Disco 1 Alternator takes a while to start working

yfo866 · Nov 18, 2017

After having much fun at this year's Kelmarch and then Great Billing, the car got a bit wet and muddy.
When I got home I pressure washed it, including the engine bay. Boy, didn't that Kelmarsh mud reach places that other mud doesn't!
With the engine running I got most of the mud out of the engine bay and tried to avoid direct spray at anything electrical.
Since then however, until I've driven about three miles at around fifty to sixty miles an hour the rev counter is dead and the charging light is on.
Then the needle shows signs of life and then springs to attention and the charging light goes out.
I've got a brand new one to go on but I was wondering if there is something simple (CHEAP)I can replace on the alternator to make it work and then keep as a spare?
I thought it was just damp when it first happened, but it does the same for every journey now.

discool · Nov 18, 2017

Remove the alternator, take it apart as much as you can and clean any electrical connections you can find externally, internally, replace everything back together and see.
If u still have an issue with it, then a professional overhaul would be good for it no doubt.

lynall · Nov 19, 2017

Assuming its the old style A127 alt, pop the three screws out of the black back box and remove it, you will likely find the brushes are either worn due to the mud or stuck due to the mud.

Gazbo · Nov 19, 2017

yfo866 said:
After having much fun at this year's Kelmarch and then Great Billing, the car got a bit wet and muddy.
When I got home I pressure washed it, including the engine bay. Boy, didn't that Kelmarsh mud reach places that other mud doesn't!
With the engine running I got most of the mud out of the engine bay and tried to avoid direct spray at anything electrical.
Since then however, until I've driven about three miles at around fifty to sixty miles an hour the rev counter is dead and the charging light is on.
Then the needle shows signs of life and then springs to attention and the charging light goes out.
I've got a brand new one to go on but I was wondering if there is something simple (CHEAP)I can replace on the alternator to make it work and then keep as a spare?
I thought it was just damp when it first happened, but it does the same for every journey now.

Plus one on @Lynal 's post say it will be worn/stuck exciter brush, easy fix.

mr glee · Nov 19, 2017

May get lucky and may only be the single wire connector that pulls off the back of the alternator this gives the rev counter it's signal and also battery light that's if it's not actually charging have you checked it with a volt meter?.

yfo866 · Dec 11, 2017

Thanks for your replies guys.
All I've done so far is whip it off, easier said than done with the sump guard fitted. Had to remove the air box top and force the alternator past it to get it off. It's got a new one on in it's place.
It's going to have to come off again as the pulley is a different size.
If I can get the old one charging again, it can go back on and i'll keep the new one as the spare.
When I get some spare time i'll get the tools out and strip it down and have a look and report back

Disco 1 Alternator takes a while to start working

yfo866

Well-Known Member

discool

Well-Known Member

lynall

Well-Known Member

Gazbo

Well-Known Member

mr glee

Active Member

yfo866

Well-Known Member

Similar threads