[RANDY P]

In Kalifornia as I write this. Friday AM incident- pulling into SD off I8 I pull up to light in Silverado. Light goes green pull away, turn left and I feel steering get heavy.

WTF?

I pull over, fire engine back up, everything seems fine, nothing weird on gauges. I shut stereo off (that's the problem. 500WRMS and it was cranked) and it sounds like a tin can rattling.

Pop hood, alternator is smoldering. All ****ed up, hissing, smoldering and just toast. I limp it to a gas station 1/2 mile down the road and since no tools, I had to pay the guy $80 to yank it - 4 bolts and serpentine on top of engine. Easy job.

The alternator was too hot to touch, and had to carry it to a rebuilder that happened to be around the corner (who happened to be a cool as hell guy who owns a 996TT)- bought rebuilt, had gas station drop it in and I'm on my way.

Saturday, on my way up North to Corona, damn alternator light comes on about Escondido. Rebuilt one lasted about 50 miles. No tools, again.

I wound up going to an Oreillys (since I was far away from SD and rebuilder closed anyway) and buying a NEW alternator, and bumming tools from people so I could install it.

As I type this, have 100MI on new alternator. So far, so good.

I seriously hope I can make it home tommorow without a ****ing alternator explosion.......