Alternator issue...?

[AndyCook]

Had problem with flat batterys a few weeks ago. charged them up and all has been OK.
driving out today for a shoot, i noted the voltmeter i have was indicating around 14v to 14.2 as i was cruising at 60mph.
coming home i had headlights on and the volts drop way down to 12.4v
and this caused my split-charge relay to disengage.

just checked, when engine idling its kicking out about 13v, but turn on lights and it plummets to 12.1v...

checked again and tried with a different battery
after startup voltage (with no lights, blower or anything on) shows about 12.5 to 12.6v at idle and very slowly climbs
give it revs and the voltage rises to near 14v

but put blower on full and lights on and the voltage plumets.....

guess my alternator is on the way out ?.
I do have a spare alternator, one i bought off Chris last year.

has anyone done an alternator swap on a colorado
guess aircon compressor has to be unbolted and moved aside?

typical this happens a few days before our big trip

 

[Chris]

I guess I must have done several Andy. Obviously. Don't think I moved the aircon though.

Chris

 

[AndyCook]

aye Chris i know you have

cant see the mounting bolts for the alternator, as the aircon compressor sits above it and blocks view
took bash plate off and i can see the tensioner arm/bolts for the alternator, but not its other mounting bolts
i will look again tomo with the battery removed

stress-levels high....

 

[Chris]

Yes, there is the pivot bolt on the engine block. It's a bit of spannering Braille I think. Now I recall. Tricky little sucker to get back in at times.

 

[TonyP]

I found that going in from the off side front wheel arch was the easiest, but then Lil Blue did not have some of the plastic bits. I also removed the long bolt on top of the suspension and then dropped the whole lot down which gave a bit more room

 

[AndyCook]

Well all sorted now

Fitted the alternator I got off Chris last summer, one he got from Milners.
it even came with a bit of lincomb mud on it

bit of pig to fit it into the mount,
and the location of the power connection and multiplug were in a different place to the original.

but its giving out 14.2v at Idle

now - it don't think my old toyota one every kicked out 14v at idle, it was always lower, i wonder if it has always had a fault. and volts use to rise with revs, with this "new" one the voltage varys a bit with revs, but no where near as much as with the old alternator.

I don't trust the milners alternator long-term - is it possible to get my old toyota one repaired - I assume its not a fault with the windings on the alternator, but some other electrical gubbins?
i will look into cost of a genuine one too

Glad it got this alternator off you last summer Chris! as its just what I need 4 days before Morocco departure.

 

[Chris]

You can get them fixed, yes. We have a place around the corner that does them for about £60. I've had bearings done, regulator pack thingies etc. So yes there are people about.

That was a good buy then! Handy to have things like that around. I have an alternator with rough bearings on the shelf. Sure they're rough but it runs good enough in a crisis. Now all I need is another spare starter motor.