Lancia Beta Forum

Technical stuff => Electrical => Topic started by: smithymc on February 16, 2014, 06:42:12 PM



Title: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on February 16, 2014, 06:42:12 PM
Gave the chocolime her fortnightly start-up yecterday and noticed the alternator light stayed on.

Belt a bit slack (a new one), tweaked it but no improvement.

I suppose checking and cleaning the connections is the next step but how do I evelaute the alternator ( its a Marelli) as a unit?

Any source of new ones- or soemone who re-builds them?- I seem to remember having one re-built years ago.

Thanks

Mark


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: Neil-yaj396 on February 17, 2014, 07:54:40 AM
Mark

I think there's an alternator on eBay at the moment. If you Google 'rebuild' there's plenty of people who fix them too. Strange coincidence about you having just fitted the belt though? Did anything get damaged or disconnected when the alternator was slackened off etc.?


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on February 17, 2014, 08:17:08 AM
Neil

When I say 'new' belt, its the one I put on last summer with the water pump, to get her rolling for the mot, etc, so its done about 600 miles- due for a tweak probably.

Mark


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: Hawk on February 17, 2014, 10:24:50 AM
Forget the light for the moment and double check all of the connections.  Then put a multi across the battery - is it charging?



Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on February 17, 2014, 01:02:54 PM
I presume that if it is charging that the voltage will be higher than the static battery voltage?

Hope that makes sense.

Mark


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: Hawk on February 18, 2014, 10:48:42 AM
Yes - before you start you really you want a battery to read about 12.5 (but anywhere between 11.7 and 12.7 is acceptable to crank the engine over).

When the engine is running, a correctly working charging circuit should give readings of 13.5 to 14.5 ish - you may have to increase the revs to get this.  



Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on February 18, 2014, 02:41:38 PM
Thanks - I'll give it a go at the weekend.


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: Hawk on February 24, 2014, 05:20:09 PM
How did you get on?


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on February 25, 2014, 10:13:33 AM
12.4 volts static, falling to 11.7 volts with the engine running- so that seems pretty clear the alternator contributes nothing.

Mark



Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: mtulloch on February 25, 2014, 10:07:46 PM
Whip it off & check the brushes first. Only cost a couple of quid to replace them.


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: Hawk on February 27, 2014, 01:17:14 PM
Before you remove teh alternator, check that you haven't knocked the 'exciter' wire off ;)


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on March 01, 2014, 07:58:37 PM
Have fiddled with connections to no avail,so took the unit off today- brushes and slip rings look fine, bearings smooth.

So will take it to have it bench tested before putting it back on.

Mark


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on March 03, 2014, 12:55:29 PM
It turns out it is the rectifier that is broken, so now the search starts for a new one.

Any suggestions?

As it happens the garage have the regulator in stock - as usual, that is fine on mine!

Mark


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: thecolonel on March 03, 2014, 08:54:02 PM
Rectifier pack is soldered in place, quite tricky
Probably best to get it rebuilt by a professional.


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on March 05, 2014, 01:41:37 PM
Bullet has been well any truly bitten and I now have a Bosch replacement to fit- which the box says is for a Ferrari 400 or 512.

Mark


Title: Re: Alternator issues
Post by: smithymc on March 12, 2014, 03:03:14 PM
New unit on - looks very smart (for an alternator) and gives out nice healthy charge.

Roll on next week when I can un-Sorn her and get amongst this nice weather.

Mark