NEW......T36 Alternator Recall

[cobbly]

I just carry a spare alternator in our caravan and also just replaced the battery - 2015 GC Diesel. I haven't heard of any 2015 diesel models having the alternator/battery problems, but I don't want to take any chances & don't need any dramas when we are way outback.

[Mousie]

I was not really worried until I saw a few facebook pics of our jeeps on flatbeads and the hight costs they were getting stung with makes these little projects worth while. Very few issues that actually stop this vehicle. The good news is the car will never spit an issue if you have spares with you! I have the earlier MY13-14 so cannot comment on the later steering current.

[shep]

Is this likely to be the alternator? 6/17 build 3.0 GC

[Mousie]

Hi Folks, as promised, I've whipped the alternator out for a peek and compare with my diode pack RN-67 as is a potential showstopper in the outback, very remote on the diesel but a few pics of jeeps on tow trucks and the cost folk are being charged is mind blowing.

Pics at the end. To remove the alternator is straight forward and is after belt removal so will not repeat that procedure. I did put a inspection hole for one of the coolant header tank bolts so easy to remove into the future. Otherwise a small piece of trim removal is needed.

Minimum tools:
10mm socket 1/4 inch drive.
E8 Torx socket to use with 1/4 inch drive (nice to have)
13mm ring and open ended spanner.
13mm socket with 3/8 drive (1/2 drive is okay two)
Small extension for 3/8
Stubby screwdriver.

Remove the Driver side turbo hose, then remove the two 10mm bolts to move the coolant header out the way to give full access to alternator. Battery negative terminal must be removed (please don't attempt this without battery disconnected as you risk serious injury).

With the 13mm you can lift the positive terminal cover and remove positive cable. Press clip remove the electrical connector.

The alt is secured by 4 bolts all 13mm. Top front bolt facing you has a negative terminal and second securing nut, remove this first, then second bolt underside closest to you. The lower far bolt is a 13mm nut which holds power steering hoses. Remove this nut. Now here is the key, use your E8 socket to unwind the shaft from the alternator frame but you just leave the rod floating as no room to remove. Finally the top rear remove and the alternator is free to come forward and up where the coolant tank usually sits. Removal complete.

My mistake was not seeing the torx head and there is no way to remove alt without unscrewing the shaft, so three more 13mm bolts and I took the carrier out as well. So you can see the bolt arrangement. So you don't need to remove the bracket as I did, but it will show you that torx shaft. Mind you if your stuck, three extra bolts and take the lot out will not be any worry for roadside repair.

Moving to the alt, I took the rear cover off to confirm I had the exact part and looking closely at the 6 alt copper pins, they are just copper welded at the very top so a hand file is necessary to file the top off just to free the pack from alt. There is not a lot of filing and that leaves plenty of copper pole to solder in the new one. You do have to reuse the regulator so Phillip screwdriver to remove and they use a spot clamp to the light duty copper pole.

My vehicle is 73K and originally going to replace, but given the remote chance, I've decided to leave the original as is. I'm very much into electronics and and higher currents then these and I am confident a good soldering job, even pressing the new copper terminals on to the poles then soldering will be fine. I've put my regulator pack on top to show you the copper arrangement that you can solder in without trouble.

I know this is not for many, but if your worried, this is the tear down to replace the alternator for yourself. I was surprised that the minimum tools required. I removed mine without the torx with frame only added 15min to the job. My pics have the part numbers as confirmed if your doing really remote stuff.

The key to all of this if it does happen, immediately use your 10mm spanner and straight to the battery to disconnect so you can save your battery first then think about the repair! Leaving it connected whilst failed will take the battery to zero volts.

[Grippy]

Fantastic, so my understanding from this post is: can buy the back part of the alternator with the diodes etc, rip her out, swap it over, solder it back together and good to go on the side of the road.
Am doing the Simmo in 2 months and would hate to be stuck.
For my WJ 4.7 I'd accumulated a heap of spares from services, hoses, belts, all sorts of globes, bought spare TPS, cam and crank angle sensor etc just in case it went to shit in the bush, but don't have any spares for the WK2 yet.

[drover]

Not any different from most others, just in a crap position for sure...... it is scary stuff soldering the wires back on though..............good to see pics, on my VM Motori in the Colorado at least it was on top of the engine and easy to get at when it went up in flames.

[Mousie]

You can always cheat with this solder and at $25 dollars, it still melts with a standard cheap soldering iron. Because your working with quality copper, it’s a delight. Mind you, the more expensive stuff as slightly less resistance due to the silver. By the way if you look at this alt it is twin windings so each terminal is no more than about 30amps max. I.e the three fields are duplicated so two 110amp field windings here. img]http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/imagehosting/374625f1e916cda06f.jpg[/img]