Series 3 diesel alternator

Alternators knacked ! Took it off and tested it with the drill and multimeter, not a volt oot it, so time for a new one, anyone have any experience with this one, seems like a good price and is a direct replacement fr the brackets, the old one is a Lucas 16 ACR. Thanks, John

https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/rtc5084-alternator-17-acr-series-3-and-range-rover-classic.html

It will be fine, BUT, see what the biggest output you can get is. Aim for something around 60-80A. This may do that and in a lock down getting it posted is a big help. Ask what the output is, I couldn't see it on the add.
The bigger alternator does 2 things, it lets you run halogen heads and a bigger heater fan, and it charges at lower revs which is very handy in winter.

Yes, I had a look at some bigger output ones, however I dont have a heater or halogens ! So I thought a similar one would do. Will look again though, thanks.m

Before you assume it's dead...

...you realise you need to provide 12V or so to the field coil to energise it, in order to get the alternator to provide any output, don't you? Once it's running, the power it generates can energise the coils itself, but it needs that little 'jump start' to get it running. That's what the 'Charge' light on your dash does. If you spin it on a bench with no supply connected to the field terminal, you won't get anything out, either.

Having said that, I ended up just replacing mine when it was playing up, too. They aren't excessively expensive, and are just a lot easier to swap out than fully debug, if they are playing up.

Yes, I had a feed for that purpose, still nowt ! Its the original one , so 44 years aint so bad....!

In that case, yes, probably time to bite the bullet. And that's not a bad deal. I think I paid £50 for mine in ebay.

The Craddock ones virtually a direct replacement, 40 odd quid with the vat.
Will keep the old one, add it ti the spares cupboard. Have more space at my new place and One can never have too many Landrovers

Thought I would conclude this by saying I changed the alt this morning for a 17 ACR from Craddocks, came in at 40 quid. Made new connectors for the back of the alt, soldered and crimped, working a treat now 14v to the battery

Thanks, we like updates; anything fixed for £40 is news worth sharing!

Yes, I was a bit worried about doing it, as at the mo I dint have a workshop as we are moving house, anyhow, Getting the old one out was the worse part, new one went in in a couple of hours including stripping wires, making connectors etc.
The alt I got from Craddocks is a direct replacement for the old 16 ACR and seems v well made. All working fine now

Fatrover said:

Yes, I was a bit worried about doing it, as at the mo I dint have a workshop as we are moving house, anyhow, Getting the old one out was the worse part, new one went in in a couple of hours including stripping wires, making connectors etc.
The alt I got from Craddocks is a direct replacement for the old 16 ACR and seems v well made. All working fine now

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Well done. I needed to change mine a while back and it was a nightmare. I struggled to get the old one off but the new one was bigger and I just couldn't do it, even after several hours of struggling. In the end I got my local garage to do it, they charged me about £40 but it was worth it. I've got some nerve damage in my arm/hand and I keep dropping spanners.

Col

Making the conenctors was the worst, Ive got hands like shovels.....the old alt was the original one from 76, took a bit of getting out. Had the Mrs with her wee hands to help putting the bolts back in and bracing the heads with a spanner while I tightened them up from underneath. Would have been v hard on my own.

P.s i keep dropping spanners too but I’m just a clumsy ****

Fatrover said:

Making the conenctors was the worst, Ive got hands like shovels.....the old alt was the original one from 76, took a bit of getting out. Had the Mrs with her wee hands to help putting the bolts back in and bracing the heads with a spanner while I tightened them up from underneath. Would have been v hard on my own.

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Yes, I have massive hands too but they don't behave as much as they used to do. You're lucky having a wife like that, mine would just tell me to take it to the garage. I had to tie a bit of string to the spanners cos I got fed up of retrieving them ten times per minute from the oil pool under the engine. I seriously considered taking the engine out to do it and if it had stopped raining for a couple of days I might have done it. Happy days.

Col

It may be worth repairing the old unit as a standby.

The repair kits are on ebay for about £17.

How do the bearings on the old unit feel? Do they still rotate smoothly or are they gritty or stiff?

It may be a case of simply changing the internal electrical regulator parts.

Webley1991 said:

It may be worth repairing the old unit as a standby.

The repair kits are on ebay for about £17.

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I will definately be doing this, the new alternator has an unpleasant whine which isn't very reassuring.

Col

If I was doing it, I would spend bit extra for good quality name branded bearings for a rebuild.

The same happened with a no-name alternator that I fitted to an old diesel Shogun. The bearings on the new replacement were a lot louder from the start. The alternator was still working when the owner sold the vehicle two years later, but I doubt it will last as long as the factory original unit that was removed.

It was cheaper to buy a new unit than have the original rebuilt.

Im going to add the old alt to my bin of landy parts...in my new house we have a Workshop happy days !

Fatrover said:

Im going to add the old alt to my bin of landy parts...in my new house we have a Workshop happy days !

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I wish I could keep all my landy parts in one place, I keep forgetting where some of them are and end up buying again. I must have 4 fan belts somewhere.

Col

Have had Series 3s since 1996, kept parts off most of them ! Need to put them in some sort of order. I left a Safari roof and sides in Spain when we moved, which in hindsight was a mistake.