Alternator woes - how to get by for a week before fixing?

Most auto parts stores sell a depin tool but a paper clip usually works just fine. Some connectors have a white locking tab to remove first

 

1.5mm flathead is my preferred tool. Specialty tools exist and I have a few but I mostly use said 1.5mm blade. It’s not a big concern if you don’t want to reuse the connector.

 

on this one the little white parts are locking tabs and you remove them by pulling them out with a needle nose

 

Well it’s half over now. Need to pick up a bungee cord to hold the PS pump when I pull the alternator out. Still couldn’t get that plastic wire loom holder to pop out of the alternator bracket. I’ll need a better angle on that. Got an inch of snow for tomorrow so it’ll be fun.

For access, I found removing the bottom of the fan shroud and the air box with associated duct to the throttle body helps a lot.

Biggest issue is not breaking the bolts free since they’re low torque, it’s just getting a finger on the socket so it can stay while you turn the ratchet wrench backwards to further advance and loosen.

 

These are premium and have a few size options:

$11 Wera 05118002003 Kraftform Micro 2035 Slotted Electronics Precision Screwdriver, 1.5mm Head, 40mm Blade Length

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ES5LWC

also on the connector, be 100% cause there are multiple similar ones with different tab locations to allow for disambiguating at similar spots. If I could I’d send you a photo of the ones I have and which corsa part number they are. I can maybe check order history.

 

I’ll take a photo of the the connector end tomorrow to confirm.

Update:

 

Based on my personal order history, I think this is the one for alternator. It's from December 2021 to my old San Diego address which I think lines up correctly with my memory of when I was collecting parts for alternator stuff, which I think was after I switched to the 4 pin 130 amp Sequoia alternator on my own truck but thought about doing an inline conversion harness. Eventually I just de-pinned and re-pinned to the 4 way connector.

And just to be clear, this is a match to the link I posted previously, one of my dad's favorite quotes, "I'd rather be lucky than good" applies here.

 

New alternator fixed the issue. 14.2 volts back again and charging the new battery, baby!



The old…gotta test it and see the cause this week. Willing to bet it’s either a bad regulator or rectifier.



Not a fun job alone. Had to jury rig a tie down with a sneaker lace to hold up the new alternator so I could guide it from the side over the hanging bolt.

The PS pump had to be moved forward 1.5 inches to clear enough room for the removal and installation of the new alternator. Here’s an area the engineers could have improved upon with a slightly smaller pulley to get the alternator out without messing with the PS pump.



Had to unbolt the PS reservoir to allow the lines to move forward with the PS pump in addition to removing the vacuum lines to the pump.



I do need replace that broken alternator connector though. It wouldn’t be good for the connector to pop out while driving. Gonna look into that this week. Thanks, again @daveeasa.

 

And if you want to send me the old one, now that it’s not time critical, I can drop it off and have it refurbished for you. Might fit in a flat rate box? Not sure.

 

Do you have a shop of choice that does recon?

 

Like a mile from my workshop. Specializes in alternators and starters. I did both of mine so I’d have known good spares ready to go. Crusty old dude in a crusty old shop with heaps of boxes and stuff, super old school.

 

How much is it to recondition? A new regulator from Toyota is $166 which is almost the price of the the alternator. The rectifier has been discontinued.

 

I can’t remember but I thought someone said these are harder to find? I haven’t looked since I bought a couple of years ago.

I can try to find my receipt. I paid cash.

 

Congrats!

 

I wonder what is actually replaced when they are remanufactured. With the cost of parts and labor it doesn't seem like all of the parts could be replaced. Plus some parts might not be available. Maybe just bearings and brushes and the rest tested and replaced if found bad.

Interesting what is on Denso's site:
Remanufactured DENSO alternators go through a grueling process:
1. Housing – Re-tapped to OE standards and damage-checked for heat warping, corrosion, or improper surface alignment.
2. Stator – Insulation tested to 600 volts.
3. Rotor – Performance and insulation tested to 600 volts.
4. Bearing – 100% tested to OE standards.
5. Slip Ring – Re-machined to an average of 8 microns (20 micron run-out maximum).
6. Voltage Regulator – 100% voltage tested to OE standards.
7. Rectifier – Performance tested to 300 volts.
8. Hardware – 100% stripped and replated.

 

The locking tab on my connector broke but I sent it as is. I've been driving like that 18 months without issue. Not ideal but still feels very secure on there.

 

Am I reading that right, they don't even change bearings unless they test bad? Says nothing about brushes.

 

Is the original part supposed to be dark grey? I smell oil on it. I think I may need to change out those valve cover gaskets sooner than expected.

 

Just looks dirty from 23 years of road grime and use.

 

I mean, it sits directly below the PS pump, and almost directly below bank 1's cam tower/head IIRC. That in mind, I could see a leaky cam seal, cam tower, PS pump/lines causing the issue before valve covers, but maybe there's some way for valve covers to drop oil on it? I'd hafta pop my hood and look closely.

 

FYI y'all, RA has ONE SINGLE 130A in stock at the time of this reply: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=11195357&cc=0&pt=2412&jsn=548

 

Anyone got an idea of how the cover is supposed to come off without breaking the plastic shroud to the GND wire connection on the alternator? I got the 8 mm screws off with an impact driver.

 

I can't 100% recall, but you might have to remove that 2nd positive post 12mm or 14mm nut and slide the plastic base out.

 

Yep, had to take it off with a 10 mm deep socket to avoid having to bend the cover.



Looks like the screws to the brush are encrusted with rust inside the Philips screw pattern, so I’ll have to clean it out with a needle tomorrow to avoid stripping it with the impact driver.

 

Probably JIS not Phillips

 

Looks like a no-go for checking into the failure. Almost stripped the screw holding the brushes and I don’t have a manual impact screwdriver to use. Applying heat would melt the plastic body of the brushes, so I guess I’ll just turn it in to get my $75 core charge back.

 

You can send to me and I’ll have my local guy rebuild it and send it back if you want a spare.