steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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My next door neighbour came over and asked me to look at his MX5. He had started it up after it had been standing a while and got a lot of noise and smoke and I could see as soon as the bonnet went up the alternator drive belt wasn't happy. I offered to have a look as he might not have got far if he took it to a garage. I suspected that the water pump might have frozen up but it turned out the be the alternator I think.
With the belt off I could feel a slight resistance at one point whilst turning it and I think it might just be a build up of rust on the stator. After spinning it over it freed off completely and there is no roughness in the bearing.
I think it might be OK to just fit new belts as the power steering one looks a bit cracked but knowing he doesn't drive it a lot I wonder if it might rust up again.
I've not had this happen on one of my cars so wonder if anyone has risked leaving it and not had any further problems ?
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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It could be a bearing issue? usually affects cars with a low alt like 1.8 diesel escorts and astras or 106 pug diesels (i own at least 1 of each lol) or cars where the alt is in direct path of road spray, if the alt feels smooth you cant do more than try it i guess, i'd deffo change the belt as it will only get worse and as it's just been heated by the stuck alt (the smoke issue) it's probably well past it and a fresh belt will grip the alt better and probably free it off without slipping next time, all 4 of my cars i listed scream thier belts for the first 20 seconds or so after standing for a while, the pug 106 has done it every start after a wet drive for the last 3 years i do change the belt once a year at the service though cos it starts to get a bit thin and hard from the heat of a screechy start up, it still works fine after 16K miles though, but damned if i can cure the noisy curse word, if it's wet it screeches next morning and it had a new alt and tensioner.
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Last Edit: Jan 9, 2017 12:50:48 GMT by bortaf
R.I.P photobucket
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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He won't be around until later so I might leave it until tomorrow and see if what it feels like after spending the night out in the damp again. The old belt has had it and big lumps are hanging off it. Just ringing up a few local factors I can get a Bosch alternator for about £130 so it isn't too bad plus the old one is pretty much off the car already.
I dare say if he used it more often it wouldn't be a problem, I might offer to take it for a spin every so often to help him out !
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On the Vauxhalls I have had in the past it always used to be the Bosch alternators that would seize if not used, never happened to the Delco ones, but the Delco ones always had noisy bearings even when nearly new!
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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I would have expected Bosch ones to be better than a lot of the others. I've found one of the MX5 specialists can do a new one for £132 plus the VAT. I will give the owner an idea of the costs and take his old one out and see if I can see exactly whats going on. I don't know how close a fit the stators are but did wonder if it could be cleaned up.
Thanks for the replys, if I find out whats wrong with it I will post something as it might be of help to someone.
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scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
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Had this problem on a Honda HRV I had. Often used to squeal the belt on start up but soon went away. Then, after being parked up for a month or two, It started OK but there was massive squealing and smoke from under the bonnet. Belt was ruined as Alternator had seized solid. Managed to free it once removed in the vice with a lot of force. but bearings were really rough. Was lucky to find a decent alternator from a breakers. I assumed the slots in the Alternator on the HRV was in direct line for drips of water from the rear edge of the bonnet.
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Quite common with modern alternators, they run very close tolerances, we had a 350,000 mile transit which had stood for a while but ran fine when parked up, we thought the battery was flat gave it a tow start, almighty bang and it started, the belt had snapped because of a seized alternator.
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Jan 10, 2017 10:06:51 GMT
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Has he pressure washed or steam cleaned under the bonnet ?
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,784
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Rusty Alternator.Dez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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Jan 10, 2017 13:16:59 GMT
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I've only even seen this problem 3 times, but every time it was a mk1 mx5. They seem to be susceptible to it for some reason. Once freed off and a drop or two of oil added to the bearings as a precaution, they were all fine and went on to give many 1000s of miles further service.
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Last Edit: Jan 10, 2017 13:17:26 GMT by Dez
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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Jan 10, 2017 13:52:17 GMT
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Thanks for the extra replies. I bought a couple of belts for it today and spoke to a local auto electrical company. I asked about the cost of a recon one and the guy said he would be tempted to try a belt on it first. He said some can be a right sod to take apart and if the bearing feels OK now all he could do to it would be to clean up the stator.
My neighbour was back and I explained and said it probably got rusted as it had been standing. He did say it was very cold and damp so there was a chance it might have actually frozen up as well.
I will take it out and have a closer look, didn't want to before as I didn't know if the radio had a code on it but as it hasn't it makes it a bit more simple.
Cheers chaps.
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