Grrrr, faulty alternator!

Post by **Furrtiv** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:39 am

Well, at least I now know what is wrong with 'Ector - my alternator has developed a fault and was pouring out over 36 volts! Now my battery has boiled dry, all the lights don't work - either the fuses have gone or the bulbs have all popped - and the points may well need replacing.
I only found all this out after a very boring, cold Sunday afternoon when I decided to go for a drive yesterday to see if all was running well, and it took nearly two hours for the breakdown services to get to me, plus another hour's worth of a mechanic poking around the engine, and then I was left on my own for another forty minutes until the flatbed arrived to haul the car home for me!

I guess I'm more upset at having to wait so damned long for help - I thought that certain famous breakdown services didn't keep lone women waiting for this long? I think I started my drive at 2pm yesterday, and didn't get home until around 7pm. Good job I had a blanket in the car because with the engine completely dead there was no other way to keep warm!

'Ector is being picked up sometime today by my garage mechanics, who'll hopefully have him back on the road in a few days if they can slot him in with all their other work (only two guys working in a very busy garage).

So yesterday was not very pleasant for me, especially being alone in an isolated area for quite a while. I am even thinking about putting in a complaint about how long I had to wait for help.

Post by **Kevin** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:49 am

I am even thinking about putting in a complaint about how long I had to wait for help.

Dont blame you as things shouldnt take that long at this time of year.

Post by **Orkney** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:11 pm

Some of teh recover peeps AA/RAC IIRC have a special number for ladies on own to ring - not publiced but pretty sure they were doing such a thing.

Daft thought re the alternator, are you sure it wasnt the battery that was duff so accepting more charge? Might be barking up the wrong tree but as you have to replace the battery anyway worth doing that before the alt and testing its output momentarily with a new battery?

As an aside will share this, many many years ago travelling a country lane not far from Big Ginger's part of the world, remote spot middle of nowhere type thing.
It was a very fowl night, heavy rain turning to sleet, must have been 1am.
Turn a corner in the lane, broken down car and a figure doing something.
Stopped to see if i coud help - in the headlights could see it was a puncture - and this woman hysterically screamed at me 'eff off i dont need the help of any effin man to change a tyre'
So fair enough i thought although a little shocked at the reaction from nothing but a genuine offer of help.
Carried on my way and called the rozzers on my housebrick on a handle cellphone (thats how long ago it was) and told them there was someone in difficulty and where etc.
Thats a bit before this day and age when i could understand someone bing spooked by such a thing, I'll never forget it though, its on the personal top 10 rudest persons iv ever encountered list without a doubt !

Post by **alex_holden** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:36 pm

Orkney wrote:Daft thought re the alternator, are you sure it wasnt the battery that was duff so accepting more charge? Might be barking up the wrong tree but as you have to replace the battery anyway worth doing that before the alt and testing its output momentarily with a new battery?

I'm pretty sure it'll be a faulty regulator pack in the alternator. It shouldn't allow the voltage to get too high even if the battery is knackered.

Yet another tale of dead alternators. You've only had it about 18 months haven't you? I think I'm going to stick with the dynamo until somebody comes up with a more reliable alternative to the standard Lucas conversion.

Stopped to see if i coud help - in the headlights could see it was a puncture - and this woman hysterically screamed at me 'eff off i dont need the help of any effin man to change a tyre'

There was a survey along these lines a few years ago: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_q ... _n12646083

IMHO this is linked with the sad decline in hitchhiking in this country.

Post by **chickenjohn** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:01 pm

My first thought at the thread title was also "go back to a dynamo!) ;-)

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:28 pm

Orkney wrote:
As an aside will share this, many many years ago travelling a country lane not far from Big Ginger's part of the world, remote spot middle of nowhere type thing.

Remote spot? Around here? I don't think so

a

Post by **Furrtiv** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:45 pm

Unfortunately I've had too much trouble with a dynamo in previous winters, what with the darned things giving out and the batteries dying - it's quite scary having your car go completely dead in the middle of busy traffic!

Anyway, they've picked up the car and I've described the problems, so hopefully they'll do a thorough investigation before replacing any items.

I must admit, I would be a bit wary of being approached by anyone if I were alone at night, but there are safety precautions one can take. I always carry an attack alarm, and the starting handle has other uses too!

But seriously, I'd have been very happy to have had someone help me out yesterday - I actually did have a mechanic and his family pull over to help, but they couldn't get 'Ector started either so I chose to wait for the recovery services.

Post by **chickenjohn** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:03 pm

"Unfortunately I've had too much trouble with a dynamo in previous winters, what with the darned things giving out and the batteries dying - it's quite scary having your car go completely dead in the middle of busy traffic! "

In the service manual there is a check of dynamo brushes at a specified period (20,000miles?? not sure). Certainly worth checking if fitting a 2nd hand unit- brushes can be replaced simply and cheaply. Alternators are not so DIY able.

Post by **dunketh** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:09 pm

2 Hours recovery is good going in my experience.
Took over 3 to pick up my moggy when it blew up on its maiden journey.

I chucked my dynamo and have never looked back. They may be bulletproof but I like to have my stereo, lights, wipers AND heater on simultaneously - not pick and chose whether I want to be able to see, hear music or not freeze..

Post by **Peetee** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:00 pm

I thought that certain famous breakdown services didn't keep lone women waiting for this long?

I know of one instance when a certain 'yellow' recovery company left a woman, in the early stages of a terminal illness and three kids in a broken down car in a city, waiting 1h 40 minutes.

Post by **Alec** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:39 pm

Hello Furttiv,

didn't the red light come on, it did on my car when I had a similar fault. A good indication of an overhigh charging voltage is a smell of sulphuric acid under the bonnet.
I have had Lucas alternators fail in a relatively short time, (regulator) but the one on our Morris is about ten years old and going strong.

Alec

Post by **Furrtiv** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:05 pm

Can't remember a red light coming on, at least I didn't think to look at the time.

And everyone here should know I'm not much of a DIY-er when it comes to cars! I too would like to have heater, lights and wipers on when it's cold and wet outside.

Stereo's a bit of a luxury though - how on earth do you hear it over the engine noise?

Post by **alex_holden** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:18 pm

You turn the volume up!

After getting the regulator box set right my dynamo system only makes a fairly small loss with everything on. The wipers use a surprising amount of power. The stereo is negligible and the heater motor (early round heater) doesn't use a lot. I just went through several months of commuting to and from work in the dark by topping the battery up with a mains charger every couple of weeks.

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:07 am

Remote spot? Around here? I don't think so

I can vouch for that Andrew your location is full up with Moggie LCV's

Post by **bigginger** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:40 pm

The remains of them, anyway...
a

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:07 am

Aye, the normal Lucas alternator's utterly hopeless, reliability's awful. I found that switching to the way more modern Lucas A602 alternator (which fits but needs the pulley off the old one) was a great improvement. Higher output and better reliability. Same connectors on the back too.

As for waiting that long; they're not meant to, but sometimes they do. Complain - you might get some extended membership, or sommat; I once spent 3 hours sat at the side of the M4 in mid winter, was pretty hypothermic by the time they reached me and ended up spending the night sat in front of a fan heater... so you've got lots of sympathy.

Anyway, hope they get your car sorted. You might want to get them to change the coil too; 'cos it's probably hosed that as well...

Post by **M25VAN** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:12 am

Has anyone tried repairing a faulty alternator? I notice repair kits are available for a resonable price....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=002

Post by **dunketh** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:38 am

I got my last alternator from a Fiesta mk3 at the scrappy. Only cost me £20. I think for that sort of money its not worth my time and e-bay hassle repairing one.

(I know thats dreadful wasteful 'un-minor' attitude

)

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:43 am

dunketh wrote:I got my last alternator from a Fiesta mk3

What make is it, and did you have to do anything special to get it to fit?

Post by **Packedup** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:56 am

I remember fitting one of my spare alternators to a mk3 CVH 1300 Escort, so they are cross compatible. What I can't remember is what make the Escort one was!

Triumph (at least OHV) Lucas ones are a straight fit too, and I've been led to believe E and O series engined BL cars (Maestro/ Montego etc) have alternators that drop straight on. One worth looking for is the diesel Montego/ Maestro unit as allegedly it's a bolt on and has a high output. Allegedly some Bosch Ford ones drop on too, but I've never tried it. Though in theory if there's a Bosch on a CVH it should, given the above (not sure if the wiring needs tweaking).