Charging System

[TonyP]

Gents

After this weekends escapades my battery light came on in the dash. Putting a meter across the battery the voltage is @ 12.01v with the engine running. This to me indicates that there is no charge getting to the batteries.

Just went round to my local independent chap and he recons it's more than likely the alternator. He is looking to source another one and give me a quote to replace it.

So my question is does anyone know if there is a regulator external to the alternator?

Cheers

 

[Gary Stockton]

Sorry bout that - I have read that the 120 alternator is not partial to drowning, though

 

[TonyP]

Sorry bout that - I have read that the 120 alternator is not partial to drowning, though

I really hope not. Would rather be spending my cash elsewhere....

 

[Paul]

Just ordered my new one

 

[Crispin]

But what is there to break in an alternator? The regulator popping does not turf the whole thing. If you blow the windings, fine, that's pretty much it but in the past I've pulled the old one out and put in a new one. Was a simple externally mounted one.

Why did you have to buy a whole new unit?

 

[Gary Stockton]

OFF TOPIC ...

Crispin, can you not please get rid of that Parkmore (Parktown) Prawn? I jump every time I see it!!

/OFF TOPIC

Graham also had to replace his alternator once ....

 

[Crispin]

bloody ugly isn't it!

 

[Paul]

I wanted a spare anyway, so will fit the new one and try to rebuild the old one. I have to have a vehicle at the weekend so can't gamble with trying to repair the one on there.

Maybe i should just sell the whole car

By the way, if people can wait till tonight i will post my old training manual on electrics that i used to teach from, quite a good guide.

 

[TonyP]

Right, just had a quote from the gaage, and a new one is £340 +VAT or a Toyota refurb/exchange unit is £190 +VAT.... so I asked him to get in the refurb unit. All in including fitting it (he recons 1-2 hours labour @ £45 per hour) will be around the £280 +VAT.... oh well I guess that's the cost of playing.

Last week was the number plate @ £17 this week the alternator @ £xxx what's next... at that %increase I am scared

May just be enough left on the credit card to splash on a new bumper

 

[Crispin]

That is bad. I still struggle to see why they whole thing needs replacing.
Tommo's squealing bearing is a classic case of throw away for new. A "sealed and whole" unit would have been replaced for a new one. Was some dirt in it. that's all.

Get your old one back, take it to an auto elec (or DIY) and ebay it.
(or spare for me )

 

[TonyP]

That is bad. I still struggle to see why they whole thing needs replacing.
Tommo's squealing bearing is a classic case of throw away for new. A "sealed and whole" unit would have been replaced for a new one. Was some dirt in it. that's all.

Get your old one back, take it to an auto elec (or DIY) and ebay it.
(or spare for me )

Agreed but as it's my daily drive it costs me money when I can't get into work. You have a point about keeping it though, I am sure we could refurb it. Having said that the price for the regulator unit on ToyoDIY seems quite expensive (> $200)

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

at that %increase I am scared

Be very scared then because you'll have to open your wallet a lot wider than that once you're hooked

 

[Julian Voelcker]

More often than not you can cure the Salisbury alternator bug with a really good dose of WD40.

Failing that, take the alternator off and run it down to your local auto electrician to get them to strip it and clean it.

We always strip and check alternators as part of an overlanding prep. The most common problems are usually down to crap on the brushes and poor connections on things like the earths. Occasionally we have to replace the brushes and so far only had to replace one regulator.

Obviously the bearings can go, but you will usually be able to hear that - the main cause of bearing failures if over tightening of the belts which are mainly due to trying to fit cheap belts - only ever fit the Toyota matched belts!

 

[TonyP]

Julian, very valid points you make. Unfortunately I don't have the luxary of time to look at this so it's pay up or don't get to work (eventually)

 

[Julian Voelcker]

Tony,

Start with the WD40 treatment and see how you get on from there.

 

[TonyP]

Drove into work today after using a battery charger all night. The battery voltage before I started the LC was 13.2v (or something like that) and after starting it dropped down to 12.4v.

Interestingly you can actually see that there is some charge getting to the batteries, not a lot, but some.

I have already committed to the garage in getting the alternator replaced, and as they have already ordered the part I feel obliged to get the work done.....

 

[TonyP]

Right the saga continues. The indi I took it too has not come back to me, so I have asked two Toyota dealers for a quote.

At this point in time I can see myself taking out the alternator and giving it a good clean over the weekend. This morning going into work it was showing as charging @ 14.5v or thereabouts. Dropped back down to 12v as I got into work so it must just be a bit of dirt on the brushes.

So with that in mind, does anyone have a clue as to how to remove the alternator from a 120?

 

[Crispin]

Not good that he's dropped it. Pretty poor show then.

If you take off the splash flap in the wheel arch you can see most of the alternator. I know this because I ripped mine off this weekend.
Maybe a good dose of WD40 in there to start?

Failing that, once the bash plate it off it should be simple enough to get at it from below. Not sure where the idler pulley is though.

 

[TonyP]

That's the approach I was thinking of taking. What you doing Sat

 

[TonyP]

Well one dealer just came back and it £350 to replace it with a exchange unit. Not that much more than the indi. If I can't fix it on the weekend that's the route I will be taking.

Really bugs me that the indi has not bothered to return my call...