonable cost, was run by a Croat who had immigrated from communist Yugoslavia in the 1980's and was disappointed that I insisted on a straight stock rebuild instead of modifications that would have greatly increased current output but required me to modify the wiring and possibly also use a different serpentine belt.

[hbelkins]

I assume you're a member of a Saturn forum and have asked there? If not, that would be my top suggestion because I'd be sure someone else there has had that problem.

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267548

I know the guy who started that thread. I also have another, more detailed thread, with information about the intermittent battery light issues. The other Saturn forum has a "post every so often or you get banned" requirement and I'm banned from there because I didn't post enough to meet the frequency requirements.

Another option is to source a replacement through a salvage yard.  I wouldn't start with the pick-and-pull places since it sounds like removing this alternator is an involved operation, but there are full-service yards that extract parts to store and sell.  There is actually a salvage operation in northeastern Kansas that specializes in Saturns and is often mentioned on the SaturnFans boards dedicated to the S-Series; I don't know if they also handle other Saturn models.

I'm looking into that, but the problem is that most don't offer shipping. I've missed out on one great salvage yard offering on eBay at a tremendous price, that had a year's warranty; and then another one at a steeper price.

I had the alternator rebuilt in my Saturn five years ago (following the advice of OldNuc, the SaturnFans S-Series guru) and had to visit three shops (in a city of 400,000) before I found one that was willing to take on the job.  The first shop quoted a price that was slightly higher than that of an OEM rebuild.  The second shop wouldn't answer emails, and when I visited in person, the owners quoted a price slightly higher than new OEM, which was their way of saying they weren't interested.  The third shop, which actually performed the work and at reasonable cost, was run by a Croat who had immigrated from communist Yugoslavia in the 1980's and was disappointed that I insisted on a straight stock rebuild instead of modifications that would have greatly increased current output but required me to modify the wiring and possibly also use a different serpentine belt.

For the most part, Saturns use standard GM alternators that are used in other GM models as well. The non-hybrid Vues from 2008 use the same alternator as a Equinox or Malibu of that vintage.

[hbelkins]

I'm still trying to figure out if there is an online database somewhere that will give equivalencies. I have leads on a number of alternators with warranties that look like the one that goes in mine, but I can't be positive that they will fit or work.

[SectorZ]

I'm still trying to figure out if there is an online database somewhere that will give equivalencies. I have leads on a number of alternators with warranties that look like the one that goes in mine, but I can't be positive that they will fit or work.

I took a look and couldn't find anything. Kind of surprised it's so hard to find this info.

[Takumi]

I know at my shop, I can look in the parts database and a discontinued part will occasionally say what the replacement part number is, but I'm not sure if this is true for every part.

[GCrites]

^"superseded" parts?

[hbelkins]

A postscript to this story: I found a used alternator on eBay at a fantastic price. (I suspect the seller didn't know what he had, given other prices on similar items). Mileage was acceptable and a one-year warranty was available through SquareTrade for only $15. So as soon as it gets here, I'll have it installed and see about getting the old one rebuilt so I will have it as a spare in case the "new" one fails.

[GCrites]

Yeah work that SquareTrade warranty for as much as you can. Might be like buying a CarMax warranty with a five-year-old Jaguar or Land Rover.