Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Well, after my escapade on sun, I took the ferog to carlovers covered in mud...washed it....then the engine, I covered alternator and distributor, blasted away.. all got soaked anyway...after that brake lights and charge light comes on...running very bad on 3 cyl, missing, ect. Took it to auto electricican he says it is the alternator, and that it is not from water damaged?..it is worn? and I need to replace all of the fan belts as well quote for whole job ~ $600+
It was fine till I got to carlovers then ...blergh. BRAKE CHARGE

Has anyone had the same happen. What do you think???

Well from memory with my Feroza i would occasionaly suffer misfiring. On most occasions it was nothing more then water getting down the sides of the spark plug leads and getting trapped around the spark plug and end of lead. The final time it happned, it turned out to be the leads and once they were replaced they sealed better to the engine and the water never got down near the plugs again.

When I first test drove my roza it had just had the engine detailed and was doing the same - stalled on the road we barely got to the mechanics...anyway all those things you listed were went and about 1 litre of water came out of them. The mechanic blasted it all with the compressor sprayed a bit of WD 40 around and it was fine....

Can you get a second opinion?

Ive wd40d, air blasted all through the leads and alternator already they seemed a bit damp but not too bad and left it out in sun for a couple of days to dry up. It was running off the battery alone & no EFI...unburnt feul smell coming out of exhaust...misfiring...felt like it was choking... now its dead...at auto electrics, just made it.

I hope someone on here has a better answer for you Em.

Damn petrol engines.. I should trade it in and get a diesel

Ah the dreaded brake charge on the dash hey? I had this experience 3 times and I can pretty much guarentee you it's the alternator.
The first time I got a spare from the wrecker for $150. The second time, I fortunetly saved the old one and had it re-conditioned for $110. I saved on doing the exchange myself but lost on having to pay the radiator specialist to fix my cooling system.
Finally, and I highly recommend this option, I purchased an after market heavy duty bosch alternator which is 55amp. I should have gone with an 80amp on for $50 more but the mechanic told me they needed to modify the brackets which they had to anyway but I made my orginal decision on that basis.
Anyway you may be better to spend a bit more and save yourself future headaches, if you replace the timing belt at the same time you may need to replace the tensioner. Make sure you get a mechanic you can trust to do this as it can lead to serious problems if not done right.

Hope this helps

PS I wish that light would come on when you got the handbrake on so dummys like me would drive around with the handbrake on

hehe, yeah i am always leaving the hand brake on....thanks for that, i will definateley try to upgrade though as i want more spotties....well, that puts me at some ease!

ferog wrote:Damn petrol engines.. I should trade it in and get a diesel

I'd rather have water troubles with a petrol than a diesel Will be your alternator for sure

Em, I've always cleaned my engine with a soft brush, a slow running hose and a bucket of water with some detergent in it. I've never had any trouble with it not starting or running rough.

Those high pressure cleaners will spray water through everything- even if you carefully cover components. Most likely that's what did the damage.

Hey Emma,

Definately your alternator. When I went to Newnes last year the same thing happened to me and Luke.

We had fun playing in the mud and got too much grit in the alternator. Wore out the brushes and the damn thing shit itself.

Cost me $120 to get towed back to Lithgow and $350 or there abouts to get it rebuilt. Had to leave the car there for 3 days.

Was told that the alternator was on it's way out so it had to happen.

But I would be a bit sus on a $600 repair bill!!!!!!

I'd do some ringing around Em, they probably saw you were a girl and thought they would take you for all your worth!

QLDGAL wrote:I'd do some ringing around Em, they probably saw you were a girl and thought they would take you for all your worth!

How much are you worth QLDGAL? I'll take it!

FerociousFeroza wrote:

QLDGAL wrote:I'd do some ringing around Em, they probably saw you were a girl and thought they would take you for all your worth!

How much are you worth QLDGAL? I'll take it!

No one can afford me

FARK!!!! GRRRR!! Elect just rang me and said that they did'nt get time to put the alternator in today!!!! B*steds, and that I will need to get the miss 'tested' after this job is done as well so price is rising to like $700+ and thats not garanteed that she will be ok after!!!! so now I have no car til god knows when....I am sh*tted of BIG time...!!!!!!

Paul what did you have done when yours died...they are quoting me $600. for brand new alternator+New fan belts+fitting. The alternator they say is $450. new, and thats not an upgrade. Anyone had a new one put in before?

I know it might be abit late but in the past talking with others with non Ferozas when this has happened they have bought replacement brushes from the spare store and replaced it them selves, is more like a $50 job then. $450 for an alternator is abit rich, are they silver plated
I bought a 60 or 65 amp bosch for my last car for about $250.

Guess its too late now.

Good luck

Go for a upgrade altenator if ya got the cash, the extra power is always handy. If you got any mechanic friends they could fit it in a flash, as its not that hard a job to do. Even modifying brackets is pretty easy if they do not require much changing. I think the TN magna altenator is about 75amp. THese are pretty cheap to pick up new, or cheaper 2nd hand if ya can find a good one. replacing the belts at the same time is also a good idea, and saves time later as you gotta remove the belt to get the altenator off and on. The timming belt shouldnt need to be touched, though if it is due why not do it at the same time, Kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

Sorry to hear of your dilema, however it does sound like you are being taken for a ride by the auto electrian. Firstly, if you can have you vehicle towed as they proberly don't derserve your business. It you want a ridgy didge alternator enquire at Repco as my 55amp alternator was 435.50 with $162.50 labour to fit, I don't have the part number.
The quote they are giving you is for genuine daihatsu which can be dear as poison, not to mention the orginal alternator 80s technology and guarenteed to crap out in 10 years.
I know Daihatsu is good but if you punish them you will break stuff, even $250000 rally cars break stuff. I don't think the designers intended the feroza to go more than 100000. If you go Rockhopping like some of the members of this forum then you will eventually pay for that in maintenance. Ask them how much it costs staying on the road once you start going off it in search of thrills.

thats my thought for the day

Jimmy

Hey Em!

Go to this link and look at the third bottom alternator :

http://www.aea.com.au/shopping/index.ht ... Denso.html

Try contacting them for a price- they may even be able to supply a more powerful alternator that will bolt straight on.

Cool, thanks I'm onto it!!!

hey emma,
Like paul was saying it happened to us, it only costed me around $300 - $350 to get the alternator rebuilt now its as good as new and that was charging sunday rates with a call out fee

Luke
Green Machine

Green Machine wrote:hey emma,
Like paul was saying it happened to us, it only costed me around $300 - $350 to get the alternator rebuilt now its as good as new and that was charging sunday rates with a call out fee

Luke
Green Machine

Just got my map Luke... cheers mate.

Emma I think you should just get your car back, buy and fit the alternator yourself with the new belts and see how you go... I think they are trying to take you for a ride.

Cheers
Paul

I wrecked my alt at Cruiser Park a few years back.

Cost me abour $ 200 to get rebuilt. Thats full labour for removal and refitment. Obviously, mine was worth rebuilding.....

well got it back........new alternator, fan belts, plugs ....now all's it needs is a new no4 lead as it is still misfiring and running like sh*t ... still...hopefully it'll be finished before the next trip..

ferog wrote:well got it back........new alternator, fan belts, plugs ....now all's it needs is a new no4 lead as it is still misfiring and running like sh*t ... still...hopefully it'll be finished before the next trip..

So how much $$ in the end?

get leads from MRT in sydney. see www.mrtrally.com.au i think thats right.

Looking good Emma, I really hope it all turns out alright. Engine trouble really gives me the heebeegeebees. Your post, and the subsequent comments came just at the right time, because as I've posted in Gen Tech, I've been struck down with alternator failure as well!

30 seconds ago I received a call from the elec's, and they reckon the rectifier on the unit is bust, not worth fixing, but a replacement is $180! Seems pretty inexpensive to me, and probably is the minimum of fuss, so I'll probably go that route.

Hope you didn't get shafted for all your earnings, and we both make it to the trip on Saturday!

I've got a spare set of leads in good condition you can have at cost. I kept hold of them after putting the MRT 10mm Racing leads on. You may want to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery as this can sometime rectify timing problems. I always do this when in doubt.
Cheers
jim

HeathGQ wrote:get leads from MRT in sydney. see www.mrtrally.com.au i think thats right.

what difference do they make? I have noticed a few people have them

HeathGQ wrote:get leads from MRT in sydney. see www.mrtrally.com.au i think thats right.

NO!!!!!!

Poor Em has already been ripped off once........

Bosch make a set to suit part number B4355i; or if you want the best look here:
http://www.magnecor.com.au/download/lea ... 0index.pdf (Be prepared to pay lots of money though!)