Alternator bargain.

[richyb66]

My alternator developed a death rattle at the weekend while on a run out. It's a standard Pinto alternator that I've fitted with a multi vee pulley so I can use it with my serpentine drive belt. 

The pulley was always a bit big for the shaft so I'd shimmed it out  to fit and it'd been OK for nearly 10k miles despite the fact that the auto tensioner puts a massive radial load on the pulley and shaf.. On initial inspection the pulley appeared to be tight (but not running dead true) and the fan could be turned on the shaft. I removed the pulley and then saw that the keyway in the shaft was a bit munched up and the pulley had been moving on the shaft causing it to be worn away around the nut.

The alternator is now scrap so I set about looking for a replacement and found this that looked like it would do the trick.

It already came with the correct pulley but the wiring needed to be modified from a plug to ring terminals. I also needed to cut a small notch in the alternator bracket to clear one of the alternator case bolts but other than that, it was a straight swap.

The new alternator came from Eurocarparts, via Ebay and cost the princely sum of £24.08 (yes that really is twenty four pounds and eight pence) and that's outright, not exchange.

This is it on Ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RTX-LRB00224-Car-Engine-Electrical-Alternator-12V-70A-Amps-Replacement-Part/352931338509?hash=item522c58d90d:g:OUAAAOSwTUBeHDg6

This is it on their website https://www.eurocarparts.com/search/401680812

I'm not sure why there's a price difference but if you think you need an alternator or want to keep a cheap spare on the shelf, this is a bargain.

Edited July 21, 2020 by richyb66

[IanS]

Wish I had seen this when my tiptop alternator died.

 

[Andi]

Jeez Louise.. That is cheap 

Andi 

[GCash]

Would you be able to fit the standard pinto pulley on it?

[richyb66]

I'm not sure. My Pinto alternator had a 17mm diameter shaft, I don't have the old vee pulley but I think I can safely say that was 17mm bore as well. The new alternator has a threaded end around 15mm diameter. I don't want to remove the pulley because the nut is recessed inside it and unless I make a decent tool to get to it, I'll end up mangling it getting it off and I'll be back to square one. The nut is 24mm and the end of the shaft has a 12 point recess (not hex or torx).

Looking online, the multi vee pulleys for Fiesta / Ka that have this alternator, have a 17mm bore so I presume that the shaft on the alternator is stepped where it's threaded but without pulling it apart, I can't be certain.

[GCash]

Thanks for the info

[GCash]

How did you wire the new alternator in comparison to the old one? Was it the same order red, red, blue staring with b+?

[richyb66]

I think I wired both reds to the B+ terminal (battery)  and the blue to the middle D terminal for the warming light.

I can't double check on the car until Monday.

[GCash]

Thank you. I have managed to mount the v belt pulley but I have had to move it underneath the steering column because I have fitted a new exhaust. I had to make a new bracket and I am just waiting for a new shorter belt to arrive.

 

I managed to get the alternator for about £23 with click and collect directly from Eurocarparts using one of their usual promo codes (MID60).

[Grim]

I can't really resist at that price, will have to see if i can make it work with the single V pulley and my mounts. I'll have to get some time in the garage to work on the car as i've not touched it in 3 years!

[nelmo]

1 hour ago, Grim said:

I can't really resist at that price, will have to see if i can make it work with the single V pulley and my mounts. I'll have to get some time in the garage to work on the car as i've not touched it in 3 years!

I like your car description - 'self-dismantling' 

[Grim]

I've got around to fitting the alternator - it seemed like an almost direct swap for my old alternator, but I wanted to drop it a bit lower to move it away from the exhaust, so I made some new brackets to utilise the bottom alternator mounting holes on the block rather than the top ones. Pulley was a direct swap from my old alternator.

rose jointed bottom bracket

 

bakewell aided design

 

top bracket progress

 

 

top bracket finished

fitted. I've ordered a shorter belt to give a bit more clearance to the steering column.

 

Andy

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Grim

[richyb66]

Nice job that, looks good.