99 TL--178K miles

so this morning i went to work and stopped at the gas station--shut my car off and went in---came out started my car and there was this weird ass humming noise--even when i turned the wheel it sounded different

the mechanic said it was the alternator----how can it be possible that it just went out in the matter of seconds ???

also i can smell sumthin funkey coming from the alternator and if i put my fingers on it i can feel it vibrating

how hard is this to change out----and he said i should get the tensioner pully while in in there too

ADVICE ON THIS SITUATION ???

thanks in advance

 

You can go to an autoparts store and get it tested for free - do that first.

 

sounds like the shaft bearing went out
a mechanics stethascope will tell instantly

remove alt-
take to parts store for verification- if needed,,if it turns slow- drags- etc--its bad

I find it wise to replace belt tensioner with a belt or bad part,,lets say the alt was locking up and moving again - thats going to damage the belt and freak the tensioner out

 

is it safe to drive when its makin that noise and when it smells like that ----just kinda nervous to drive it

in fact since it happend i havent driven it at all----i left it at the shop i work at

the mechanic said if its bad that im running off the battery---cuz the alternator isnt charging it ( if its bad ) and i have a yellow top optima

safe to drive it about 15 miles or no ????

 

Quick chk.: What's the batt. voltage w/ eng. off, no loads?

Does it increase to something above 13.5v w/ eng. running?