Possible design fault?

[Elegance75]

sorry for being ignorant, but does mine have the cover or not

built in July

model year 2013

thank you in advance

[CortinaGT]

sorry for being ignorant, but does mine have the cover or not

built in July

model year 2013

It looks as if yours doesn't have the cover either. I think the easiest way to know if you do/do not is that if you can see the alternator through the first four bars of the grill on the left looking at the car from the front, you don't have the cover.

Edited 25 September, 2012 by CortinaGT

[Elegance75]

thanks for answering

do we know if it should or shouldn't or if there will be some sort of recall?

[MickA]

As said mine has the black plastic shields/covers fitted.

I was given a build date of around the third week of August, but nothing in writing from the dealer. That coupled with a delivery date to the dealer of around 21 days later, it actually arrived around 12th Sept.

So if it's been dropped from the spec in July, Why have I got it fitted on my car?

Maybe as been mentioned were these cars without the shields originally going to be sent to a warmer climate but diverted to the UK. But that theory would they have been LHD for such countries.

An interesting discovery by the OP.

Mick

Edited 25 September, 2012 by MickA

[Ootohere]

It does seem like taking weight saving a bit far.

I wonder if there had been an Overheating problem on Greentech 60ps alternators.!

? Has anyone without a shield that would protect the Alternator been out in the Big Rain today?

george

[CortinaGT]

I recall a fork-lift mechanic telling me regenerative systems were fitted to fork-lift trucks many years ago. He told me they used to virtually glow with the heat generated! Our alternators are of the regenerative type.

BTW my Citigo is a 75PS.

[BossFox]

Yes, that looks like a bit of the block and the top of the altenator visable over on the left side of the picture.

So no cover.

[MikeW]

Well, i'm the op and my car is ex-dem registered May 2012, so it's quite an early build.

I have driven in heavy rain a few times with no issues but i'm a little concerned about the thought of following a lorry on a rain sodden motorway.

I'm going to get it jet washed soon, this will be the acid test i think

[CortinaGT]

I started a topic some time back on the whine from the engine, or transmission. Inquiries indicated that there was no fault listed as known by Skoda as of now. As my mileage has increased, the whine has reduced to a really low level - I don't have the plastic piece.

So, I am only putting forward a possible theory (which could be very wide of why some of us have or don't have the panel) - perhaps omitting this panel is allowing better cooling to the regenerative alternator, which by very nature of its use must generate a fair amount of heat. Perhaps the cars without the plastic run cooler and whine less when run-in?

It could also be that there are variations in alternator design that does not necessitate the inclusion of the panel for some types? In other words, these might be more water protected.

Edited 25 September, 2012 by CortinaGT

[MikeW]

I started a topic some time back on the whine from the engine, or transmission. Inquiries indicated that there was no fault listed as known by Skoda as of now. As my mileage has increased, the whine has reduced to a really low level - I don't have the plastic piece.

So, I am only putting forward a possible theory (which could be very wide of why some of us have or don't have the panel) - perhaps omitting this panel is allowing better cooling to the regenerative alternator, which by very nature of its use must generate a fair amount of heat. Perhaps the cars without the plastic run cooler and whine less when run-in?

It could also be that there are variations in alternator design that does not necessitate the inclusion of the panel for some types? In other words, these might be more water protected.

Well, i hope you're right!

Either way, i'm going to give it a jet wash soon, If the alternator survives that dousing i will be a happier man.

[GlenM]

Both mine and the wife's Citigo's do NOT have the cover, not sure about the wife's but mine was built in July.

Interesting to see what the Dealer comes back with.

[BossFox]

Well, i hope you're right!

Either way, i'm going to give it a jet wash soon, If the alternator survives that dousing i will be a happier man.

Clean water should not be much of a problem hopefully, considering you are not going to be firing it through the grille. (which could cause damage on any car to radiator fins etc...)

[CortinaGT]

Well, here's another aspect to consider!

I was talking to a person involved with Seat's earlier today and they told me that on identical models, some vehicles straight from the factory were fitted with engine covers and others were not! There did not seem to be any obvious reason, or pattern.

And before anyone asks - no, I don't know if those without got a cover fitted!

[pedroxy]

Yes, it has a cover, and no, it hasn't!

My Greentech 60 has a plastic cover that certainly does not fully protect the alternator.

The driver side bottom grille is fully blanked off.

I drove through torrential rain with no issues.

My view is that the regenerative alternator would fail quickly if it were fully protected from airflow as it runs very very hot. So hot in fact that any water in it would very quickly evaporate

.

A non-regen alternator may well require protection.

[Crista]

Popped into my local dealer today. There are 6 Citigo's in there. One SE Green Tech 60 in the showroom without the cover - one demonstrator 60 SE Green Tech without the cover - one demonstrator 75 Elegance Green Tech without the cover, one 75 Elegance Green tech owned by one of the staff without the the cover - one just arrived brand new 75 Auto Elegance WITH the cover and one just arrived brand new 75 Elegance Green Tech WITH the cover. So all of the older ones (but not that old) did not have a cover and the two newest ones did. I have one on order, arriving around December time. Having seen how vulnerable the alternator is without a cover I think I would be making something temporary until this is sorted one way or the other. As someone said a pressure washer would drench the alternator internally no problem. The plastic cover concerned is quite a loose fit and is easily removed. Hate to say it but it looks to me like it has been an omission on some cars. I brought it to the attention of the garage. Up to that point they weren't aware of it but are now going to look into it. Up to now no Citigo hasn't seen a winter but a long salty winter is going to take its toll on that alternator for sure. It may be that having a gap at the end if the grill like that may effect the flow through the radiator and AC condenser - but that's just a thought. Certainly don't think the lack of cover is right though and will lead to problems.

[MickA]

There seems to be no pattern to this apart from two very latest ones arriving with the cover, but some of the very earlier models logged on here have covers. Not model specific either so an omision maybe on the production line, if they failed to have the parts to hand, who knows?

Mick

[CortinaGT]

I was talking to a person involved with Seat's earlier today and they told me that on identical models, some vehicles straight from the factory were fitted with engine covers and others were not!

Perhaps they have sold them to Seat for use as engine covers!!

[MikeW]

Crista, that's another concern i have, salt on the roads. At the of a winter it's not uncommon to, literally, have to blast off the salt from the grille of a car. Goodness only knows how it will affect an exposed alternator.

[Crista]

I think once the dealers get up to speed with this it should be very easy for them to find out whether it should or should not be fitted. That said I am pretty certain it should be. One of the quickest ways to find out is - anyone yet to take delivery of a new car - when it turns up - if the cover is missing - simply say to the dealer - where is it - as soon as he answers your question (properly) - then sign for the car and take delivery. That way he will find out pretty quickly. It's amazing how quickly you can get things sorted when something isn't paid for. As mine is a December car I will want a definitive answer before it ever goes on the road. Failing that ask Anne Robinson and Mat Alright lol.

[SMART EXAMINER]

The old Rover Mini had a cover on the front of the engine to protect the electrics.

I was interested in what Crista said,that an Automatic was in the showroom.I thought they were not out till December or next year. Does this mean they are now available,as i would like a test drive in one?

[Crista]

Yes it was a silver 5 door Elegance 75 ASG (with plastic cover) - non Green Tech - looked very smart.

[CFB]

I had a very early Mini.

That was fitted with a dynamo.

With that and the sparks plugs at the front with no protection at all.

Absolute horror in the rain!

With a large piece of cardboard jammed in front of them it kind of worked till it went soggy.

D'ya know, I really miss the old girl.

[Ootohere]

THe position of the plugs, caps and leads were never really the problem tho, it was the distributor cap that the leads were attached to that needed dried and kept dry.

Dearly loved mine as well.

The Citigo would not even have this Plastic Cover or lack of talked about if the engine had gone into the rear.

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page/150119/1965-mini-cooper

george

[seboni121]

Would these cars with no cover be destined for warmer climes ? As the cover may not have been needed and visa versa? This gap in the grille when travelling in our winters, behind traffic may lead to electrical problems as it will be vaporising in engine bay and condensing on the electrics ?

[vegit8]

One of the quickest ways to find out is - anyone yet to take delivery of a new car - when it turns up - if the cover is missing - simply say to the dealer - where is it - as soon as he answers your question (properly) - then sign for the car and take delivery. That way he will find out pretty quickly.

This all depends on whether the cover is required or not, just because some cars have them doesn't meant that all should.

I beginning to think that the regenerative braking alternators do not need one as they run hotter and given that they spin fairly quickly all but the heaviest ingress of water will either be thrown clear or evaporated.

I don't think this is as much as a problem as it used to be in really old cars - as others have mentioned. A damp distributor was a big problem, which is why we all carried around cans of water dispelling spray