I ruined my alternator with mud. Don't be like me. (2 Viewers)

[TeCKis300]

Copied from the picture thread to continue discussion here

Thats why I would like to know what is failing inside these things. There isn't much to them and its not like generators to alternators are a new thing.
Unless...could it be that they were made by the same person who made all of the starter solenoids and radiators?

Alternators failing are pretty common to the off-road community. It's typically the brushes getting contaminants underneath that cause them to fail. They likely can be revived if taken apart and cleaned.

 

[bloc]

I bought my 80 at almost 300k miles and it was still on the original alternator. I went ahead and installed new brushes but the armature looked great and I expected a lot of life out of it.

But.. toss some mud in that same alternator right off the lot in 1994 and it could have died in ten miles.

Teckis is right.. it's usually dirt getting into the brushes and acting like sandpaper to the surfaces they ride on, or keeping them from moving freely in their slots. Toyota does a good job of protecting them from crap from above, and giving a place for water to drain, but they can only take so much. Wet/watery mud rising from below is the perfect way to defeat all these protections.

 

[TeCKis300]

Just tossing some ideas out there to help survivability against water/mud

1) More lift - suspension, tires
2) Mud/water deflector (does stock or any of the aftermarket skid plates protect better in this respect?)
3) High mount alternator bracket
4) Water cooled alternator

In the event of an alternator failure, it comes down to battery reserves
- Larger batt upgrade
- Dual batts
- Solar. May only increase run-time incrementally, but may be a way to recover to get running again for a duration?

 

[grinchy]

I'm interested in prototyping a fix using the VW group water cooled alternator. Can someone confirm or deny that because it is water cooled it can not have a mud/contamination failure mode? If so then I may order one up for experiment.

 

[raincityrider]

I'm interested in prototyping a fix using the VW group water cooled alternator. Can someone confirm or deny that because it is water cooled it can not have a mud/contamination failure mode? If so then I may order one up for experiment.

I might be interested in this. Or an upgrade. After my new Group 31 batt install I'm not sure Im getting the output I want and thinking down the road I want the truck to charge my trailer too.

 

[TeCKis300]

I'm interested in prototyping a fix using the VW group water cooled alternator. Can someone confirm or deny that because it is water cooled it can not have a mud/contamination failure mode? If so then I may order one up for experiment.

I took a look at these. Pretty aweseme - 190amp, water cooled units - used on several VW and Audi models. BMW (Bosche) looks to have water cooled alternators too.

While much more enclosed than a standard alternator, they still look to have minimal breathing holes on the face where the pulley is. Not sure how deep these breathing vanes go, and whether they reach the brushes. Still, this should be an improvement with far less flow of contaminants into the alternator.

 

[bloc]

The ones I’m seeing for a Touareg are just water cooled for the magnets around the perimeter. The brush and diode assembly on the back looks just like any other alternator.

I think to be truly mud proof you need to relocate or go brushless.

 

[grinchy]

I took a look at these. Pretty aweseme - 190amp, water cooled units - used on several VW and Audi models. BMW (Bosche) looks to have water cooled alternators too.

While much more enclosed than a standard alternator, they still look to have minimal breathing holes on the face where the pulley is. Not sure how deep these breathing vanes go, and whether they reach the brushes. Still, this should be an improvement with far less flow of contaminants into the alternator.

The Bosch versions look to use external cooling, like a water jacket. They are completely sealed and have no cooling fittings.

 

[bloc]

The Bosch versions look to use external cooling, like a water jacket. They are completely sealed and have no cooling fittings.

If I remember correctly they bolt into the front of the engine block like a very deep water pump, so yes they have a jacket of water around the majority of the unit. No mounting bolts or anything either.. they mount via the flange on the front face. Between that and actually getting it to cool I don't think it would work for our application.

 

[M1911]

Have you looked into the PDP water cooled alternator for the 70 series? Spendy, but I believe it is designed specifically for resistance to mud. I've got no idea if it could be adapted to the 200.

70, 76, 78 and 79 Series Landcruiser Accessories

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perthdiesel.store

 

[grinchy]

Yes, there is. 200 series version but it is many for 4.5l diesel. No fit info Regarding 5.7l Petrol. Th attachments are going the same way as 5.7l, but there are four instead of three. Some emailing is in order.

PDP Sealed Water Cooled Alternator 200 series

PERTH DIESEL PERFORMANCE Never need to clean out or change your brushes on your alternator again or replace it over and over due to muddy river crossings getting inside the alternator. This alternator is a direct replacement for your existing alternator whilst tapping into the factory hoses...

perthdiesel.store

 

[VooDoo2]

Yes, there is. 200 series version but it is many for 4.5l diesel. No fit info Regarding 5.7l Petrol. Th attachments are going the same way as 5.7l, but there are four instead of three. Some emailing is in order.

PDP Sealed Water Cooled Alternator 200 series

PERTH DIESEL PERFORMANCE Never need to clean out or change your brushes on your alternator again or replace it over and over due to muddy river crossings getting inside the alternator. This alternator is a direct replacement for your existing alternator whilst tapping into the factory hoses...

perthdiesel.store

These are rebadged by PDP and Not bushless or the larger 200amp.

I keep the whole range in stock
We make them for the 200 1VD, 79 1VD, 1HDFTD, 1HZ and Y62 plus 1KD 3.0L toyota and now 2.8 Toyota 1GD. We will also have them soon for the Ranger, 3L patrol and Dodge rams. The 4.6L 2UR is being sorted atm but i need to see a 5.7L to see if they are the same.

 

[VooDoo2]

These are rebadged by PDP and Not bushless or the larger 200amp.

I keep the whole range in stock
We make them for the 200 1VD, 79 1VD, 1HDFTD, 1HZ and Y62 plus 1KD 3.0L toyota and now 2.8 Toyota 1GD. We will also have them soon for the Ranger, 3L patrol and Dodge rams. The 4.6L 2UR is being sorted atm but i need to see a 5.7L to see if they are the same.

View attachment 2563031

Have confirmed the 4.6L here in AU uses the same Alternator as the 5.7L 3UR-FE in the USA so we can ship these for you guys or if a retailer wants to become the distributor please message me

 

[grinchy]

Sweet!