Alternator OEM Mazda or GENERAL MOTORS

Our 17 has 205,000km so far. Has been great. Have gone through 4 sets of rear brakes, maybe 2 front but it might only be one, had to recently replace the alternator.

I will always vote for a 10SI or 12SI GM alternator swap on an L-series engine. Affordable conversion bracket. 1-wire GM alternators are simple, reliable, cheap and readily available online but not easy to find in parts stores. 3 wire GM alternators are are easy enough to wire up and are absolutely everywhere in parts stores if you’re more concerned about parts availability and potential breakdowns on long adventures.

The OEM alternator is only 55 amps and costs nearly $400, which is stupid expensive and wholly inadequate for off-road lighting, audio amplifiers, and other additional accessories so I decided to go with the CS130D GM alternator, purchased for under $100 new (no core charge) and has a 130 amp capacity.

I'm getting 14.8v from the upgraded alternator at 700rpm and maintaining 14.2v when every possible accessory and light is turned on at idle.

I was able to remove/replace the alternator on my Mazda CX-5 without removing any parts as has been mentioned.

The alternator itself can get bad only if the bearings are shot. If you don't have play on the shaft, and it spins freely then the alternating part of the alternator is fine. What can get pretty bad are the diode rectifier bridge.

My shitbox, I replaced my alternator just for my window motor to go bad, I replaced the window motor just for the thermostat to go bad the next day, it’s inevitable.

Mazda's DO NOT like aftermarket alternator. Most don't work out of the box. You need to get a genuine Mazda alternator.

My 2017 Mazda 3 touring felt like it was cursed. I had the direct high pressure fuel pump injector go out like 1.5 years after purchase. About 2k for just that repair. Thought that was the end of it until the following year where there was a persistent evap problem that nobody could find, despite clearing the code it wouldn’t pass smog. One smoke test and several hundred dollars in appointments later they found the smallest leak from one of the hoses, replaced it and passed smog. Then the check engine light saga started, at first we thought it was the battery/alrernator until after replacing both it kept happening. Turns out that was the start of my catalytic going out(76k miles exactly). Idk if it’s Stockholm syndrome but i did trade it in for a new Mazda. Hoping the curse has been lifted.

Labor time is like .7 on the RX8 alternator if I remember my time at Mazda right… imma say like 900 or so for labor is a rip

HAVE a 2022 CX30 @ 79,000 miles. Alternator went out today