I've had so many problems with my car the last little while, and every shop or mechanic I've gone to hasn't done a satisfactory job.

The most recent was an alternator that burned out a week after the mechanic installed it. Frustrated with warranty repairs that resulted in absolutely no improvement, I just removed the alt myself and opened it up. Guess what? 75A alt was used as the replacement part. Incompetence or dishonesty? Take your pick. I don't believe in "honest mistakes" of that calibre. Not for a "professional". That's just plain negligence, either way.

SOOOOO....

I'm looking for recommendations for an Ottawa area mechanic who understands TELs, who's honest, and who doesn't cut corners (self-tapping screws, etc -- get the picture? ).

There's got to be at least one. I'd prefer a mechanic, not a shop (I know Tapp has a good reputation, but I prefer to deal with someone whose own business is at stake if he's no good).

Specifically, I'm looking for someone who really knows his stuff with electrical systems, because my alternators keep dying.

Come on, fellow enthusiasts! Share your secrets!

TIA.

Alt problems arent unusual with Talon and many have stories of woe, myself included here add a couple of alts after that post. Went with a mitsu with steps below and have been good since.

-check and clean vehicle grounds
-have a good battery properly charged
-add a ground strap to alternator
-check for power steering leaks above alt

Did you specifically ask for a 75a? Depending on how they looked up the part they may have used a U.S. spec or could have been a screw up at the parts supplier. So could it have been a honest mistake then yes. Finding good DSM mechs is tough nowadays because they have moved on to other cars and the new ones wouldnt get a lot of exposure.

I bet it's neither neglegence nor dishonesty. When a mechanic orders a part from a non-OEM, they are usually only given one choice. Considering turbo T/E/L are 75amp in the USA, most don't even offer 90amp alternators like they do within the Canadian borders.

As for alternators dying, it's not really rocket science. All the power regulation and so forth is within the unit so it's likley to be something simple which is wrong. These issues could include or be a combination of: a leaky power steering pump, a terrible gound (simple to find), an exhaust leak right onto the unit or a 3" exhaust too close to the unit in which it might overheat an internals.

These cars are fairly simple to understand and 99.5% of the time, the same issue has been fixed and discussed on this forum, DSMtuners, DSMtalk or NABR.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I guess it must be down to bad grounds, although they seemed okay (1.x ohms resistance) when I last checked 'em. Anyway, the previous garage I'd been to billed me for a wiring check -- perhaps that doesn't mean what I think it means. *shrug*

As for the OEM part, I heard Hyundai is supplied by the same manufacturer, so the same part (90A) can be had for a bit less than buying from Mitsu. Can anyone confirm this?

PS. Holy crap, Jerry, you too have most certainly been afflicted by the alternator plague.

Hey,
I blew through three CT alternators in three years...They lasted a year to the week, each one. Anyhow, what I hear is that the Mitsu alternator's cooling vanes are angled in the opposite direction, compared to the cheaper replacements. This means when the vanes spin on the cheapies, they push hot air out of the alternator, instead of pulling cooler air in. I put in a Mitsu one, which was about $100 more, but it's been in for almost 2 years and not an issue(knocking on wood as I type this).

As for a mechanic in Ottawa, I got to Tapp Auto, 613-225-8780. They aren't cheap, but they know T/E/Ls intimately.
I have been in town for three years and I wouldn't let another mechanic within ten feet of my car. I have had similar issues with other shops fumbling around the car and just generally not knowing the platform.

Hope that helps.
Cheers.

It's true i went through a few of the cheap alternators then i said the hell with this and got a stock mitsu one rebuilt for $90 and it has been running strong for over a year now.

Thanks for the responses.

FWIW, I brought my car to McCloskey's, and he suggested that it wasn't a good idea to sink any more money into it, because major structural parts (chassis?) are too far gone. This is the kind of frankness I would expect from any good mechanic.

In the past, I have explicitly asked about the general condition of the car at various places, and each place told me something like "oh don't worry, no big problems, nothing serious, it's totally worthwhile to keep upgrading it", but obviously this kind of wear doesn't happen overnight. I just wish I'd heard the truth ("it's too far gone") sooner, or known what bad signs to look for myself -- of course, if I knew that, I wouldn't need a mechanic, would I? *shrug*

That said, I'm selling my car for parts. Check it out in the for-sale section if interested (but don't hesitate).

To summarize:
I would strongly recommend McCloskey's Auto Tech.