It will keep charging, the problem is it leaks AC current into your DC system and causes sensors to go haywire. It could potentially damage electronics. I replaced mine with a PA alternator from americanmuscle.com as a preventative maintenance. I still have the stock one sitting on the shelf.

 

yeah, this. the alternator is actually a three-phase AC generator, and it has banks of diodes to rectify the AC waveforms into DC. if the rectifiers start to fail, the alternator will still output power but it'll have a ton of "ripple" (residual AC noise riding on the DC current.) Normally the battery filters out minor ripple but a failing rectifier can overwhelm that. Excess ripple on power circuits can interfere with low-voltage signals like that from a cam sensor.

 

With 32k and 8 years old that would probably be a good idea for me too. I would hate to have it fail on race night.

 

what can happen if it doesn't get replaced?

 

Your car would be renamed as Flattery 'cause it would get you nowhere.

 

you should be on SportsCenter.

 

Will have to keep this issue/solution in mind

 

Ha ha. LOL.

 

Most likely nothing but getting stranded on the side of the road, which is what happened to me.

But, damaged electronics is possible. The usual thing that would happen is your battery would get damaged, but, it doesn't always happen. Mine was fine.

 

hmmm...the battery thing makes sense. I think the battery that was on there before I replaced it was only 1yr old