au alternator

[eXi7w0unD]

is it possible to clean it?
like can u blast it with water? can i pour detol or sumething through it and then blast it with water?

its full of powersteering fluid which is very slowly dripping.

[Bushbasher]

I'm guessing alternators are alternators for the most part and that being the case, I just had exactly the same problem with my NF fairlane- power steering fluid and gunk all over the alternator- So while I had the pump out and before I put the new one in all I did was hit the alternator with degreaser and then the hose and I've had no ill effects so far and it's been 3 weeks now and alls' good.


bushbasher

[XR6-VCT-2000]

Remove it , then absoulety drown it spraying it with at least a cans worth of electrical contact cleaner ( get if from dicksmiths / jaycar / k-mart too i think etc etc ). Works a treat , as it is really made for cleaning electrical contacts , it takes a whole cans worth for it too eat all the crap off the outside of the casing too etc etc , but it does work , and is fully safe to use. Give it a good shake off after your done then give it a while to fully dry off (Around half an hour MAX), if it's still a tadd wet don't worry as the electrical contact cleaner is non conductive anyway, cheers.

[Mechan1k]

I agree with the Electrical Contact Cleaner as well ... I think it is in a blue/white can from CRC.

Works a charm on alternators.

[eXi7w0unD]

thanks will do that this weekend

[StealthAu]

CRC 2016

[SIKSIX]

Just take it apart and give it a good clean, then you can check brushes commutator conditions. its a matter of undoing the screws and then sit it fan facing up and tap the front with a hammer upwards. cause thats where being clean counts.

[smally289]

Clean it as described aboveif you like, but it wont be long before it dies anyway.

[eXi7w0unD]

yea well it did die after 8 years, got a new 1, 2 months ago its just a lil oily with powersteeing fluid is all.

i like to keep things clean!

[XR6-VCT-2000]

I does actualy 'Help' to prolong the life of the alternator too slightly by soaking it with contact cleaner to clean it now and then !. Oils and so forth on electrical contacts (such as the brushes inside the alternator) are corrosive and also oils etc on these contacts help in burning these contacts quicker ( not good ).
Imo for the price of a can of contact cleaner it's worth soaking the crap out of it now and then ( spray it in the holes too to get it inside the alternator ) for the sake of cleaning the crudd off the contacts a bit and prolonging the life of the contacts/brushes a bit.
Personaly , i do it now and then just for the above reason , not realy to clean it externaly , but internaly / but it does clean the outside of it too. I have NEVER had an alternator crap it on me .

EDIT: also years ago i used to religiously use contact cleaner in the dizzy cap and points in my old XE , and i seemed to get nearly 2x the life time out of a dizzy cap / rotor arm and points ! . cheers.

[jrh001]

Originally Posted by SIKSIX

Just take it apart and give it a good clean, then you can check brushes commutator conditions. its a matter of undoing the screws and then sit it fan facing up and tap the front with a hammer upwards. cause thats where being clean counts.

Hi,

Contact cleaner hasn't worked so I'm attempting to disassemble the (one year old!) alternator.

I've removed the four long bolts and the front of the housing rotates but won't separate from the back. Is it necessary to remove the pulley from the alternator? (And you do you remove it?)

JH

[HypnoTECH03]

Hey, yeah a common problem with the AU's is the Power steering fluid dripping into the alternator, the fluid will eventually wear out the brushed, rendering the alternator useless,

i took my old alternator to an auto electrician and did a trade, and only payed $35 for a reconditioned one!

it was the simplest option to spending a few hours attempting the unrepairable (unless you replace the brushes inside)