Garth
Your guess is as good as mine......
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2002
- Messages
- 2,662
- Reaction score
- 68
- Points
- 48
- Age
- 46
- Location
- Brisbane
- Website
- www.justcommodores.com.au
- Members Ride
- 100 series Toyota Landcruiser V8 monster
when you get a batterylight on in your car, dont panic, it could be only 2 things,
1. the brushes in your alternator arnt hitting the comutator properly, this is a thing that alway's happens. alot of places will try to sell you these "high carbon" brushes. dont be fooled into getting so called high quallity brushes, a set of brushes should set you back no more than $10.00 to replace.
2. the voltage regulator is another common problem. the only way you can realy check the voltage regulator in the alternator is to take it out. if there is any black dust on it, replace it. what the voltage regulator does is it keeps the voltage to your battery at a constant voltage. e.g. a 12 volt battery needs 122.9 volts to charge it up.
if either of these things happen it's a realy easy job to replace. people will often tell you that your alternator is broken, you will find most times that it's not the alternator at all, they only consist of 1 moving part. alternators are a high grade peice of steel spining on 2 set's of ball bearings with slip rings or bushes, (depending on car) only replace the alternator if the bearings are buggered. or if there is a strong smell of burning plastic (that is the smell you get from the lamante insulation on the armature windings melting)
replacing bushes is just a waste of time to be very honest. alway's replace both get a hybrid voltreg (it's very expensive to get a genuine part and a hybrid is just as good if not better)
i hope this helps people in some sort of a way.
cheers
garth
1. the brushes in your alternator arnt hitting the comutator properly, this is a thing that alway's happens. alot of places will try to sell you these "high carbon" brushes. dont be fooled into getting so called high quallity brushes, a set of brushes should set you back no more than $10.00 to replace.
2. the voltage regulator is another common problem. the only way you can realy check the voltage regulator in the alternator is to take it out. if there is any black dust on it, replace it. what the voltage regulator does is it keeps the voltage to your battery at a constant voltage. e.g. a 12 volt battery needs 122.9 volts to charge it up.
if either of these things happen it's a realy easy job to replace. people will often tell you that your alternator is broken, you will find most times that it's not the alternator at all, they only consist of 1 moving part. alternators are a high grade peice of steel spining on 2 set's of ball bearings with slip rings or bushes, (depending on car) only replace the alternator if the bearings are buggered. or if there is a strong smell of burning plastic (that is the smell you get from the lamante insulation on the armature windings melting)
replacing bushes is just a waste of time to be very honest. alway's replace both get a hybrid voltreg (it's very expensive to get a genuine part and a hybrid is just as good if not better)
i hope this helps people in some sort of a way.
cheers
garth
