Hi,

So yesterday i was half way to wales when the alternator packed up, lost power after a while, but luckily got to a services.

Had to obviously be recovered home, ruining a weekend but hey.

Taken the laternator out today and sp i just need to check that im goning to get the right new one:

I have an old 1989 90 but it has a 200tdi engine.

On the old alternator it says;

Magnetti Marelli

12v

A127 - 65

Im therefore assuming i need an A127 - 65 amp alternator. Is this right?

Also is there anywhere reccommended to get them or a particular brand? i have looked on paddocks / craddocks etc. just wondering if there is a particularly good make.

Cheers

Yup... Bosch is probably the best, the MM (which is a Lucas pattern made by Magnetti) are fine too.

Just a idea, but I would also be tempted to fit a higher current alt, at 65amps on a cold morning with lights and heaters and the battery recharge your alt will be doing a fair bit of work, near it's capacity. Fit a higher current one and the alt then is not under as much strain.

I guess you mean increase the amps? Could this cause any issues with other equipment? Im not particularly electrically (or mechanically, the alternator is the first thing ive removed ) minded so would i need higher fuses? of would it just mean the alternator works at less capacity?

Cheers

So is this the right one?

Part Details

cheers

Looks like the correct part.

As for the power of the alt. - It is basicly there to charge the battery. If your lights/ radio heater, kettle, TV ...... are drawing more that 65amps (well probably 55-58amps for technical reasons) you will be running you battery flat and it will not be charging as all the current it is generating is being used, and some is also being drawn from the battery.

In order to get a good charge into your battery you need to have one with an output well over what your drawing (i would say a good 10amps spare will get the battery fully charged - but the more the better) - you will not have to replace any fuses etc as the alt does not have a fuse, and everything else just draws what it normaly draws.

If you have a higher output one, it will last longer than a lower output one running near it limit. Alts usualy come in 45A, 65A and 100A (the bigger ones having thicker windings and larger brushes etc = more money)

Hope this helps