So................. driving home from work last night, the battery light comes on !! The car slowly begins to die (electrics, lights etc) The RAC arrive and confirm that alternator is at fault and i suspect that the oil leaking from the rocker cover gaskets has got in to the alternator and knackered it
I have contacted a local motor factors but they have 2 types, 100 amp & 120 amp. Does anyone know which one i need? I have the 2.6 MV6 ?!?!!?
Cheers
Dave
Sorry to hear this Dave. It brings back memories on a course of failures that where very much connected on my first 2.5 omega owned before I knew about the forum. Gaskets failed due to age and very blocked breathers, causing knackered ignition system, and later, alternator as well.
The advise then was the same as it is now. Gm parts as the guide. And for me, that includes the alternator as advice to a newer member. As your finding the factors don't know the exact details of the am page and pulley sizes, where's as the dealers do. They also do an exchange service, so on return of your old alternator it makes the cost of a 3.2 alternator about £111 iirc.
Before the non believers stand up in arms at the cost, yes that is still more expensive than the factors. But there in comes the experience of the member concerned. Sone here know this and bring the old part in to check at the counter. Others know how to refurb the alternator and are happy to follow the guide as such., saving more money in the process. Fair do's.
Me, I paid for the new part, from the dealers, and the 2.5 back on the road ASAP. The choice is yours.
Re gm parts, as TB says, and implies, it's no good people just shouting out what they did themselves as the best thing to do for everyone. If your nearest dealer has stopped doing trade club, why does that mean recommending nobody uses trade club? It doesn't, it means there's a valid reason to not use TC in that instance, but not necessarily everyone else. (Unless their nearest tc dealer also turns out to be miles away of course
)
While we need to make sure newer members get the best advice on a reliable value for money part that works. We also need members to pass on info about new to the forum parts. Exhausts being a prime example. It used to be the case that trade club exhausts where fantastic. £300 gave you an oe factory fit exhaust with clam shell design and chrome tips that lasted 6 or 7 years.
That changed. We then get some other piece of crap that barely lasted two years that was noisy and blocked internally usually before it rusted away.
Then a member here piped up, James iirc, that Eternal (and now ETS) offered a decent alternative that's quiet and lasts for a third of the price of a TC exhaust. Happy days and good man James.
<rant on>
Frankly scoffing at accepted advise and spouting unproven rubbish to new members in technical areas isn't on IMO. Tongue in cheek or not, its a help section, the guy is asking for help, and getting confusing info.
<rant off>