Alternator

[sam l]

Hi folks - my alternator has died today. I'm fed up with buying recon ones for £45 and then they pack up after a year or so. What are my options, I expect if I go to Ford they'll charge me an arm and a leg for one - is there a middle way to get one for about £100 that'll last me a good while and that won't need fiddling to even get the thing to fit without short-circuiting like the last one . . . Can anyone recommend something?

It's a 2.5DI about 1986 with the vac pump on the back. What about ebay item https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310025157808 or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120226066181 ?

Thanks.

[FredTransit]

where are you getting them form for £45?? I pay about £100, and they do last a bit longer than a year!

[sam l]

local motor spares shop in heaton. They send them away to be rewound. Where d'ya get yours from? Everything is cheaper in Bradford btw

[FredTransit]

sounds like it! We get em from Midnight Motors in Wembley.

[sam l]

Actually it's £95 for an exchange one, and £60 to have mine rewound. Price must have gone up! I'm going to bid for the ebay one.

[Luke]

whats wrong with yours can't you just put new brushes in

[sam l]

That's a step too far for me, I just don't have the time to deconstruct an alternator with no real idea what I'm doing or guarantee of success! In the end I took it in to the garage because of time pressures and needing it to drive around in - not to mention that the novelty of replacing alternators has worn off now for me - and guess what, they've knackered it. Now the ignition lights won't come on (I drove it there with the battery light on) and they seem baffled. Not for the first time . .

If anyone can shed light on this I could seem really knowledgeable and smug!!

[rover]

Asumng all the connections are correct then I would look at the fuses.

Does the van still start?

Rover.

[sam l]

starts fine. Apparently it's not a fuse. Nothing has changed with the wiring unless they've chuffed it by mistake. Aaarggh next time I'll do it myself.

[rover]

starts fine. Apparently it's not a fuse. Nothing has changed with the wiring unless they've chuffed it by mistake. Aaarggh next time I'll do it myself.

Im not saying its a blown fuse

The fuse box is VERY prone to being a pain in the ass, I had exactly the same problem on a Mk2 last year, in the end I took all the fuses out in order...cleaned them, cleaned the contacts, and put them back in, problem solved

Rover.

[Luke]

In the end I took it in to the garage and guess what, they've knackered it. Now the ignition lights won't come on (I drove it there with the battery light on) and they seem baffled. Not for the first time . .

this might be a long shot but this garage dont seem to have a clue what they are doing

whereabouts are you

[sam l]

It's OK now, they brought in an electrician from outside. Something about a wire to the starter motor that shouldn't have been there, but to be honest it doesn't add up cos it's been fine for 6 years - and they fitted the starter motor (when it was pissing it down and I couldn't face working on the van in the street. I wish I had a nice dry barn . . . . )