300TDI newalternator problems? Please help!

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Choppertrash

Choppertrash

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Hi all,

Just fitted a new alternator (correct 100A one), as old one was making a loud whining noise (bearings), but was working electrically ok.
New one in, and wired up properly - all terminals clean, non corroded and tight and wires in right place.
Had a couple of brittle wires and replaced those.
I am now getting an erattic rev counter which bounces around, slightly flickering headlights and the battery warning light fades in and out.
There is a chirping squealing noise which i thought was the belt, but this is tight and in good nick. It could be the tensioner, so I did the penny trick and no change. Still chirping and still the electrical problems. Cam anyone help?
Thanks, Dale
 
I squirted the belt with a tiny bit of WD40 and it stopped squealing, but still the same problem with lights etc(which I expected), so I know there is belt slippage. I will fit a new belt today and tensioner if I can get one.
If that fails, I can only assume its a bad earth somewhere (no f**king idea where?!) or the new alternator is faulty.

Ideas anyone?
 
Not sure on make, its a new exchange unit, from a local parts supplier. Hoe exactly do i check the charge rate?
Is it with a voltmeter across the battery when engine running?
 
Was there any plastic washers on the two threaded terminals when you got it, some years back I had this and I had no idea they were there I was told later they are "transit" washers the new nuts are tightened against bloody thing were partially insulating the cables, the tacho bounce was, on mine recently just a bad spade terminal
Dev
 
Devlin said:
Was there any plastic washers on the two threaded terminals when you got it, some years back I had this and I had no idea they were there I was told later they are "transit" washers the new nuts are tightened against bloody thing were partially insulating the cables, the tacho bounce was, on mine recently just a bad spade terminal
Dev
Click to expand...

Good point Dev, but I made sure of that when I fitted it. I replaced the spade terminal with a crimped eye, as it was a loose fit, so that should be a good positive connection.

I managed to get hold of a new tensioner, and went bloody miles to get it (there is literally NO-ONE open for LR parts on a sunday on the south of England or within an 80 mile radius of Southampton) so had a burn down to East sussex on the bike to The Thatched Garage (Man for Land Rovers), who were very helpful and well priced. A nice fast ride out, but a total waste of time, as I still have the same problem, with the slipping belt, which I'm sure is the problem (they did'nt have a new belt unfortunately). Still got the chirpy squealing slipping. I roughed up the new alternator pulley with emery to maybe help, but no difference...........I must have been a complete C**t in a previous life, is all I can say. :mad:
 
Hi, Sounds like a dry joint in the alternator, this could change the loading on the alternator if the stator is powered then not powered, I am guessing a sudden change could cause a noise? Put a volt meter across the - & + contacts on the battery, note the voltage and then start the car and recheck the voltage, if the alternator is working you should see a good increase of a couple of volts,(approx 13.5 - 14.5) check it is stable, if not the alternator is probably the culprit.
 
snowman01 said:
Hi, Sounds like a dry joint in the alternator, this could change the loading on the alternator if the stator is powered then not powered, I am guessing a sudden change could cause a noise? Put a volt meter across the - & + contacts on the battery, note the voltage and then start the car and recheck the voltage, if the alternator is working you should see a good increase of a couple of volts,(approx 13.5 - 14.5) check it is stable, if not the alternator is probably the culprit.
Click to expand...

Thanks Snowman. Firstly I did the belt, and SQUEALING GONE!.....and bollocks, still the bouncing tacho, battery light fading in and out and flickering lights.......so checked the voltage across the battery on tickover and was getting a continuous fluctuation of 14-16 (ish) volts. It just basically goes from 14-16 non-stop. I checked the earth of the alternator by clamping a jump lead from the alternator body to the battery and no change.

Also there is a relay fixed to the offside inner wing, which has a wire from the centre terminal of the alternator into the relay. A different terminal on the relay is badly corroded, but this doesn't seem to make any difference when I play with it, and you can feel the relay click when unplugged/plugged in again.

So does it sound like a faulty alternator then, Snowman,

Cheers, Dale
 
Choppertrash said:
Thanks Snowman. Firstly I did the belt, and SQUEALING GONE!.....and bollocks, still the bouncing tacho, battery light fading in and out and flickering lights.......so checked the voltage across the battery on tickover and was getting a continuous fluctuation of 14-16 (ish) volts. It just basically goes from 14-16 non-stop. I checked the earth of the alternator by clamping a jump lead from the alternator body to the battery and no change.

Also there is a relay fixed to the offside inner wing, which has a wire from the centre terminal of the alternator into the relay. A different terminal on the relay is badly corroded, but this doesn't seem to make any difference when I play with it, and you can feel the relay click when unplugged/plugged in again.

So does it sound like a faulty alternator then, Snowman,

Cheers, Dale
Click to expand...

Hi Dale,
If that relay is next to the fuse box its the Glow plug relay, so no effect on the alternator. It certainly sounds like the alternator is playing up to me, as it should not be cycling up and down like that.
Regards
 
snowman01 said:
Hi Dale,
If that relay is next to the fuse box its the Glow plug relay, so no effect on the alternator. It certainly sounds like the alternator is playing up to me, as it should not be cycling up and down like that.
Regards
Click to expand...

Well Snowman you were spot on! I fitted another new alternator tonight, and problem solved.......you just do not expect new parts to be faulty, so I was convinced it was something else........Thanks for your help. Auto electrics are a science on their own, and its good to get advice from peoplw who know a thing or two.

Thanks again
 
After giving you some advice my own alternator failed. No problem I thought, a friend ordered one up from the UK for only 45 quid plus post. (I live in Brunei). When it arrived it was a Brit-Part, my friend apologized as I have previously said some abusive things about Brit-Part, no problem I said, its only an alternator what can go wrong! Well, firsts of all there was no pulley, so I fitted my old one, I then fitted the alternator. The belt would not fit as there was a spacer on the alternator shaft that needed removing to allow the pulley to align. After originally fitting the pulley nut with Locktite studlock, I had a hell of a job removing it. Anyway, got if off in the end and then realised there was also no fan fitted to the front of the alternator, (the old one had an integral fan). After sorting out the fan and pulley, I refitted the alternator and started the engine. Battery light would not go out! I checked voltage and no power from alternator. As I live on the other side of the world, sending the piece of crap back was not an option, so I pulled it apart and found that two diodes had fallen apart inside on the rectifier plate. After much work robbing parts from the old alternator I fixed the rectifier and tried again. Still no voltage! I had no method of checking further so took to a local repair shop, they diagnosed the fault and replaced the voltage regulator for 60 quid. Whilst I had the thing apart I noticed that there were no brand names on anything, the diodes were tiny, the diodes and wires were not crimped just soldered (hence falling apart) the bearing at the back had no seal and grease was coming out already contaminating the brushes and slip ring!
Keep well away from Brit-part alternators and anything else, the quality is appalling. I am now going to purchase a new Denso or OEM Magnetti Marelli item as i have no faith in this thing lasting.
 
snowman01 said:
After giving you some advice my own alternator failed. No problem I thought, a friend ordered one up from the UK for only 45 quid plus post. (I live in Brunei). When it arrived it was a Brit-Part, my friend apologized as I have previously said some abusive things about Brit-Part, no problem I said, its only an alternator what can go wrong! Well, firsts of all there was no pulley, so I fitted my old one, I then fitted the alternator. The belt would not fit as there was a spacer on the alternator shaft that needed removing to allow the pulley to align. After originally fitting the pulley nut with Locktite studlock, I had a hell of a job removing it. Anyway, got if off in the end and then realised there was also no fan fitted to the front of the alternator, (the old one had an integral fan). After sorting out the fan and pulley, I refitted the alternator and started the engine. Battery light would not go out! I checked voltage and no power from alternator. As I live on the other side of the world, sending the piece of crap back was not an option, so I pulled it apart and found that two diodes had fallen apart inside on the rectifier plate. After much work robbing parts from the old alternator I fixed the rectifier and tried again. Still no voltage! I had no method of checking further so took to a local repair shop, they diagnosed the fault and replaced the voltage regulator for 60 quid. Whilst I had the thing apart I noticed that there were no brand names on anything, the diodes were tiny, the diodes and wires were not crimped just soldered (hence falling apart) the bearing at the back had no seal and grease was coming out already contaminating the brushes and slip ring!
Keep well away from Brit-part alternators and anything else, the quality is appalling. I am now going to purchase a new Denso or OEM Magnetti Marelli item as i have no faith in this thing lasting.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your alternator woes, Snowman......its bad enough when the parts supplier is only a couple of miles away......Must be a bummer waiting on stuff and having all that hassle........at least you know what you are doing. I kind of wish I just did the bearings on my original LR Magnetti alternator........it done 15 years and 138K......bloody good really.
 
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