Alternator Failures

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Simon098

Active Member
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233
Location
Hampshire
Hi Guys,

I'm curious if anyone knows roughly how long the alternators on the TD5 last (mean-time between failures)? I've managed to blow 2 up now just after an off-roading day. I suspect it's brushes, regulator or diode pack (as a result of dirt or water ingress), but I'm wondering roughly how long these last anyway as I bought a second hand one which blew up pretty quickly (no idea how many miles were on it).

Are the brush pack, regulator etc easy to change?
 
The water and dirt would wear my 200 alt brushes out very fast, so fats I started to carry spare brush packs.
Easy to change on the old A127 alternator not sure on yours?
 
Mine blew after I, ahem, watered it inadvertently.

Seemed odd that just a bit of water would do that, but I've since fixed a leak from the inlet manifold which was dumping a steady stream of (carbon-rich) black carp through the alt. My working theory: carp in the alt + water = trouble

Is the area around your alt free of leaks?
 
I'm still on the factory fitted one at 180K miles, no wading involved but i'm going quite often through deep mud and puddles... though i've been treating it with nanoprotech electric once a year since i discovered it on the market, i dont have shares in it it's just good

 
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Lost mine last weekend - failure of seal between that and the vacuum pump - oil into alternator, 95A short to earth and cooked battery. The alternator didn't look too old, but think it may have been a cheap and cheerful. Car on 87K, so clearly had been replaced recently - was the shiniest thing under the bonnet!
 
sierrafery said:
I'm still on the factory fitted one at 180K miles, no wading involved but i'm going quite often through deep mud and puddles... though i've been treating it with nanoprotech electric once a year since i discovered it on the market, i dont have shares in it it's just good

Click to expand...


that looks like good stuff, never seen it before

thks for the heads up :)

are there any precautions u have to take, i.e. disconnecting battery first before spraying the alternator, sorry asking a dim question

is this the one u use plse as there are a couple different ones

thks

IMG_1517.PNG
 
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That's what i was using first then i couldbn find and got this kind http://www.nanoroad.co.uk/auto-coatings/4-nano-protech-electric.html, i know there are more versions but IMO any of them which is dedicated for electric stuff is good, not just on the alternator i'm using it on the fuseboxes, exposed connectors and within the ECUs too(these only once in two years but as i opened the engine ECU last time after two years it still had the layer on the board). No precautions, just spray it without fear though dont waste it cos a thin layer is enough.
 
sierrafery said:
That's what i was using first then i couldbn find and got this kind http://www.nanoroad.co.uk/auto-coatings/4-nano-protech-electric.html, but IMO any of them dedicated for electric stuff is good not just on the alternator i'm using it on the fuseboxes, exposed connectors and within the ECUs too(these only once in two years but as i opened the engine ECU last time after two years it still had the layer on the board). No precautions, just spray it without fear though dont waste it cos a layer is enough.
Click to expand...

many thks, was also looking for a place that sold it so grateful for the link

have u ever heard that some D3 alternators were supposed to be incased , pretty sure mine isn't though , unless it was an optional extra with some models,??
 
Was I the only one to watch that demo video with the words "No, don't do it" screaming through their brain??? May be a good product, and only 110V as a US company, but surely not a good idea? And yes I did see the disclaimer at the end... but really..... why not go the whole hog and drop a 3 bar electric fire into the bath that you are sitting in?
 
GJ1 said:
Was I the only one to watch that demo video with the words "No, don't do it" screaming through their brain??? May be a good product, and only 110V as a US company, but surely not a good idea? And yes I did see the disclaimer at the end... but really..... why not go the whole hog and drop a 3 bar electric fire into the bath that you are sitting in?
Click to expand...

certainally made me cringe
 
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It's about water repellent nanocoating technology not about an exagerated demo... it works well for 12V DC applications that's a fact, i've studied the background of the technology before i spent money on the first one then tested it myself i wouldn't recommend it otherwise, that's the video they made and i can't change that
 
sierrafery said:
It's about water repellent nanocoating technology not about an exagerated demo... it works well for 12V DC applications that's a fact, i've studied the background of the technology before i spent money on the first one then tested it myself i wouldn't recommend it otherwise, that's the video they made and i can't change that
Click to expand...
Totally understand, not a criticism of the product or the recommendation.... just goes against everything that seems "right"!!
 
sierrafery said:
It's about water repellent nanocoating technology not about an exagerated demo... it works well for 12V DC applications that's a fact, i've studied the background of the technology before i spent money on the first one then tested it myself i wouldn't recommend it otherwise, that's the video they made and i can't change that
Click to expand...

also if i may add certainally wasn't any criticism
 
sierrafery said:
I'm still on the factory fitted one at 180K miles, no wading involved but i'm going quite often through deep mud and puddles... though i've been treating it with nanoprotech electric once a year since i discovered it on the market, i dont have shares in it it's just good

Click to expand...


Really interested in this stuff for the ECU too. I've currently sealed it up with silicone grease, but dirt etc eventually custs it up and your never really sure if its sealed.

As for the alternator, I took my old one apart and found the brushes were stuck (and the carbon was all over the place, probably almost shorting out too), freed them, cleaned them up and put them back in. They still have LOADS of life in them and its got 110k miles on it.

If you take yours apart, be sure to resistance check the alternator windings to earth (on the commutators - should be high resistance). And commutator to commutator should be about 2ohms.

Once you put the cleaned brushes back in on the cleaned commutator rings, turn the shaft by hand a few times to get a good contact and check the resistance on the brushes, you should get the same reading as testing on the commutator rings.
 
lynall said:
The water and dirt would wear my 200 alt brushes out very fast, so fats I started to carry spare brush packs.
Easy to change on the old A127 alternator not sure on yours?
Click to expand...


Changing on the TD5 alternator is easy. Getting the alternator out so you can do it is a pig.

Getting the alternator out isn't difficult, getting the plug on the back of it is the bit thats taken me ages on two occasions, undoing the live wire can also be a pain if its been done up too tight. Would be much easier to take the intake manifold off, but thats quite difficult too and only really helps with taking the back plug off.
 
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