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THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHBad Alternator vs Bad Voltage Regulator vs "Brushes"
Leading reported evidence
Test alternator, found it was "bad" and confided
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
The autoparts chain store tested my alternator, found it was "bad" and confided that it was probably the voltage regulator.
Bad Alternator vs Bad Voltage Regulator vs "Brushes"
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Leading evidence: 'Test alternator, found it was "bad" and confided' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'voltage regulator' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check before buying and installing an alternator, is' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Discussions that suspect a cause
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Suspected cause · Original poster
The autoparts chain store tested my alternator, found it was "bad" and confided that it was probably the voltage regulator.
Bad Alternator vs Bad Voltage Regulator vs "Brushes"
Check before buying and installing an alternator, is
Suggestion or failed attempt
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Unsuccessful attempts
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Suggestion · Original poster
So the first thing to check before buying and installing an alternator, is to
Bad Alternator vs Bad Voltage Regulator vs "Brushes"
Replace 996 vr's some time
Suggestion or failed attempt
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Unsuccessful attempts
1
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Suggestion · Original poster
Since brushes wear out, probably best to replace 996 VR's some time before 75K miles.
Bad Alternator vs Bad Voltage Regulator vs "Brushes"
Replace brushes in the 60's...but doing
Suggestion or failed attempt
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Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
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0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
I replaced brushes in the 60's...but doing that now, unnecessarily would be...unnecessary
Bad Alternator vs Bad Voltage Regulator vs "Brushes"
Coverage and how to read this overview
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
5 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T135432Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
NOTE: this is cross-posted on 996 and 996 GT3 forums. It also probably applies to most all cars, let alone Porsches, made in this century :-)
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This may have been covered, but my recent experience with my 100k mile 996 2005 911 GT3 might be worth relating, especially for the DIY'ers out there.
It has come to my attention that what a shop might call "a bad
alternator
" might actually/probably be a bad
voltage regulator
.
It has also come to my attention that the voltage regulator includes the
brushes
.
Brushes wear out. So the first thing to check before buying and installing an alternator, is to
Remove alternator
Remove Voltage regulator
Measure or Compare the brushes with new. (as little as 4 mm wear can disable the car)
The autoparts chain store tested my alternator, found it was "bad" and confided that it was probably the voltage regulator. I wouldn't consider a $1000 dealer repair, so I found re-manufactured alternators for $140-$207 at the chain autoparts store.
The guy didn't explain that voltage regulators are a separate part, my bad, I didn't realize that. Bottom line the VR is available for $35 or even less online. Since brushes wear out, probably best to replace 996 VR's some time before 75K miles. Don't wait to 100K miles when you are 200 miles from home
thanks for sharing. also discussed in the past:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...placement.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...regulator.html
Good info.
FYI. Chinese made voltage regulators are available for under $10. I am tempted to purchase one, remove the brushes and try to replace them in the existing voltage regulator....
Not for the cost savings but as a commentary on our throw-away society. i.e. Why replace a voltage regulator when all one needs are brushes. I replaced brushes in the 60's...but doing that now, unnecessarily would be...unnecessary
The value of Rennlist - all those resources to zero in on diagnosis,'while-you-are-in-there' and best sources/prices/alternatives. Well worth the Membership.
Great x-post. Thanks for sharing it.
Our society is cursed with abundance in an age of abundance. I've tried to convince my wife that we should move to the jungles of Southeast Asia for a year just to reset out perspective. The Oklahoma country girl ain't going for it but I don't know how else to teach our kids that our perspective of reality is really really skewed. And while I understand and believe this concept, there is no way you could tell by my everyday actions.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
