From: Danny Ka To: landcruisers@birfield.com Subject: [LCML] Alternators that can get through a muddy situation Reply-To: landcruisers@birfield.com Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 09:22:19 -0700 (PDT) My alternator always dies on me when some mud hits it. Ive had to get towed= more than once because i cant seem to figure out how im supposed to make m= y alternator last when i go mudding in my FJ80. Any suggestions? From: "Willem-Jan Markerink" To: landcruisers@birfield.com Subject: Re: [LCML] Alternators that can get through a muddy situation Reply-To: landcruisers@birfield.com Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 21:32:32 +0200 On 18 May 2004 at 9:22, Danny Ka wrote: > My alternator always dies on me when some mud hits it. Ive had to get > towed more than once because i cant seem to figure out how im supposed > to make my alternator last when i go mudding in my FJ80. Any > suggestions? I am pretty sure I recently saw some waterproof alternators somewhere....just not sure whether in automotive or marine context.... Might be a compromise between capacity & cooling though, but a decent solution nonetheless.... -- Bye, Willem-Jan Markerink The desire to understand is sometimes far less intelligent than the inability to understand [note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!] From: "Coolerman" To: Subject: RE: [LCML] Alternators that can get through a muddy situation Reply-To: landcruisers@birfield.com Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 16:16:49 -0400 Here is a clip from a BMW site. You just need to track down one of these 14V, 150 amp, water cooled (and water proof) alternators... http://tinyurl.com/2cdcm New Alternator Designs The very high electrical power demand of current cars is also resulting in the development of more efficient alternator designs. One approach is to water-cool the alternator, circulating engine coolant through passages cast in the alternator housing. In some cases, the alternator is entirely surrounded by a water jacket. A liquid-cooled alternator design was first introduced (in very small numbers) in passenger cars in 1995. That design used two conventional alternators mounted on the one shaft, and developed 14V/220A with low noise levels. BMW has since introduced (on cars such as the 750iL mentioned above) a water-cooled alternator that uses a single brushless design developing 14V/150A. The BMW alternator uses liquid cooling for two major reasons: to reduce by up to 3dB the alternator noise associated with normal fan-cooling; and to increase electrical performance. Other advantages of the design include: Rapid engine warm-up due to the utilization of alternator waste heat; packaging advantages due to the absence of an alternator air-cooling duct; a longer alternator life; good fording ability for the car. Mark Baker aka Coolerman !Oy my 2/71 FJ40 (not road legal yet) From: "Mark Whitworth" To: Subject: [LCML] Alternators that can get through a muddy situation Reply-To: landcruisers@birfield.com Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 10:51:54 +1000 On 18 May 2004 at 9:22, Danny Ka wrote: > My alternator always dies on me when some mud hits it. Ive had to get > towed more than once because i cant seem to figure out how im supposed > to make my alternator last when i go mudding in my FJ80. Any > suggestions? I don't know if this will help but on the alternator on my 1990 HZJ 80 the brushes are in a small plastic case at the rear with a rubber cover that seals the brushes from the mud and water. The unfortunate part is that when mud/dirt enters it can't get out and stops the brushes contacting. I removed the rubber seal behind brushes and have been running this way for 12 months and the alternator has had a few dips in the mud since and hasn't missed a beat (320k and 1 set of brushes latter) I hope this helps as the 12v 1FZE alternators here look identical to the 1HZ ones. I won't be cruel and suggest not driving in the mud holes as I fully understand the attraction to wallow in mud. Mark Whitworth Brisbane Australia 1990 HZJ 80 From: gbrown@ihug.co.nz To: landcruisers@birfield.com Subject: Re: [LCML] Alternators that can get through a muddy situation Reply-To: landcruisers@birfield.com Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 13:37:30 +1200 > On 18 May 2004 at 9:22, Danny Ka wrote: > > > My alternator always dies on me when some mud hits it. > > Ive had to get towed more than once because i cant seem > to figure out how im supposed > > > to make my alternator last when i go mudding in my FJ80. > > Any suggestions? > > I don't know if this will help but on the alternator on my > 1990 HZJ 80 the brushes are in a small plastic case at the > rear with a rubber cover that seals the brushes from the > mud and water. The unfortunate part is that when mud/dirt > enters it can't get out and stops the brushes contacting. > I removed the rubber seal behind brushes and have been > running this way for 12 months and the alternator has had > a few dips in the mud since and hasn't missed a beat (320k > and 1 set of brushes latter) I hope this helps as the 12v > 1FZE alternators here look identical to the 1HZ ones. I > won't be cruel and suggest not driving in the mud holes as > I fully understand the attraction to wallow in mud. > > Mark Whitworth > Brisbane Australia > 1990 HZJ 80 > The main problem is that if the grit and mud is not washed out then can wear out the bushes and bearings. Some of the local guys carry a couple of 2l coke bottles of water with them and flush the alternator at the end of the day. One person went as far as to hook up a windscreen squirter to the alternator so that he could flush it without lifting the bonnet. Guy 1985 FJ40, Christchurch, NZ