[acuk]

Greetings,

Just recently joined the ranks with my beautiful lumbering beast: 1978 BJ40 (3B swapped in).
Loving it too.

24V system is a bit of a white elephant when it comes to parts, though.
I think the alternator is pooched ( best output I can measure is some 8 Amp, can barely hold up the headlights - as soon as the load is on the voltage is down to the battery nominal)
The only replacement I found is $500 which I refuse to pay on general principle.
The site mentioned in this forum (www.alternatorparts.com) has a neat looking Mitsubishi one complete with a vacuum pump on the back (part 1243401MI) for substantially less.

The interesting thing is they don't seem to EVER answer their phone, (or return calls) or bother to reply to e-mail.
Call me paranoid but I hesitate to send them my credit card info on blind faith alone. (Naturally, anyone else I called seems to have no idea about this particular part though the number and description do exist in parts lists)

Has anyone done business with this site?
Any suggestions about other sources?

Thanks,

[ivanhoe]

greetings! check your brushes first then the regulator! amperage on a 24v alternator is usually half of a 12v so keep this in mind!!
hth,

[Funksolid]

I just went through the Alternator pain, BUT my bearings went and thats not replaceable. If your alternator seems like its dieing you can get Brushes/Regulator from 4 wheel auto for like 150 bucks I think.

Good luck

P.s. I deal with 4 wheel auto for everything and they are awesome!!

Andrew

[acuk]

Thanks,

I have changed the brushes (they were just on the 5.5 mm limit) with a pair i got from local alternator shop for $ 2 (that's canadian peso we're talking about too!) - no apparent difference.

The FSM suggests that below 10 Amp on load indicates alternator trouble. Now, I tested the (external, electromechanical ) regulator as well and one of the solenoids' resistance is not up to spec (though when it comes to a just few Ohms I suspect my error of measurement makes that a pretty unreliable finding). Well, I ordered one up anyway and it just arrived yesterday (Specter. about 30 US$).
Of course the 6-lead connection block does not match the one on my BJ 40 , but it looks pretty generic so I'll try at the local parts shop.

I just figured if I'm going through all this hassle, I might as well get a few more Amps and source out a clone that works.
Will post how it turns out.

Cheers!
You might find it amusing that it just started snowing here again. Canadian spring..

[acuk]

Well..
Now the snow has melted (!!!!), I got out and rigged some jump wires to the replacement regulator - no change. Once on load the voltage drops and Amps max out at about 5-8.
I guess the guys writing the FSM were right - it is probably the alternator itself.

In the meantime I poked around for that Mitsubishi new one (vacuum pump on the back). Typically no one I spoke to had ever heard of let alone seen one around. Mitsubishi dealerships were no help.

Bit the bullet and ordered one up from alternatorparts.com - that was 10 days ago. No signs of them shipping anything out yet. Good chance copies of my credit card are sold online now...

I figure even if/when i get the existing alternator fixed I'm still living on borrowed time. Might as well get something new that will work.

If anyone has ideas I'm open for suggestions

Cheers,

[canucksafari]

I wouldn't count on new always working. I have had quite a few defective new alternators - all good brand names - that I have put in other vehicles I owned. The first time, I spent a frustrating day looking for the "real" problem only to come back to the alternator and have it bench tested.

You could probably do a lot better with getting it rebuilt locally. A friend on the Island had his 24V alternator rebuilt by an AutoMarine Electric shop for around $250. Many marine applications are 24V. If that isn't an option for you, why don't you try a cruiser shops in BC like G&S http://www.gscruiserparts.com/contactus.html. If you have to go out of Canada, then go to the people like Auto Electrics Australia: http://www.aea.co.au. I have heard good things about them on Outerlimits and Patrol4X4.

[spelant]

Last tuesday I took my alternator in to our local Auto-Electric store to be rebuilt (from my 1978 BJ-40) and he said no problem doing 24v. He even had all the parts in stock and I got it back the next day. Cost me $128 and it puts out mega amps now. He installed new brushes & bearings, shot peened the housing and painted the fan. It looks brand new. He couldn't do much about the pump except remove it, shot peen it and replace it when he was done. He said in the hundreds of those oil/vacuum pumps he has seen, they rarely go bad. Mine is still pulling 25lbs vacuum. I'm sure you should be able to find an Auto-Electric dealer close by that can rebuild your alternator for substantially less than $500?

[The Dude]

Whereabouts are you in Canada. Two shops in Saskatoon have parts for a complete rebuild in stock all the time.

Take a look in the yelllow pages for a nipondeso starter/alt repair shop. They should have everything you need.

[lshobie]

Why dont you just bring it in to a shop and have it tested -they can test in 5 mins what would take you (or has taken you) days. Then they can also repair it. I just had an alt armature rewound, new bearings, completely reconditioned for 200 here in ottawa. Take it to a pro.

[acuk]

I bow to your superior wisdom...

Took the ol' alternator to a shop in Calgary (having phoned up a couple). On the bright side my tests were on the mark: output maxed out at 5-6 amps.
Turns out the stator windings were shorted out.
250 CAD.

They will likely have another rebuilt 24V Nippondenso out of a Landcruiser on hand (unfortunatelly all the shops around town are well aware of how difficult it is to get one so they all want a king's ransom for one - generally in the neighbourhood of 300 CAD).
Went by Toyota dealership yesterday and to my amazement they actually had the fan belt in stock.
Now I'm trying to come up with a way to mount it as there is only so much play in alternator bracket and the darn belt is just 5mm to snug.
Still have all my fingers attached, though.

Thanks everyone for great advice.

Cheers,

[acuk]

Well, few months have gone by (the hardtop and doors are off and I'm loving it) - the fixer-upper alternator is working OK.

The Alternatorparts.com finally came through - they sent me my purchase as advertised.

I'll need a new bottom bracket to fit it on and the regulator is internal so the wiring will ned a bit of rethinking, but on the whole - once the current one packs it in or I need more amps I'll give the new one a try.

Thanks again for good advice.

Cheers,

Alex