Curse of the Hilux Alternator

[crunch]

OK, so Hilux/runner alternators are crap. It's a well understood fact. In my old runner, I did 3 of them. Today on the new Runner's First Big Day Out, I did another one. I know countless people with yota's that have had regular Alternator problems.

Admittitley, today was due to a large amount of Mud.

Are there any upgrades that can be done to the alternator to get it a bit more reliable. ie: Fit one from another vehicle.?

I was thinking amybe make up some sort of sheild to go around it 2 stop so much crap getting into it.

Any Helpers?

[jimbo jones]

I was thinking amybe make up some sort of sheild to go around it 2 stop so much crap getting into it.

it my over heat with sheild. I had this same problem with my hilux and again with my 80 must be a toyota thing.

[crunch]

Yeah, heard of it in ALL toyo's, but my main dealings are with luxs. My mates 80 did it as well not that long ago.....

[+dj_hansen+]

Mines just gone aswell... Has been leaking oil for bout 3 months, then finally just as i got off the calder the other night going to the GF's all the lights came on...

Lucky i have a big battery, and once running all it has to run is the lift pump and fuel solenoid

I have been looking around to try and find an electronic vacuum pump to do away with that part. but can only find lab/medical or big industrial ones...

Anyone heard of any that would be a suitable for car/light truck application...

[sniper]

thats funny, i have never heard of this and alot of my mates HAD hiluxs. I have had to replace mine just recently, but i have it for 5years without a prob(alternator that is). And i loooooooove mud also, just used to clean it off with a gerni probable not the best thing for it though. Hope my cruiser one lasts as long

[Emo]

Talk to Luxy.

[carts]

Its mud that is the real killer. If you are going to drive through it, you need to flush the alternator out more or less straight away. My understanding is that mud gets into the back of the alternator and coats the diode packs. Mud, being a good heat insulator causes the diodes to overheat, and subsequently die! The other problem you face is mud destroying the brushes. The best solution is to try and avoid the mud. I know its fun, but the mud wears everything else out as well, such as brake linings, and diff seals, blocks diff breathers, and is generally bad.

[sniper]

I have a problem......i love mud, i cant stay away from it

[Gribble]

Mud roots the carbon brushes too, just eats them away like sandpaper. Nine times out of ten this is all thats wrong with alternators, and can be fized for $20 plus some of your time.

[mmaaxx]

G'day all,

I blew 2 alternators on my hilux on my first two offroading trips after IU bought me new hilux V6 in 2003. I crakced the shits at wasting time and money on repairs so I did something about it. I made up a stronger and wider bash-plate that bolts to the bottom of the bull-bar, angles back underneath and bolts onto theexisting bash plate. Stops that big gap inbetween the factory bukllbar and the bashplate.

Also, on the passenger side of the car, where the alternator sits, I got me hands on some thick vinyl material, doubled it up and with the existing plastic flap that clips on the inner guard, I made up a shield that covers the entire inner guard area, down over the chassis and under-neath the chassis rail to where the bulkl-bar bolts up. This stops a shit-load of water and mud coming into the engine bay, especially when you hit the puddle of mud hard and it hasnt affected me cooling system one bit if any of you were thinking that it'd reduce air-flow into the engine bay. OH and I used bolts to fit it all in as the clips do bugger all.

max.

[crunch]

Sounds like just what I was thinking max. Would it be possible for you to throw some pics up if you have them??

[crunch]

Here's an update: I just did another Alternator yesterday. No excessive amounts of mud either

But this time I already have a spare in the garage.

Gets quite ineresting wheeling at 9pm with no lights then driving home!