Hi All,

 

Long time lurker here usually benefiting from others existing solutions. 

 

Today however I think I've chased as far as my skill level/annoyance levels and think I need a new alternator. Has anyone had one done at a garage recently? If so can you remember the costs parts and labour?

 

Why?

 

Had the battery light flicker on evening, and come on solid part way through a journey the following day, eventually other warning lights came on and as I pulled into a cul-de-sac, lost power steering and ABS. Left it running, hoping the batter would recharge instead it conked out completely, couldn't even open the boot. A lucky 10 minutes walk to Halfords for new battery and adjustable spanner got me back home, with the battery light permanently on. 

 

Ended up on this thread:, 

 (https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/287467-load-signal-alternator-cable/?do=findComment&comment=4357084)

 

but unless I missed something no dice,

I have continuity from the plug referred to on the brown wire back to the battery.

 

Managed to scrape the insulation off the wires near the alternator to make a connection (no room or visibility to get multimeter clips onto male side of the plug) when running shows the same volts as across the battery: 10.7v ish, when not running a small negative voltage (0.11v.) (n.b. battery was charged up out of the vehicle to a happy 12.5v but work and back has taken some out of it)

 

I also note the belt is turning the alternator, but it is also covered in oil source unknown. Any other advice or assistance welcomed 🤗

 

Also, if ive broken any forum etiquette my apologies in advance.

 

Geoff

Fabia Estate MK1 Bohemia 07

 

 

Find and repair the source of the oil leak before your cambelt is contaminated and fails, check the cam belt first thing as a priority.

 

Then remove the alternator, remove the regulator/brush pack and clean off the oil I reckon is coating the commutator and scrape out the schmoo from between the segments.

 

This might be able to be done with the alternator in situ but access is very limited, I've changed regulators in situ before.

 

To recap the oil leak is most likely the urgent priority.

 

That said its likely to have dripped right onto the cooling vents above the commutator, had an oil change been done just before the alternator failure?

 

Editted, that looks like the oil filter just behind it, the oil has probably dripped when the old filter was removed, if you can see no other source of the leak and its localised to there then ignore the above.

Edited 31 July, 20232 yr by J.R.

Hi JR, thanks for your reply. 

 

I did top her up with oil as she seemed a bit low about a month ago. But no oil change and, nothing else has been loosened or tightened.

 

Oil is localised to the components around the area photographed.

Hadn't noticed any dripping when I'd been parked up, but the plastic tray I've taken off the bottom did have quite a lot of oil residue in, not sloshing about or a pourable quantity though.

 

Daft question but what part am I looking at in the picture below, oil marks only appear below its black cap with a MN rating on the nut. Not sure whether it could be the source of the leak or oil has just been thrown against it.

 

 

It looks like the oil filter housing that is on my engine but mine is beside cylinder 3.

It is the oil filter housing, but you can relax on the cambelt issue, your engine has a chain instead, inside the big alloy casing just behind the filter.

It may be worth checking and replacing the o-ring that seals the cap part, shown as item 15 here LLLParts.

Usually supplied with the filter element, item 14, so if a service is anywhere near due, it may be pragmatic to change filter and oil while at it.

 

The marking on the cap is odd, and ambiguous, appearing to say 255Nm or 25.5Nm. The former is unachievable but may well cause problems if it's attempted, the latter is a  sensible torque magnitude but weirdly precise.  In practice, as the o-ring is acting as a piston seal rather than a face seal, the torque is largely irrelevant, and hand tight plus a 'nip-up' will be fine.

 

Edit, be sure to protect the alternator from further spillage with absorbent rags if you do undo the cap!

Edited 1 August, 20232 yr by Breezy_Pete

2 hours ago, Breezy_Pete said:

latter is a  sensible torque magnitude but weirdly precise.

 

Maybe a conversion from foot-pounds? 19 or 188!

Never thought of that 👍

Having looked again at your photos on a big screen, and with judicious enlargement, two things are apparent. JR is quite right about the oil contamination being widespread enough to be affecting the slip-ring to carbon brush connections, thus cleaning those areas up may be all that's required.

If you do opt to replace it instead, the part number to match is also conveniently just visible, 03D903025J.

They are generally very reliable and long lasting, so secondhand genuine from ebay are probably often better value than new aftermarket copies.

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 August, 20232 yr by Breezy_Pete

Still the brushes wont be as worn as they would be!

Thank you for your assistance gents.

 

Having only this vehicle, and with limited time to play with it/swear at it, and the number of parts needing to be removed to get at the Alternator I did opt to give it to the local garage... in part also for "peace of mind" (more on that later)

 

If anyone finds this thread, in conclusion a local garage in the Midlands charged £100 for "an" alternator £30 for oil change and filter and £100 labour + plus a couple of quids worth of consumables plus VAT totaling out at £280.

 

--------------------------------------------------

                  "Peace of mind"

Upon going to collect it it wouldnt start, they suggest the battery had probably gone flat, so put it on charge for 20 mins, still wouldn't start. I suggested fitting the fully charged battery I'd recharged at home a couple of nights before and I was away albeit late for work. Mechanic mentioned in passing "sounds a bit like a tired starter"

 

A new medium high whine from the engine whilst running - im presuming the new alternator bedding in.

 

A day later fitted battery only gave the engine half a turn, but jumped of spare successfully. 

 

Since then it sometimes starts fine, sometimes give the engine half a turn does nothing for a quarter second and then bursts into life and occasionally won't start at all, either with both batteries hooked up OR whilst being jumped off another vehicle.

 

Last night drove 7 miles fine starting first try but after 4 hours of sitting refused to start even being jumped. Got the bus back this morning, batt read 12.4v started first time...

 

Only difference I can think of between this morning and last night is heavy rain yesterday eve and damp air... 

 

Any thoughts welcome.

 

Starter does look a lot easier to get to and I have the week off (meant to be fitting lintels and windows upstairs) so I'm more willing to play/swear 😅

Yes, change the starter, it's obviously drawing too much current, I did mine recently and it was a revelation frankly, it starts instantly with no whining.

Well a lot of swearing later and the starter is off.

 

As the nuts looked a damn sight easier to undo, thought I'd have it apart out of curiosity.

 

Still some meat on the brushes. But commutator looks a bit oddly worn to me, but I'm neight an electrician nor a mechanic.

 

 

 

Edited 21 August, 20232 yr by Geoff56

Any sign of damage to the solenoid wire? They often start to fail near the cable entry of the connector.

It's usually the solenoid that's the root of the problem, the internal contacts become burnt and eroded by arcing and cannot be repaired. I have replaced solenoids in the past which has rejuvenated a tired starter but Chinese starters are now so cheap on eBay that it's quicker and cheaper to just chuck a whole new unit on.

Wire and plug look good?

 

Braided copper wire and contacts on top of solonoid are showing corrosion and fraying to the braided wire.

 

Am I likley to see much benefit/ difference between a Lucas and a RTX starter, (both BME fitment)? Circa £20 difference at Halfords.

 

Edited 21 August, 20232 yr by Geoff56

Just now, Geoff56 said:

Wire and plug look good

Makes a nice change.

Any old replacement motor should be fine, it's not a taxing application.

Looking at your pics now that I'm on a big screen, I'd be surprised if the problem actually wasn't the arrowed connection (or lack of).

 

5 hours ago, Geoff56 said:

Wire and plug look good?

 

Braided copper wire and contacts on top of solonoid are showing corrosion and fraying to the braided wire.

 

Am I likley to see much benefit/ difference between a Lucas and a RTX starter, (both BME fitment)? Circa £20 difference at Halfords.

 

 

I bought a Chinese no-name starter for £55 delivered and it works beautifully, a Bosch one was £200 from GSF!

I had a Chinese starter once. It was prawn crackers.

8 hours ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Makes a nice change.

Any old replacement motor should be fine, it's not a taxing application.

Looking at your pics now that I'm on a big screen, I'd be surprised if the problem actually wasn't the arrowed connection (or lack of).

 

Yup, that will be the problem, it was the one and only time that my MK1 Octavia let me down but at least it cost nothing but 5 minutes of time to fix.

 

I had smoke billowing from that starter once when trying to prime the injectors after running out of fuel and not having a spanner, absolutely bulletproof!

I recall changing the alternator on my MK1 1.9tdI Octy - twice!

 

What a pig of a job. If I recall correctly after struggling to get it out from above no way could I get the replacement in the same way and from underneath it wasn't much easier, just a TIGHT fit both ways. Without a doubt the worst job I ever had to do on the car in 10 years and 300,000 km!

 

Why twice, the first replacement I bought packed in after a couple of weeks!

 

JR, you have a message.

Thanks, I got it!

 

I replaced the brushpack in situ on mine, it had to be done by feel but I had no choice at the time, I managed to tweak the springs to extend the length to buy some time before fitting a new brushpack/regulator. I had not realised that I avoided loads of grief, how very not J.R.!