Alternator getting hot

Alternator problems normally are

1)worn brushes - you have done these and in anycase does not cause overheating, 2)Buggered rectifier pack - either the battery does not get charged or the battery is flattened even with the ignition off (because the alternator output is always connected. 3)Failed dashboard lamp- Does your lamp come on when the ignition is on and before starting? result is usually lack of charge and no heating or rarely 4)Shorted turn on the windings which can give the symptoms you have. With specialist equipment, it is possible to spot that one of the three phases is not working well. An old fashioned auto electrician might be able to help analyse the fault but it is highly likely that an exchange alternator will be needed. You might get one on ebay perhaps? like this one?? Luck

Bob

For what it will cost to invoke an auto electrician (one who knows what hes doing anyway)you might as well buy a new alternator. It's almost certain that your is shagged. Either with shorted turns or turns that have been overheated by a faulty rectifier. If the later and you replace the rectifier the rest will certainly fail soon.

Thanks for the ideas guy's. I've come to the same conclusion and removed the alternator ready for a replacement. I did measure the voltages before removal and found 13.3 Volts without engine running and 15.3 with it running. What that means I'm not sure but thought that 14.7 was the max output from an alternator? Anyway after 210K miles I don't suppose I can complain! Found a local supplier who has quoted £95 for a service exchange one, sounds expensive, but then I've seen new ones at £200+. The EBay item Bob suggested wasn't for my year (1994) and looked slightly different and with the total lack of space around it I didn't think it was worth the risk. It was b*****d of a job getting it off as well! many cuts and skinned knuckles to show!

Regards Mike

It means that you are probably a troll who knows full well that a burnt out alternator won't pump out 15.3V

My, my we are touchy, ask for a little help and enlightenment and get called a troll. I never said the alternator was buggered, just that it was getting bloody hot and didn't want to mess anything else up before I got it sorted. Anyway I've found an auto electrician who can test it and hopefully further my obviously inadequate knowledge.

15.3 volts i think your Alternator has seen better days,you dont want tne wireing inside the car to catch light due to much power going thoughj it so go and buy a recon or new, sorry too say but its got to be done,

Post back the diagnosis, it will be interesting to see what they make of it.

Turns out the rectifier pack was kaput, aparently resulting in a 3amp continual drain on the battery. I hadn't noticed too much drop off in starting performance so would assume that I caught it pretty early. Anyway just collected the replacement alternator and will now spend another hour or so fitting it, that is after I've adjusted the washer thickness to align the old pulley on the new alternator (the new pulley is 6 groove, the old one

5).

Mike

Thanks for that Mike, one to file in the memory. Enjoy your fiddling ;o)

Turns out it was a bit more than just fiddling. I got the alternator fitted then fitted the bracket that adjusts the alternator, holds and adjusts the power steering pump and found the adjustment on the PS pump was half a hole out. Bracket onto milling machine - problem solved - but it shouldn't have been there in the first place. I've had similar problems with bits for this model, the 605 wasn't sold in great numbers and appears to have been a bit of a 'parts bin' special as mine was built just prior to the styling change in '95. Anyway problem solved and car back on the road.

Regards Mike

Although initially frustrating to find these problems, I do get a much greater sense of satisfaction when I can use my machines to modify/make appropriate parts to get myself out of trouble without having to turn the PUG agents as out local one is singularly useless. Glad you got it sorted Mike Bob

I can commiserate regarding parts. My 406, which you may have seen me refer to as the hybrid, was a 1999 S reg and was part MK1 and part MK11. I even had to buy two manuals as Haynes covered "up to R reg" and "from T reg". I contacted them and they confirmed that my model was a mix of each. I now know, from personal experience, that they are correct. Even parts you would expect to be mirrors of each other, like rear door locks, turn out to be totally different designs, one on the nearside and a different one on the offside.

Hiya Mike Glad to hear you sorted this one ok, I was a bit surprised no-one jumped straight on the rectifiers. It's about the most common electrical problem following a 'jump start' for another car. You have to make sure there are no sparks when coupling up. I think the recommendation is couple up both leads securely then start the donor car. As to measuring your alternator output, a leaky rectifier will be passing AC from the alternator making sensible DC output voltage readings impossible. (The battery acts as a short circuit for the AC component causing the red hot alternator). As to the mechanical probs I can sympathize, I had a 605 myself for a bit.

regards.. Djimbo.

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