Life in the old dog yet

[Tamworthbay]

An interesting day, 5 miles into a 60 mile trip the alternator light comes on, so choices, stop and try to determine the problem or press on and hope. As I am on the motorway I don’t fancy farting about on the hard shoulder so clench buttocks and head for home. The old girl gets me home without further drama and a quick check shows the alternator to be completely fucked. It’s a shit job on these due to access but at least I have time off to do it. Then............. only place with in stock locally is GSF at £300!!!!!, recon off ebay is £80 but will be at least a week. Looks like we will be doing a lot of miles in the Fiat 500 then. Most places didn’t even answer the phone so I guess they have stopped for Christmas already.

[Richard]

How fucked is the alternator? Would a brush pack bring it back to life?

[Tamworthbay]

57 minutes ago, Richard said:

How fucked is the alternator? Would a brush pack bring it back to life?

Sadly it’s fucked fucked, think it’s the diode pack elastic trickery bit, but found a recon one on eBay for £70 and allegedly delivered by Friday which would be amazing if that happens but expect sometime next week in all likelihood. Either way it will be out of service until after christmas. It’s a pain but not the end of the world. Once the initial water loss and other hassles were sorted it’s been a reliable old girl for more than a year so can’t complain, just a shame about the timing but could have been a hell of a lot worse! I have had a look at a couple of videos and nosed under the bonnet and it looks awkward but it’s all in range at the top so no crawling under the car or shite like that. Generally seems to be a 2-4 hour job from what I can tell. I am impressed that it did over 50 miles with nothing going into the battery, especially with the Volvo enforced lights on. Battery is on charge now to get it back to full health, it was down to 11.5v when we got back.

[Richard]

IIRC you have to undo the PAS pump and move it out of the way, then undo enough bolts on the slam panel to let you pull the radiator forward a bit. It's an arse of a job but not impossible. I rebuilt the alternator on our V70 just befor the ungratefiul bastard shed both timing belts. I'd have sent you the alternator I rebuilt but it was wrong (underpowered) for the car so I let it go to the crusher.

I think I might still have a working regulator/brush pack from the 850 that I'd happily send you. It can be replaced in situ but you're probably as well to wait for the recon unit.

[Tamworthbay]

34 minutes ago, Richard said:

IIRC you have to undo the PAS pump and move it out of the way, then undo enough bolts on the slam panel to let you pull the radiator forward a bit. It's an arse of a job but not impossible. I rebuilt the alternator on our V70 just befor the ungratefiul bastard shed both timing belts. I'd have sent you the alternator I rebuilt but it was wrong (underpowered) for the car so I let it go to the crusher.

I think I might still have a working regulator/brush pack from the 850 that I'd happily send you. It can be replaced in situ but you're probably as well to wait for the recon unit.

Thanks for the offer, that’s very kind but the recon is on its way so I should be ok.. I have had a poke around and it looks an okish job, lots of crap in the way and limited access but all from the top so not tooooo bad. I have found the sneaky PAS bracket bolt that is only accessible through the pulley - that would have caught me out for sure. I have a few days off so can take my time on it and at worst I can walk to work so no desperate rush thankfully. Just a shame I couldn’t source one locally as have nothing planned tomorrow so could have done it while the weather was fairly mild.

[Richard]

It might be worth getting the old one out tomorrow, so you'll be ready when the new one arrives.

[Tamworthbay]

2 hours ago, Richard said:

It might be worth getting the old one out tomorrow, so you'll be ready when the new one arrives.

I was thinking that, but knowing me I will lose the bolts! I will have a good look though, just heard the mother in law has been taken into hospital though so plans will likely change anyway.

[Tamworthbay]

Well it turns out that there are two pulley sizes listed for my car, thankfully GLAutos on eBay were on the ball, big thanks to them as even though they couldn’t supply the one I needed they could not have been more helpful and avoided me getting the wrong one and the delay that would cause. Correct one is on its way but looking at next Monday before it lands. Bit of a scare this morning as getting the door unlocked without the battery took about ten goes before the door finally opened. Lesson learned and bonnet has been left open now.

[Tamworthbay]

Delivery update from DPD from Friday, that would be brill as can get it sorted over the weekend weather providing.

[Jim Bell]

Good job it's a dirty diesel man. You'd have been stranded on a pez car. Volvo is looking after you well and it's nice of you to refurb the favour with some shiny recon bits. 

[Tamworthbay]

1 hour ago, Jim Bell said:

Good job it's a dirty diesel man. You'd have been stranded on a pez car. Volvo is looking after you well and it's nice of you to refurb the favour with some shiny recon bits. 

Yup, that did cross my mind. I turned off everything I could but being an Ovlov the lights are compulsory. I had similar happen in my Capri many moons ago and that did about 20 miles and died, the battery was down to 11.5v when I got home but it still started when I tried it after a few minutes. Battery has had a nice slow trickle and is up to strength again. I think it may have done another 15-20 miles at least, so 70odd on a charge which is amazing really. I did all the rear brakes last month and it’s driving better than ever, present issue aside. Not got around to the weep on the power steering but it’s not horrendous so I just keep an eye on it. Otherwise it’s doing nicely for 245000 miles. Hoping to keep it at least another four or five years if I can.

 

Your Panda looks a cracking buy by the way.

[Jim Bell]

Reckon it's the original alternator pushing 250k man? If so, it's put quite a shift in!

Yeah, the Panda is canny. It's just cresting 60k so only 190 to go to catch up with the Volvo! Even with unlimited funds and patience it'll be lucky to see those heady heights. 

[Tamworthbay]

23 minutes ago, Jim Bell said:

Reckon it's the original alternator pushing 250k man? If so, it's put quite a shift in!

Yeah, the Panda is canny. It's just creating 60k so only 190 to go to catch up with the Volvo! Even with unlimited funds and patience it'll be lucky to see those heady heights. 

Hard to say, will have a better idea once it’s off. I have a couple of pics of original alternator markings from when I was searching for the replacement so will have a pretty good idea. If it has done 245k and 22 years then it has surpassed its design brief for sure. I know a dull yellow Panda locally pushing 180k on the original engine, but that’s a 1.2. It’s doing 250 miles a week as well so rocking the miles up.

[Jim Bell]

Nice!

Thread drift: the petrol ones seem good for 250k:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F114019030764

(Aston Martin sent me that link)

So diesel ones must be good for double. 

[Spurious]

On 12/23/2019 at 2:17 PM, Tamworthbay said:

An interesting day, 5 miles into a 60 mile trip the alternator light comes on, so choices, stop and try to determine the problem or press on and hope. As I am on the motorway I don’t fancy farting about on the hard shoulder so clench buttocks and head for home. The old girl gets me home without further drama and a quick check shows the alternator to be completely fucked. It’s a shit job on these due to access but at least I have time off to do it. Then............. only place with in stock locally is GSF at £300!!!!!, recon off ebay is £80 but will be at least a week. Looks like we will be doing a lot of miles in the Fiat 500 then. Most places didn’t even answer the phone so I guess they have stopped for Christmas already.

I can only empathise. It's such an absolute pain. 

The alternator shat the bed on my Citroen C5 Christmas Eve last year. 

I'd no other car and due to work and timing of public holidays I couldn't get an alternator fitted until the 3rd of Jan. I ended up on my push bike and Uber to work. 

Was such hassle and annoyance.  You've no idea how much you rely on a car until you've not got it. Even getting some milk for tea became a hassle... 

 

 

[Shirley Knott]

Alternators are a pain in the arse but at least simple to diagnose.

Probably a bit late now but have you had a look around to see if there's anyone locally who refurbishes them? I ask because there's a company close to me who do them for circa £40 while you wait, they've saved me a fortune over the years.

[tommotech]

If I’d seen this early enough I’d recommend CJF Rotating Electrics in Hednesford, first class at what they do. 
I’ve messaged you @Tamworthbay, speak soon. 

[Tamworthbay]

21 minutes ago, tommotech said:

If I’d seen this early enough I’d recommend CJF Rotating Electrics in Hednesford, first class at what they do. 
I’ve messaged you @Tamworthbay, speak soon. 

Thanks mate, replied.

32 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

Alternators are a pain in the arse but at least simple to diagnose.

Probably a bit late now but have you had a look around to see if there's anyone locally who refurbishes them? I ask because there's a company close to me who do them for circa £40 while you wait, they've saved me a fortune over the years.

There may well be, and any other time of the year I would have gone down that route. I phoned a few local suspects and almost no one even answered the phone. Not surprised as they need a break too, bad timing in some ways but in reality I don’t need the car for a week and would have been far worse on many other occasions in the last few months, and it got us home at the end of the day. It’s a decent old tank.

[Tamworthbay]

Weather is ok, new alternator is due between 11 and 12 this morning so fingers crossed we will be back up and running today.

[Tamworthbay]

All sorted! What a pig of a job! 9 bolts so how hard can it be? Moving the power steering pump was ok, the bolts are well hidden but came out ok. Alternator was tight in but came out with a wiggle. Then to get it out........ there is a bracket that holds the power steering pump, alternator and ac compressor. It could easily have been made in two parts and would make the job dead easy, but no. So the headlight, indicator, and various other bits have to come out, then the slam panel has to be unbolted and wangled forward and with much wiggling and yanking it finally comes free. Half and hour and a cup of tea later the new one arrives. Except the wiring connector is different and there is no way the two will mate in a million years. After a couple of minutes head scratching I knocked up a small (and properly shite) loom (in the loosest sense of the word) to connect the two. Time will tell if it lasts. Now to get the bugger back in. I ended up getting it to a point where it was alloy on ally and then standing on the front bumper and gently bouncing with my weight on the alternator to get it home. From there is was a relatively strait forward reassembly job except the locating tang broke of the indicator so it's now held in fetchingly with black gaffer tape. New alternator is kicking out 13.9v so all is good, for now. Not a job I would like to repeat in a hurry.

[tommotech]

Well done, job bobbed. 

[Tamworthbay]

[purplebargeken]

Fuck me, that is one cramped bit of engine bay.

[Tamworthbay]

8 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

Fuck me, that is one cramped bit of engine bay.

Yup it is, everything seems to be surrounded by sharp edged plastic as well and there seems to be something in the way of each and every bolt you want to get to. My knuckles look like they have been sanded. Apart from the issue with the different connection it went as well as hoped apart from the crusty plastic on the indicator. I will try and get the right connector and build a better loom so it’s a more long term fix.and it seems it may well have been the original alternator looking at the markings.

[Tamworthbay]

80 mile trip today and the old barge performed beautifully. Sadly the roads were a bit to twisty for our little dog and she barfed in the back.

[purplebargeken]

Yay and urrgghhhh. 

[Tamworthbay]

She doesn’t travel well but it may have been me showing up a 330ci on the way home that did it.

[Tamworthbay]

So thanks to a delivery from @Minimad5 I was in possession of the missing cruise control switches and clutch assistance spring. Once I worked out how the get the lower panel off access was only moderately painful. The clutch spring thingy went on easily enough and makes a massive difference to pedal feel. I won’t be driving much a mo due to isolation but it will help no end, especially as I am presently on no drugs at all for my arthritis for the first time in twenty years.

Then I fitted the switches for the cruise control and went for a drive. Sadly nothing still on that front. I have never seen it working but assume there would be a light or something on the trip computer to show it’s active? Anyway nothing at all happened so more investigation needed. I am not sure what other bits are checkable but will do some research.

[Minimad5]

Glad you're happy with the parts and they arrived safe.

Only other thing to check would be the stalk switch ?
not too sure about relays etc, so cant comment if something like that would affect it working or not.
In regards to a light or similar on the dash, i don't ever recall seeing one on mine BUT i could be wrong.

[Tamworthbay]

Went to move the Ovlov today and the battery was low but it started ok. The lambda light stayed on though. I am guessing this is due to it being sat a month and damn good thrashing will clear that. How easy is it to reset the light on these? The battery is on charge now so that will give  a boost. Problem is I can’t see it going anywhere for a few weeks yet.