XJ Alertnator replacement

[Caddy]

Went out to waipours on the weekend and did a little driving around. and on the way home my Alt died. made it to Crowchild and Sarcee when it finaly died. phoned a few places they didnt have an alt so I just bought a new battery(needed one anyways) and drove home on the battery.

long and short I have been calling around and haven't found any decent prices for a alt for the XJ, I have called Crappy Tire, and Partsource. and they are both around 280 for a rebuilt alternator. and I clarified that it was actually a rebuilt and they both said it was listed as a rebuilt. this price seem crazy for a rebuilt.

anyone know where I can get a cheaper one? or am I going to have to go to a junk yard and find one?

thanks for the help guys.

[cLAY]

Do this:

start engine and flush alt with a garden hose then tap the case with a long steel rod/pipe.

The alt is mounted really low on the XJs and mud gets caught in the brush holders and causes the brushes to get stuck and not make contact with the armature. Sometimes just flushing it and tapping the case is all it needs.

For a premantent fix I have had success with reclocking the case halves so that the brushes holders are at the top and the vent hole are at the bottom.

If it really is pooched you could try calling the guys at Amoperage Technoligies, they rebuild alts. They do good work but aren't usually any cheaper.

Ther are ususally a few XJs at pick a part as well. If you go to their website you can now search their inventory and find out how many are in the yard, the aisle number and year.

[Caddy]

thanks will give the cleaning a try. if not yah my plan was to go to pick your part anyways I need some other parts as well. hopefully it works out.

[Waytec]

$280that is cheap for one. I think I paid $320 for the last one from Auto Value, but it come with a 5 year warranty and I have changed it once already. They do pack full of mud. The main resin is they hang down low. I have tried to cover it but it still gets packed full. Jamie (The machinist) has built a relocation bracket for the Alt but you will lose your A/C compressor. If you are interested PM him.  I just carry a wrecker trail spar now.

[Caddy]

thanks waytec I will probably do the bracket cause My AC is dead anyways. Thanks for the tip.

[Waytec]

the only rein I did not relocate mine is I converted my A/C compressor over to a air compressor.

[cLAY]

Did you try reclocking the case? I had WAY lees problems after I did that.....

[yyc_tbird_sc]

If you're looking for parts....call Tom at Parts Unlimited, tell him Scott sent you. They've been able to beat prices on almost everything I've bought.

[Caddy]

Did you try reclocking the case? I had WAY lees problems after I did that.....

sorry to sound slow but what is reclocking? I am going to try the cleaning method tonight hopefully and I have pm'd the machinest to get a relocate bracket cause well I dont like it down low. and my AC is dead anyways.

If you're looking for parts....call Tom at Parts Unlimited, tell him Scott sent you. They've been able to beat prices on almost everything I've bought.

thanks yyc_tbird_sc I might have to give him a call if nothing else works.

[yyc_tbird_sc]

Oops.. sorry the number is 403 273-7370

[hps4evr]

is that 280$ after the core return???

[cLAY]

Ya $280 seemed high to me as well unless that was before the core charge was taken off.


Reclocking the case: The alt has two case halves, front and back. The front half has the mounting ears for mounting it on the engine. The back half has the brushes and vent in it. The way the alt comes stock when you mount it the vents are at the top(12 o'clock) and the brushes holders are at the bottom(6 o'clock). Mud enters the vents at the top and runs down into the brush holders and sits there causing them to hang up in the holders.

By removing the three small bolts holding the case halves together you can rotate the case halves against each other so that when the alt is installed back in the engine the vent is at the bottom(mud now will run out via gravity) and the brush holders are at the top and stay more dry and mud free.

[Caddy]

Well I might relocate the Alternator.

All praise to cLAY,

I rinsed out the alt with a crap load of water and a light rap or to with a rubber mallet and bam it started to work. I let it run for about 15-20 minutes to drie off and turned it off for a bit and started it again and it is still charging. close call but I will be bumping up the alternator upgrade a little higher on the todo list.

thanks a ton for the advice guys!

[cLAY]

Keep the rubber mallet with you in the Jeep for awhile just in case it quits again.

[The Machinist]

Here's a few pics of my brackets for a high alternator mount if you decide to go that route.