Turbo alternator change

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:10 pm

My Turbo Diesel needs a new alternator. I have had a look at the options for removal - it can come out upwards, possibly or from underneath possibly.
This is an aircon model and that big compressor gets in the way of dropping it out easily. If I remove the oil filter to give more room then the oil cooler will still possibly get in the way. Not to mention the aircon hoses.
It looks much too tight for it to come out upwards without draining the rad and at least removing the hose half way down from the top. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and take the rad out completely to give more room.

Any advise guys. Anyone done this before ?

This is the first time I have had a failure while I am away in France. In fact I only got here yesterday. The alternator failed just 15 miles before I got to my destination here. I have very little equipment here so I went out and bought a replacement alternator this morning with a new belt. Went to my local garage who cannot do it this week. Went to a Cit independent 10 miles away. He wont touch it cos I have bought the parts and he does not want any guarantee problems.........ggrrrrr

So I have bought some spanners (21mm and 13mm)and will do it myself tomorrow. Fortunately I have a charger to keep the battery topped up so I am still mobile.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:23 pm

An ordinary one will come out - by the LHM tank - bit of twisting needed - but it can be done.

Otherwise take the strip holding the radiator off - and lift the radiator off its mounts and push it sideways - can give just a fraction more room.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:27 pm

Unclip the nearby headlamp unit. Then the alternator doesnt need to come up or down - just out.

tom · Post by **tom** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:44 pm

Grolliffe eats alternators and I'm getting quite adept at changing them. It will thread out from the top without too much difficulty. Safe journey back.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:28 pm

Hey - the jobs done now. It came out upwards quite easily. BUT only after I undid the RH engine mount to move the engine back a bit.

It just would not come past the engine bracket where the diesel pump is. On my turbo there is insufficient space, even with the rad moved to the right. So I just had to move the engine back to give some clearance.

In doing this job I think I discovered why the alternator had failed. The pulley nut had come off allowing the pulley to start wearing and eventually to chew up the belt. I reckon the previous owner must have removed the pulley and fan from the body to give the necessary clearance for removal. It was not fully tightened afterwards giving rise to my failure. The water hose just in front of the alternator failed last year as well. It was clearly damaged and weakened during the earlier alternator change.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:01 am

To carry on this thread - I am back in UK now and guess what, the alternator has gone on my other TD

I had a spare from a petrol car. It looked identical so I decided to put that one in.

On this car the job was so simple to do I could not believe my luck. It came out upwards with no problem at all unlike the other one which just did not enough clearance without moving the engine back.

I miss the little red light now.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:12 pm

Had a look at the failed alternator. The brushes were down to 3mm. One was arcing and eroded as a result.
Bought a new regulator/brush assy on ebay for £10

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-PIN-PARIS-RHONE ... dZViewItem.

It is v. easy to replace. This one had only done 80K miles - which seems a bit on the low side to wear out its brushes. Anyway I now have a good spare in stock.

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:18 pm

I have never managed to get a TD alternator out? without moving something, i normally pull the radiator out so i can flush it again (I always get some kind of drinking chocolate coloured guk out of it, I think the previous owner used to run it on neat radweld) I have a feeling some of the petrol alternators have lower output than the diesel ones which might make them shorter/smaller.
Stewart

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:23 am

Yes the TD is listed as needing a 70a alternator. Neither of mine had one - and when I saw the price of a 70a I decided to use the perfectly adequate 50a variety. After all that gives 600 watts of output.

I have a 70a on my aircon GTi though. The diameter is the same as the 50a though. It must be that those twin radiator fans and blowers draw quite a lot of current. I dont have any charging or low voltage issues ever though on my 50A aircon equipped car. The brush life would be the same on either type of alternator.

I wonder what other guys have on their TDs ?

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:53 pm

Mines running one of those 70 amp fanless types as found on ZX, 405 etc
Stewart