Member Since: 06 Sep 2012
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 45
Alternator Not Charging the Battery
Ok. As I have mentioned before, I spend a lot of time having fun in ex-quarries; mainly sand or gravel ones. Brakes wear much quicker, Hand-brake wears much quicker (even when not used).
I recently had a fault one morning whereby the alternator was not charging the battery. My first thought was that the belt had snapped, but a quick inspection and it was still spinning fine. So what I did was set about getting the alternator out (I also starting googling new ones as I thought it had had it...). I used the manuals from here to do that and started to have a look inside.
Not being a mechanic, electrician or anything to do with cars what so ever (I own an IP Telephony company); I thought it would be a great idea to start randomly undoing things and trying to find out why it wasn't working.
Its at this point I wish I'd started to take pictures.
On top of the alternator (the opposite side to the pulley) is a little greyish/brownish plastic cap. Inside there are 2 spring loaded metal plates. I noticed that one of them (the lower one) was not springing all the way back out. So after 20 minutes of cleaning it, I got it springing properly.
Fitted everything back together and she fired into life!
As I said, I'm no mechanic or in no way a 4x4 specialist but I do like fiddling with things....
Just sharing my experience.....2011 - 09 TDV6 HSE (Written off Nov 2012 - The water didn't look that deep.....)
2009 - 09 VW Scirocco (100,000 miles in 2 years - Engine Blew up. Turbo and Super not meant for a 1400)
2007 - 53 Audi A3 (Went through 6 starter motors in 2 months)
I work for a well known big blue IT organisation , but having had a D3 & now a D4 there is always something mechanical to play with
Makes a welcome change from the day job Cheers Ian
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MY13 FL2 HSE lux - just gone
MY10 D4 XS
MY07 D3 SE
Massey Ferguson 400 FIS AGTV - Arctic Cat by any other name...
Citroen C3 Picasso for SWMBO so we can remember what fuel economy is!!
Member of the Narpy torch club
11th Oct 2012 12:27 pm
crwoody
Member Since: 09 Mar 2009
Location: Littleborough
Posts: 2109
Fiddle till it's fettled
Sounds like the carbon brushes had got bunged up and seized in their slides, not uncommon in a muddy environment. I had that a few times with my old Td5 Defender after muddy outings.
Always nice when it's a simple and cheap (free!!) fix Clive
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