Freaking alternator

ScubyRoo · Post by **ScubyRoo** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:30 am

Dammit!

Just spent the first half of my school holidays up near Omeo (east gippsland, victoria) rafting on the Mitta Mitta river - awesome! Go to start scoobs and he turns over fine, but konks out after about a minute and a half. Longer I leave him to sit, the longer he runs for, but a max of five minutes. Called the RACV, they came out and told me what I already figured but didn't have a multimeter. Voltage accross the battery is a massive 7 volts - alternator KAPUT! They towed it to the shop in Omeo and had a closer look - all circuits and electrics fine, output from alternator super low.

So i'm now in Sale staying at my sister's in laws waiting for the OEM replacement to arrive at the auto elec tomorrow morning, before catching the train to bairnsdale and bus to omeo. Will hopefully be up there around 2 in the afternoon... Won't take long to swap the alternators over, hopefully be back in melbourne by 10pm... ah it's only a 6 hour drive!

FYI alternator was $320 plus GST, cannot recall the brand.

Wish me luck,
Owen.

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:14 am

That sucks.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:13 pm

Bugger mate! Why not go for a second hand unit in the mean time - keep the cost down and get you moving again? Then have the original unit rebuilt. I reckon that would've been a lot cheaper to do rather than go an new OEM unit.

I've got very little paddling experience but have done the mitta mitta once with a bunch of year 11's - I had a ball! Dunno if I've got the passion to pursue rafting like I have for 4wding...

Good luck with gettin' your rube back!

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:16 pm

Nature of the beast to go when you least need it to. I paid half that eight years ago for a so called reconditioned alternator done by a big reco crowd to find it died within months - only got new brushes, bearings and a dress up of slip rings. I replaced it in a hurry with a $50 second handy and put alternator away forgetting to claim under warranty. A used one likely to go phut a lot sooner than a newie. I often mean to shove a spare alternator in to go on some trips and usually forget. Bolt one under the bonnet somewhere praps.

Enjoy week two or what's left of it

ScubyRoo · Post by **ScubyRoo** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:32 pm

El_Freddo wrote:Bugger mate! Why not go for a second hand unit in the mean time - keep the cost down and get you moving again?

Not many kicking around sale unfortunately... If i could of found one to get me home i would have...

El_Freddo wrote: Then have the original unit rebuilt. I reckon that would've been a lot cheaper to do rather than go an new OEM unit.

Auto elec said it'd cost about the same...

El_Freddo wrote: I've got very little paddling experience but have done the mitta mitta once with a bunch of year 11's - I had a ball!

The river levels were pumping, some of the best rafting and kayaking i've ever done!

El_Freddo wrote: Good luck with gettin' your rube back!

Cheers

Bennie

thanks dude. My lift should be arriving soon - Dave sent it last month but it never arrived, last I heard from him he was going to chase it up for me..

steptoe wrote:Nature of the beast to go when you least need it to. I paid half that eight years ago for a so called reconditioned alternator done by a big reco crowd to find it died within months - only got new brushes, bearings and a dress up of slip rings. I replaced it in a hurry with a $50 second handy and put alternator away forgetting to claim under warranty. A used one likely to go phut a lot sooner than a newie. I often mean to shove a spare alternator in to go on some trips and usually forget. Bolt one under the bonnet somewhere praps.

Spot on steptoe, especially the spare one idea... I'll be going to PAP soon to grab a second hand one and store it in the boot. I also pack tools, suppose i should pack a few things like belts and the like too... Maybe worth a thread "What spares/tools do you carry for long trips"...

The headlights were a bit dim when idling the other day, should've clicked that the accelerator was on and they went brighter that the alternator was a bit crook...

phillatdarwin · Post by **phillatdarwin** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:23 pm

i wood say just the brushes and a dirty slip ring .
pull it down and look the brushers cost about $4 for a set and a bit of solder.
done