Well it finally happened, a British car left me stranded lol. I went to the store a couple miles away and after I got back to the car, and started to drive off, I noticed the instrument cluster was a little dim. Then "gear box fault, stability fault, abs fault, check eng". Followed by the transmission slipping clunking, and the car finally loosing power and stalling in the the turn lane at night.

I sat for a few minutes wondering what I was going to do. I turned the key and, there was a little power left, it fired up and I could see the instrument cluster was dim again. Put it in gear, and got out of the turn lane while gunning it to keep the rpms up in hopes I might make it home. YEAH no.... stalled again, this time everything went dark, I couldn't even turn the hazard lights on. I couldn't see the road, and nobody could see me. I managed to get to the side without any problems other than a thumping heart.

Called home, realized my jumper cables were in my rover 40 mins away, nobody else had jumper cables. Brother brought my tiny jumper box that couldn't even jump his truck last time we used it. To my amazement, it powered the Jag all the way home! I was shocked at how little power these things can operate on.

I'm a little miffed, generally when an alternator goes, doesn't the battery light come on to let you know?

Anyways, I need a new alternator now, or a rebuilt unit. The new ones are $200+, ones pulled off junked jags are $80, and the rebuilt units are about $150. Is there any way I can just rebuild my present one? Thanks in advance!

 

Out of those choices on price I would buy a new one..I wouldn't drive anywhere without my roadside assist card, any car I am driving is covered for any thing that happens (oddly it has never been used for the Jag) But if the Alternator is original I would say 14 years is a fair run ...neil

 

The alternator is a Denso design so they are rebuildable as long as you can source the parts. Often all you need is new brushes.

 

Dead right - amazing how rarely this is mentioned.
We get stuff from places like this
ALTERNATOR PARTS
even if you can't get the right brush, as I mentioned in another post, it is easy to file down a larger one with a flat file.
Cost is < £5

 

For almost any Denso, the local rebuild shop will have the right brushes if they are willing to sell to you.

And if the guy is in a really, really good mood ... it was $5 parts *and* labour to install generic brushes in a brush holder. They do this all the time because it is much cheaper for them to make rather than to buy all kinds of different brush assemblies.

BTW, are you sure that you need an alternator? Have you checked the wiring and control circuitry. The alternator voltage regulation is run by the BCM.

 

For almost any Denso, the local rebuild shop will have the right brushes if they are willing to sell to you.
There are times when I feel a (short lived) pang of envy for folk living in the US of A.
I can buy a wine corking press, a Burdizzo's Bloodless Castrator or a ten ton log splitting machine but an alternator rebuild shop ! Tiens !

 

Tiens ou riens?

It doesn't matter where you are ... the trick is finding the one guy who's been doing it for 20 years in the shop where he learned it from his father and uncle who did it for 40 years. Those guys are gold for enthusiasts. The best source is word of mouth, or local forums.

Local rebuilders are gold because you get to use your own core and not something that was a reject at the scrapyard. The factory rebuilds are prettier, but soaking in solvents is not good for the bearings.

Of course, the best rebuild is the self rebuild and alternators are a walk in the park

 

Rien, Plums. You guys are so lucky with what you seem able to get locally in the way of electromechanical kit and tools - and the price. Anyway, I mustn't hijack the thread or I'll be told off!

 

Thanks for the good info! I am thinking about just rebuilding it with new bearings and brushes. It would save me a fair amount of $$$ . I have another car I'm driving so, not in a hurry.

 

And you'll have the confidence that it was done right. Or at least you'll know what you decided was "good enough" ;0

The $5 was just because the guy was interested in talking about his business ... not the price everyone would get walking in the door or he wouldn't have a business to talk about.