Morris Minor Owners Club

I've been luckier as I've not yet had an alternator failure on any car. However when they go you are stranded at the roadside and have to call for a towtruck. So I agree that Minor owners who don't absolutely need one should stick with a simple & reliable dynamo.

maurice wrote:.............the tester showed the battery to be in good condition. .........................
cheers
kim

Well that must be a first

A garage/car care/kwik fit/etc. that has a battery tester that doesn't fail every battery

Sorry but this is just me in cynical mode. Garages tend to use a 'drop tester' or a hydrometer (sp) that cost 2&6 (showing my age now!). At work we use a proper battery tester, takes a long time to test a battery and costs £500+. But gives a true result.

rayofleamington wrote:

Best way is to fit an alternator !

in who's opinion? ;-)

Dynamo's rule 5-1

Agreed. I have had LOADS of grief with alternators and only one (worn brushes - £2.50 to replace) with a dynamo.

So I'd say Dynamos rule at least 8-1 in my experience!

Except for their sad power output ! My current alternator cost £1 at autojumble and works a treat. Why would it's failure leave you stranded at the roadside ? No more so than a dynamo - both will give plenty of warning before the car actually grinds to a halt.

Why would it's failure leave you stranded at the roadside ?

Ask the guy we passed last year who's Morris Minor was on the hard shoulder (after London to Brighton)
We poulled over and he said 'failed alternator.. waiting for a tow truck' and we left him to it.

of the 5 failed alternators I've had, 2 have left me stranded a long way from home, late at night.

Lucky white heather! I bet there are far more Minors out there with alternators than there are with dynamos !

bmc,

In my experience alternator regulator packs ususally fail which means no charge straight away. Dead. Dynamos don't have these and so it's usually the brushes which cause dynamo failure and they will soldier on for a while intermittantly (or low) charging which will 'get you home'.

The 'sad power output' of the dynamo is OK for the standard car and the battery only needs the odd top-up during the winter months if you idle in traffic for long periods.

Also, I think there are FAR more Minors our there with dynamos than alternators as a lot fo people don't modify their cars or know how. Especially the 'garage queens' that just get used at weekends (of which there are a lot!).

I had an alternator fail due to worn brushes which gave me the warning of a brief flicker of the charging light two days before. So I think "hmm, must look at that at the weekend". I then got stranded with a car full of mates on the way back from a concert and had to phone my Dad (it was his old Cortina I was driving). No red light to tell me it wasn't charging.

Having said that, I've had an alternator on the Minor for a few years now without any problems. [Touches wood immediately]

Lucky white heather! I bet there are far more Minors out there with alternators than there are with dynamos !

I'll take that bet! how much are you offering? ;-)

lets make a poll and ask the board...

Alternators storming ahead so far...

I have five dynamos for Mog, and one alternator each on the other three cars.