Hilux LN65 Alternator Dilemma

[faiyaz]

Hey!! A few days ago, once my Hilux fired up the dash lit up with the battery light and a few others, ignored these signals thinking (hoping) it was a loose or bad connection. Few days went by and it didn't want to crank. The battery had just been replaced so I suspected a bad alternator. The thing is according to toyodiy.com the original alternator is 40A. However I can't find one (well that is decent quality atleast), I have come across a 55A alternator of the brand KUHNER (find pic attached)it seems to be good based on the reviews. I am not sure if I can do a direct swap without encountering any problems. The external Voltage regulator are not the same but part numbers are interchangeable (according to the pic attached). Any general advice to check or test about this specific charging system is welcome too!!!

[Tim86]

Go read up on this link here:

https://www.hilux4x4.co.za/views/viewto ... =3&t=43527

At the end of it are two more links to read, then get out your multimeter and start testing or take alt and voltage reg to be tested.

If you don't take your alt & vr to be tested at a reputable shop I would suggest replacing the cheapest part (and quite likely the problem) first, which would be the voltage regulator. A new alt can be quite expensive. Additionally I would consider contacting Diesel Electric (which appears to have a branch in Lusaka) for the parts, if they don't have they can order from their SA branches, or Auto Magneto here in Cape Town and courier up - that's a lot of Pounds shown in the pic.

[faiyaz]

Ok, thanks will test the components first, already contacted diesel electric and they don't have em in stock.I'll find out about the process of ordering and how long it will take. Yes it is !!!

[faiyaz]

Any idea if the alts are interchangeable?

[Mars]

If the brackets are the same then the alternator should work.

[Mud Dog]

Usually it's just the regulator that blows. Easy and cheap replacement. A little less usual is that the diode pack fails - also not an expensive repair but a bit more finicky to do. Very seldom does the alternator itself give in.

[Mars]

^^ I agree.

[faiyaz]

I see, well I'm not in the country currently, and an electrician charged us about the same price as a new alternator to change the diode pack and on top of that he has wired up another vr but not a mechanical one. I prefer keeping things original with minimal mods! i plan on ordering another vr and just keeping a new alt for spare. Found an extract of a service manual, once I'm back( 3 months) will go about testing the current one. i guessing thats diode pack in the attached pic.

[Jaws]

My alternator bearing became noisy about two years ago. I didn't want to drive with the noise so I went down to the local spares shop and bought a pirate alternator to use while I get the bearing on the Toyota original alternator replaced.

I paid R1000 for the brand new pirate alternator.

50 000 km later and I still haven't bothered to swop the original back in.



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[faiyaz]

I see, well this ones already leaking from the vac pump so its going to have to be removed to be fixed.

[niclemaitre]

A mechanic working on mine managed to short out something and set fire to the wiring in the engine bay and blew the (original) voltage regulator which are no longer made. Long story short, there was a hack repair job that I've had to have replaced since it was overcharging and causing massive electrical noise, lights dimming and brightening quickly etc etc.

I took it to a German autoelec who does really good work and they replaced the alternator with a new one, with a built in voltage regulator and rectifier. Now if the alternator goes, I can simply get a new one and plug it in, no problems rather than having to wire up several components.

[Tim86]

Yeah, consider fitting the 55A Bosch alternator from a 22R motor, compact, simple, parts available and apparently the most robust.

[faiyaz]

That is why i hate other people working on the vehicle!!!
cool I will get the 55A alternator hopefully it works !!!!