[mark e]

On the way home last night, I noticed the battery light glowing dimly on the display. If I increased engine revs, it got worse. Down to idle, it went away. So I drove for a while with as lower revs as possible. I had a brief burst of high revs to overtake, and it went away. Tne it came back again.

Looked at it this morning, and took the following readings with a DMM:
Idle: 14.0V
Idle & lights on: 13.1V
1500rpm: 14.1
2000rpm: 14.2
2000rpm& lights on: 14V

The after it had been running a while I went back and checked the idle voltage and it was 12.9V

There's also a whine coming from the alternator area that increases when any signifcant load is turned on. Across the terminals of the battery there's about 0.4V p-p sawtooth.

Brushes, bushes, regulator or all 3?

 

[Derek]

A whine from the alternator would suggest brushes to me. Take the regulator pack out and have a look. It is only held in by 2 screws. Admittedly it's a bit of a pig to get at though. The regulator and brushes come as a kit I don't know if the brushes are available separately.

 

[mark e]

I have to travel tomorrow so am not taking any chances... have ordered a new one from GSF, should be with them by 3.30pm.

Off out now to try to get the old one out without too much damage to me or the car...

 

[mark e]

Got new alternator from GSF (eventually) at about 4.30.

Got home, got it fitted back in place, put the power steerinhg pump & bracket back in and then find this :



The alternator shaft is about 8-10mm too short and consequently the belt won't thread round it properly.

Of course it was gone 7pm when I found this out and I wanted to travel in the car tomorrow...

Looks like I might have to try my local garage first thing for a s/h unit as a temporary...

 

[gilbert]

Looks like a 2.0 one to me (assuming i can count ),are there only 5 groves in the pulley

,all the 2.3 & 94> 2.0 have all had 6 groove pulleys as far as i recall.
Hope you have had it sorted out now ??
When i had to raplace my Voltage regulator on my 91' 2.3 hatch a couple of years back,it was a pig of a job,i guess they aint got no better since
G.

Sorry its late on the reply btw,

Too many cars,so little time

 

[mark e]

Right alternator, wrong pulley. They still had my old one, so swapped the pulleys and all was OK- apart from the fact I had to change it back in the pouring rain on Mon night