Driving today and the red ignition light came on very dimly. I re-tensioned the belt and checked the plug on the back hadn't worked loose but the light stayed on. When I got home I checked the output which was 12.41v at idle but as I revved the engine the voltage seemed to go down to 11.8v.
I think this means the alternator has given up at least partially? Is there anything else I can check just to be sure.
The alternator fitted is a 35amp output but the the factor has a 55amp output in stock or I can wait 24hrs for the 35amp. I do have a front & rear heated screen fitted, radio/cd player and halogen headlamps so is it worth fitting the 55amp or should I just get the 35amp which does seem to have been fine.
I would definitely fit the 55A, as it will give you more headroom for charging the battery as well as covering the accessory loads. It will need heavier duty wiring from the alternator to the starter solenoid - either a single 120/0.3mm or 2x65/0.3mm cables. What do you have fitted now? If have an ammeter fitted, then the heavier cable needs to run from the alternator up to ammeter and from the ammeter to the starter solenoid.
Last edited by IslipMinor on Mon May 13, 2013 8:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
When I had it off the road restoring it I did uprate the wiring to the solenoid 2x 65/0.3 so hopefully it is just a strait swap over. Thanks for the info.
Perfect, it is, or should be, a simple straight swap. The only potential problem is that the later Lucas alternators, after the ACR range, have 17mm spindles, instead of the earlier 15mm, so make sure that it is the same, or that it comes with a pulley?
Jeff - the old alternator probably just needs new brushes - very inexpensive and easy to fit in the ACR....... I would give it a go before laying out big cash for a new one. As long as you only use the heated screens 'one at a time' - the 35 amps will be fine.
Thanks for the advice - BMC I just went for the new 35amp alternator as it turns out they didn't have the 55amp one
Nobody keeps brushes locally and I needed to use the Morris for a run to Nairn. On checking the brushes they didn't seem that worn but the outer brush was definetly more worn than the centre one. Would anyone know if this is normal wear?
Hi
Its been awhile since I purchase an alternator,are they not an exchange unit anymore?
If the answer is no,you could repair your old unit as a spare,if the bearings are all good.
regards
Trevor
Of course you can - all parts are on ebay for the Lucas ACR range. But the trick is not to keep the 'repaired' alternator as the spare - you should USE it, and keep a known good one as the spare....in the boot along with all the other spares.....
Yeah you do still exchange them but I had a very old cruddy looking one that gave up the ghost a long time ago so this went for exchange and I will repair the one I have just taken off. I long road for a short cut I know but I use my Morris most days so I wanted it on the road.
