Sold Dollywobbler's Lexus - £SOLD

[loserone]

As intimated on the book of faces, Scary pulled my alternator apart and re-rigged it with the oily* bits from a Landcruiser he found in a scrapyard.

 

Worked fine.

[dollywobbler]

sure that the alternator is banjaxed, and that its not something like a loose drive belt?

 

It's a ribbed belt, which also drives PAS and air con, and the alternator is spinning merrily. Chap at the garage measured 11.7v actually at the alternator, which I think rules out most alternatives.

 

Parts prices don't seem horrendous, it's just annoying to have a car where fitting a new alternator isn't a five minute job.

[Zelandeth]

No warning light?  Could just be stuffed bushes in the alternator?

[Guest Hooli]

Aye alt bushes or alt earth, does it have it's own lead?

 

I once went through three alternators on a Manta till I worked out the alt earth lead didn't conduct any electrickery.

[dollywobbler]

No warning light?  Could just be stuffed bushes in the alternator?

 

There was no warning light yesterday, when I first noticed that the wipers seemed a bit slow. Today, LOADS of warning lights! Low brake pads, low screenwash (which annoyingly, I'd just topped up), low engine oil level (yes, it has a sensor) and parking brake on. Oh, and the battery.

[uk_senator]

Nippon Denso alternator? They are quite shite.. Its only the the Denso alternator thats let my Jag down (twice, voltage reg & bearings seizing) in the last 9 years, which is ironic, as its one of the few Japanese parts on the thing.. + my brothers 500 Abarths Denso alternator (twice, volt reg & brush contact wearing through) too..

[Noel Tidybeard]

of course being at the NEC this weekend what you should've done was get the altenator off and dropped it in at goodwins by yardley wood station on friday and pick it back up on monday freshly fettled to take it back to the wales!

[stormee]

Maybe it's just the regulator and its coals, had this on my BMW, they just wear out.

[Rave]

Yes as above, you might get away with just replacing the regulator. You'll (most likely) still have the arseache of removing the whole alternator, but a replacement regulator for my Mondeo was about 30 quid, vs £100+ for a re-manufactured alternator on exchange. Prior to biting the bullet and buying the reg, I had tried just replacing the brushes, but that didn't work.

[dollywobbler]

Good call, and a considerable cost saving. Does the regulator hold the brushes on these?

[omegod]

Someone once told me of the possibility of the brushes getting stuck in alternators, good hard twat with a hammer being proffered to release them ?

[Zelandeth]

Someone once told me of the possibility of the brushes getting stuck in alternators, good hard twat with a hammer being proffered to release them ?

 

That to be fair is exactly what happened on my Saab - three years on the alternator is still working fine.

[Guest Hooli]

We regularly used to have to pop the brush pack out a mate's Defender & wash it in the nearest puddle as it built up enough mud to jam the brushes away from the commutator.

[twosmoke300]

Relavent on a Lexus then !

[Supernaut]

Relavent on a Lexus then !

What? LS400s are perfectly* usable off road.

 

[stormee]

Just an example, don't seem to carry the brushes like the Bosch ones, though.

https://www.ebay.de/i/182527768898?chn=ps&dispctrl=1

[Guest Hooli]

Relavent on a Lexus then !

 

First time it happened was in Wales, I think it was one of their main roads.

[Supernaut]

First time it happened was in Wales, I think it was one of their main roads.

Even more relevant for dollywobbler then!

[17-Coffees]

Now over 1000 miles in my ownership, so I've broken that new cambelt in. Set the cruise to 60 on the motorway, with the result that I got back home on half a tank - 260 miles. Leaves me wondering if I could get 500 miles out of one tank... (75 litre capacity).

 

I did Buckingham to Aberdeen(486 miles according to google) and an extra 30 miles after last year on a full tank. That includes sticking to 70Mph* on the motorway, taking the A68 back (rather twisty in places) and getting stuck in traffic. 

 

Mine has VVTi though, so better MPG and all that apperntly, but should have no problems getting 500 out of a tank.

 

 

What? LS400s are perfectly* usable off road.

 

I think this better shows how well* they are off road...

[chaseracer]

Someone once told me of the possibility of the brushes getting stuck in alternators, good hard twat with a hammer being proffered to release them ?

 

The universal adjuster / Birmingham screwdriver is always worth a go.

[dollywobbler]

Yup. That's a level of engineering I can cope with. Out with the twatamatic tomorrow.

[dollywobbler]

Incredibly, the Lexus still has enough battery power to start! So I stuck a finger or two up to health and safety.

 

This is a fun* job.

[richardthestag]

Range Rover suffered from this one. started with the tacho/rev counter being all twitchy, then the abs light came on a couple of miles later, then the speedo packed up. luckily and although I was on the M40 I was running LPG so no need for the main ECU. I drove to next exit with the dash like a christmas tree. in fact every bloody light was on except the oil pressure and ignition light! 

 

Had to get recovery out as pissing down and no tools - not making that mistake again

 

Once at home. dismantled it and regulator pack and brushes are easy access. one brush was stuck in its holder. lubed it, cleaned it, popped it back in so slipped in and out dead easy in a non sexual way. still on the car well over 100k later

[dollywobbler]

Certainly going to explore that option. I've not got the funds to just splash out £120 on a cheap* Ebay recon alternator. 

[dollywobbler]

Oh this one is pretty obvious.

 

One brush seems to be welded into place. The slip rings are also very badly worn (just visible). Ugh.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

If you are going to break it you may as well do it properly.

 

Time to look into the landcruiser internals bodge ?

 

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[dollywobbler]

Sod it. I haven't got time for hunting down bits and trying to revive this alternator. I've stumped up £120 for a rebuilt one.

[SiC]

Short term could you not just buy a set of cheap brushes and sand them to fit? The slip ring may be worn but surely it has a bit more life in it?

 

Just lobbing on a replacement, known working alternator though is a lot less stressful repair - especially if you need to rely on it. So I can understand why.

[Guest Hooli]

At least it's easy access if you need to do it again.

[dollywobbler]

Easy? It took me almost an hour to get it out! And that was after I'd actually unbolted it from the engine.