Xantia HDi Alternator

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Chlorate
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by Chlorate »

I did consider attempting an in-situ repair. It seemed like a swings and roundabouts sort of job to me. I could probably have saved a little cash by getting a new set of brushes, but if that didn't work I'd need a new alternator anyway.
At the moment I just need to get the car back on the road as quickly as possible.

If the old one is any good I could probably fix it up, stick it back in the car (if the replacement delivered this morning is indeed the lower current one) and flog the replacement to recover some losses.

Just a thought whilst I'm here, will the alternator have the current rating written on it somewhere?
Although I could probably just compare part numbers...

Alex
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previously:
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by Xantidote »

Chlorate wrote:will the alternator have the current rating written on it somewhere?
All 3 of my original Valeo alternators have had a small sticky label with lots of numbers on them, one of which indicates the current rating. However, these labels can disappear over time, and I hazard a guess that some remanufactured alternators may have had them removed, maybe as part of the cleaning up process.
Martin

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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by Chlorate »

Mixed feelings today.

Replacement alternator turned up nice and quickly.
Unfortunately it looked a bit different to what I had in mind.
Not only different to the one in the car but different from the one he had advertised! (eBay item 390533013285 if you want to compare).

Image



The one on the left is the replacement, the one on the right is the one out of the car. (Anyone know what this one is supposed to fit in).

The casing and position of the terminals are different (terminals themselves the same size) but the mounting points and pulley were the same, desperate to get the car back on the road I figured I'd give it a go (leccy is leccy after all).

Got it in, (and once again thanks to Richard for pointing me in the right direction) started it up and.....the discharge light didn't go out... :evil:
Poked around with my meter to see what was happening, and it seemed the same as the old one. In my frustration I tapped it lightly with the end of a ratchet and hey presto the light went out and it started pumping electrons.
Given how well that worked with the old alternator I don't think it'll last long (at least I didn't need a hammer =P~ ). But here's hoping it just has some crud in it somewhere (it did look like it had been sitting around for some time).

I won't be leaving much positive feedback to that particular seller...

One more thing: the replacement alternator had a sticker saying 120A on the side, couldn't find it on the original one. How much current should it be rated to?

Alex
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by CitroJim »

That's terrible Alex :(

A shoddly rebuild... A clean and hope kind of one...

Complain bitterly...
Chlorate wrote: One more thing: the replacement alternator had a sticker saying 120A on the side, couldn't find it on the original one. How much current should it be rated to?
The higher the better within reason as you can run juicer things without risk of flattening your battery and the battery will charge quicker from a standing start. Say you were into mega-sounds systems you could hear the length of the M1. For that you'd need a higher power alternator to keep up with current demands. 120A sounds right enough for me for general use.

A stupidly too big alternator can sap engine power under some circumstances hence why some moderns have a free-wheeling pulley on the alternator to disengage it when it's not needed.
Jim

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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by Chlorate »

Quite, under eBay rules I should be getting my money back, unfortunately it's fitted to a car and I'm not terribly inclined to remove it and wait for another to turn up.

Do you strictly have to send the part back for a refund or is photographic evidence enough for PayPal?

With any luck it'll last a little while at least. Maybe long enough to perhaps rebuild the original one.

But for now it's time for a beer! :beer:

Alex
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by RichardW »

The original spec is 150A for A/C cars, but I imagine in the UK 120A will be enough....!
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by Chlorate »

I'm not having a great time...

Given that the car died whilst on the ramp having an MOT, I think we can say that this alternator is also dead.

Had to walk to a local factors and shell out for a new battery just so I could drive the damn thing home.

The MOT wasn't too bad, it was mainly things that I already knew about (balljoints and tyres). Funnily enough he did fail the car on an LHM leak (see my other thread).
Unfortunately the garage that did the test are now fully booked with work until the week after next and I need to move house by next Wednesday. Which leaves me in a bit of a pickle.

It's been a horrid month...I'd been crippled by unexpected expenses (wheel bearing replacement among other things) meaning I couldn't get anything done until after payday, then the blasted alternator went pop so I had to do something about that before I could even go get the car tested, and today was the first day since that they could fit me in.
And to top it all off I had to take my wife to the airport today so she could go back to the US to apply for her spousal visa. :cry:

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previously:
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by charentejohn »

Since you have the old one off it may be worth fixing it ? Looks clean so hopefully slip rings ok.
Parts could be here http://stores.ebay.ie/goldlion-autoelec ... 1094600941" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; if not obvious e-mail the guy and he should respond quickly (even replied to me on new year's day). If you have the numbers from the alternator or better still the regulator numbers.

This doesn't quite look like yours but gives an idea of the changes required " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; The one in the video has a plug connector but yours looks like my Bosch one (obviously Valeo but same layout). If it is the same the regulator and brush unit is just a simple swap.

With mine the slip rings weren't great and in the old regulator a brush had 'stuck' and so wasn't connecting. Could be the one you bought is similar, a thump and it loosens enough to make contact again until it wears away another mm and stops again. A pain to have to remove replace the alternator but with a new regulator all should work ?

Edited to add - My alternator just went again, blue smoke so definitely gone. Just worth mentioning, I don't think the replacement regulator was to blame as such, just the state of the slip rings, one was well grooved but worth a shot. Buying a new one now as obviously beyond repair.
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Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
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Re: Xantia HDi Alternator

Post by Chlorate »

That chap has an interesting channel, very informative thanks.

Mine is a bit worse for wear as it turns out. The brushes had some material left on them however one of the slip rings had worn down to plastic. Replaceable, but a bit of a faff. The commutator housing was full of all kinds of grimy stuff, I'm wondering if there was some kind of contamination which caused the premature death of the slip rings.

In the end I bit the bullet and bought another one, "new" with year's warranty £100.30 delivered. GSF were wanting £250 for a new one :shock:
Arrived today just as the light failed...oh well will fit tomorrow.

Interestingly it appears to either be a rebuilt or counterfeit Valeo unit, the casing has Valeo cast into it but the plastic rectifier enclosure does not, the guts look the same but I haven't had it apart to see. The make on the sticker is "Vectron". Fitted with a clutch pulley too, not sure how I feel about that, but at least I have a fixed pulley I could swap if it causes problems.

Getting there...

Thanks again all.

Alex
Citroen Xantia Exclusive HDi

previously:
Citroen ZX Volcane - RIP
Peugeot 106 XN... stolen and destroyed by Kent Police :evil:
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