Will a 1st gen alternator work on a 2nd gen Tacoma?

Looks like the alternator on my 2011 is kaput, I noticed the whine a few days ago (finally the cold snap up here in the Pacific North West has subsided, and for the first time in quite a while don't need the defog/heat on full blast, and heard an engine noise for the first time, a whine that got louder at lower rpm's.

Finally today it almost didn't want to crank and the wipers are really slow. I'd already visited my mechanic and am due to drop in first thing Monday anyway.

I have a new in the box, unused 1st gen alternator - is it at all possible to use this as a replacement? Even if temporary, until my stock one gets rebuilt?

 

Is your battery light on?

Are you sure the alternator isn't putting out 13+ volts?

Do you have the v-6? Is the 1st gen Tacoma the v-6?

If the alternators a physically the same and both are rated for the same amps, it should work fine.

My only real input is:. I have 2, 1 st gen Tacoma s and a second gen Tundra. The alternators are nothing alike.

 

Yes, my 2011 is the 4.0, and my 1996 is the 3.4

I didn't notice the battery light on, but I don't really want to try starting it again until Monday morning, when it's time to drive directly to the shop.

 

Charge the battery. If the alternator is junk, the truck is running off of the battery and may die before you get to the shop.

 

No. The 3.4 is a 3 terminal plug and use a 4 Grove belt.
The 4.0 is a 4 terminal plug. It has a 7 groove belt.

And, not to mention the actual mounting ears are different.

 

If you don’t have a battery charger, you can jump charge the taco battery with another car. Just hook up like your planning to jump start but don’t start the taco. Run the other car for a few minutes on high idle, that should be enough to juice up the taco battery. Or do that just before you drive it Monday. Keep in mind, if the alternator decided to seize, driving it will chew up the belt.