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Alternator repair

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
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henrym3
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Alternator repair

Post by henrym3 » Sun Jan 20, 2019 6:04 pm

Need some help, can’t find anywhere, other than USA that sell a repair kit. Took it apart today and the little plastic piece that holds the rear bearing just fell apart, can get everything else except bearings and that piece of plastic. Any help appreciated

weirdfish
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Re: Alternator repair

Post by weirdfish » Sun Jan 20, 2019 7:15 pm

Have you got any alternator/starter motor repair type places where you are, might be worth dropping in for a chat with them

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henrym3
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Re: Alternator repair

Post by henrym3 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 5:45 pm

Tried everywhere local and online, no-one interested, only want to sell refurbished and although not desperately expensive (around £200) but they want your old one. Remember this one is as a spare. These are brushless and easily DIY. I might have to get from USA even with expensive postage still less than half price of refurbed. Decisions decisions. What you need is a contact in USA to buy and post, no way would it cost the £45 postage advertised.

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Re: Alternator repair

Post by weirdfish » Tue Jan 22, 2019 5:54 pm

Is there a number on the bearings?
If not just measure them, od/id/width and what sort of bearing it is, probably just a single row ball bearing.
You'll probably be able to source bearings of similar size etc from a local bearing/engineering supplier, and if it's just a spare then I take it you're keeping it for when/if your current one goes bang.
If this is the case then simply strip down the one that comes off the car and fit any relevant pieces to your spare one.

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Re: Alternator repair

Post by AW8 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 8:01 pm

Henrym3

You have pm re a alternator re builder

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henrym3
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Re: Alternator repair

Post by henrym3 » Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:22 pm

https://www.lima-shop.de/en/
The above is the shop in Germany I found who sell the tolerance ring and bearings, in fact anything alternator. I very much appreciate the answers I got from everyone. AW8 I would probably have taken you up on your offer if I hadn’t just bought the bits I needed.
I may well sell it when it’s rebuilt, after all it lasted 16 years, now that I realise how easy it is there seems little point of sitting an alternator on the shelf for 15 years.
Now I have read how to test the rectifiers I will probably strip the old one and see if one is faulty and if so then one must assume the regulator is healthy.

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