Burning smell and battery light coming on

[r055]

ok, for a while now, i have had an intermittant electrical burning smell in my car.

The start of this was when my battery went flat. Bought a new battery, fitted it and then i was overwhelmed with the smell entering the drivers area (roof on)
I thought it was the fan motor or the heater matrix, but the smell is definitely coming up from the top-right area of the engine.
Ali had a quick check over it when i got it serviced/ MOT'd but couldnt find anything.

I have also had the occasional flickering battery light on the dash, but today it was solid and staying on below 2k revs... I also have a new whirring noise as if its a turbo around 3.5k revs.

does this sound like the alternator?

[woody]

Sounds as if it could be, not an expert by any means on this sort of area, but I'd agree.

I picked up one for £25 + vat today at the scrappy (having dinner then off to fit it ) at the tensioning bolt had seized and snapped when I re-tensioned the belt yesterday. Was planning to keep the old one as a spare once i have the bolt machined out of it, but if your desperate....

[craigs135s]

If it is the alternator it will be coverd by the AA waranty

Cheers
C

[r055]

how easy is the access to the alternator?
is it a PITA?

[woody]

how easy is the access to the alternator?
is it a PITA?

Easy to access, but its a wee bit awkward to get in to some of the fastenings. Two bolts at the raer of the RHS arch liner, two plastic ones at the front and another i the middle and the liner pops out. The alt is then just in front of you.


I got a new tensioning bolt from B&Q this aft, as it was the only place open, for the replacement alternator. The thread was tight, so i decided to run the bolt up and down it a few times, and guess what, B&Q chocolate bolt has also sheard into the new alternator, only flush this time.






I have to laugh

[robin]

The thread is deliberately tight I think because it's what stops the bolt unwinding itself.

I suspect the alternator bearings are away.

Cheers,
Robin

[fd]

Robin is absolutely correct, that bolt has an intentionally malformed thread so it cannot undo itself (it actually cuts it's own thread in a new alternator when first fitted). just like crush thread nuts on exhaust manifolds, etc . . . also given that it's so long I wouldn't be surprised if it were something more exotic metal wise than B&Q sell . . .

Fd

[woody]

Robin is absolutely correct, that bolt has an intentionally malformed thread so it cannot undo itself (it actually cuts it's own thread in a new alternator when first fitted). just like crush thread nuts on exhaust manifolds, etc . . . also given that it's so long I wouldn't be surprised if it were something more exotic metal wise than B&Q sell . . .

Fd

It defiantly is some think more exotic - also the bolt has a built in washer face and generally looks like a high quality item for a car. I was nightshift last night, so managed to get it sorted out. I just sorted the alt off of my car as it is a known quantity, i.e. it works. after trying a grinder, a drill, and a pillar drill and getting nowhere, I left it with a machinist who had to mill the bolt out. Have bored the alt 6mm plain, made a wedged washer for the rear side and am just about to go and fit it back on with a high spec bolt, washers and a K-lock/aerofast type nut + plenty of anti-seize; just the ticket.

[r055]

just to put closure on this...

it was the alternator that was proper fecked!
it was seizing and the belt was wearing (burning smell)

...but its now fixed!


...but the weather is sh*t!

[mac]

just to put closure on this...

it was the alternator that was proper fecked!
it was seizing and the belt was wearing (burning smell)

...but its now fixed!


...but the weather is sh*t!

Not where I'm sitting - looks like quite a nice night in South Lanarkshire.

Mac

[craigs135s]

just to put closure on this...

it was the alternator that was proper fecked!
it was seizing and the belt was wearing (burning smell)

...but its now fixed!


...but the weather is sh*t!

Not where I'm sitting - looks like quite a nice night in South Lanarkshire.

Mac

Nice in manchester!!

Cheers
C

[r055]

alright alright!

its nice and sunny in scumbernauld too (since I posted the last thread!)

Ive got fecking work to do though