C5 Alternator, rotatable by hand?

[Dano2808]

Hi,

I've got a recon alternator to fit on my C5 02 2.0HDi, but I can't rotate it by hand, even following the arrows and pushing with a screwdriver (a tip I found by searching in another post) is this normal for these clutch based alternators? The supplier says it is and others asked have said not. Its also been supplied with a small dent on the pulley (is this the clutch??) which again the supplier says should be ok, but my logic says it will surely through it out of balance when the engine is running?

Appreciate any feedback.

Dan.

[Peter.N.]

I have never come across one of these yet although I have a C5 but I would have thought you should be able to turn it - the engine has to. Does you old one turn OK?

Peter

[wheeler]

It should definitely turn by hand clockwise, if you turn it anticlockwise quickly the pulley should turn but the insides should 'slip'.
One thing i would never do anymore is waste my money on recon alternators or starters. The quality nowadays is awful.

[addo]

What have you seen that causes such reticence?

I'm on the verge of laying in a set of spares for my Xantia alternator; at 250-odd thousand km I don't know the state of the brushes or slip rings.

[citronut]

Dan it is possible the alternator you have has been dropped onto its pulley, which will/can push the stater backwards into its housing to far,

i have an old new stock alternator on the shelf, which on checking it over found it would not rotate either direction,

i found by altering the stater position it seems ok now

[wheeler]

What have you seen that causes such reticence?

I've seen a very high premature failure rate of recon starters & alternators over the last few years usually after just a couple of months, very recently even saw one fail the same day as it was fitted. This is from several different manufacturers & companies.