As recently as the 70’s it was common to rebuild our own alternators. The nearest parts store normally had, in stock, the bearings, brushes, regulators, diode packs, etc.
I worked at Nippondenso (note the ND on the cover) in Quality Control for 22 years building these alternators, and I have disassembled hundreds of these for defect diagnosis. Nippondenso was changed to DENSO in early to mid-90's. Very cool video!
If bearing was just dry couldn't you just regrease bearings? Just wondering, my alternator has 17000 miles whining is driving me nuts there seems to be a national shortage to replace my alternator that's under warranty I think they said 3 months out.
"This is not as complicated as it looks...but yeah, you have to (take the whole front end off)" Gotta say, that certainly got a chuckle out of me. Thanks, appreciate it, and I'll never own a Mini Cooper because of this video.
and that small bearing is the main reason that people always assume that replacing the alternator is the only option. Anyways... thanks for the video, man. I always think that everything man made is also fixable, but never knew that fixing squeaking alternator is just that simple ( except that small bearing lol )
I recently took apart the ND alternator on my '92 Accord and it looks identical to the one you showed here. A new one from Honda is *gulp* over $1k. I'll replace the bearings and brushes myself, thank you very much.
Good video. I'm NOT knocking your DIY methods, but I wonder why you didn't spend a few more bucks and replace the other bearing, regulator, and brush assembly while you were at it. I sure wouldn't want to have to pull off the nose of the car next year just to get to the alternator again. I'm just ordering a complete rebuild kit (bearings, regulator, brush assembly) for $39. It's sure a lot cheaper than the $149 to $225 my local parts house wants for a rebuilt alternator. BTW....another cheap way to get those Philips screws loose is an impact driver. They're about $10. One quick gentle tap with a hammer and stuck screws come loose. They're great for older motorcycle case screws, too.
I tell you I prefer doing it myself for the knowledge and also to know I've done it properly the first time with good quality parts not cheap junk that Craps out a couple KMs down the road... Great vid thanks for posting
You learn a lot less doing it that way, and I bet it feels a whole lot more satisfying knowing you fixed it instead of junking the alternator and buying a new or used on. That's my $0.02 @@aDIYCarGuy
Could the bearings not be re-lubricated instead of changing them? Sorry if that's a silly question. I'm having similar issues with my alternator 😐 Going to pick up a used one tomorrow though. But still wondered if re-lubricatong was a possibility?
Squeaking sound is more likely worn-out belt need to be replaced. If it bearing? It'll make grinding sound and will see metal saver disposit around alternator.
been a long time since i rebuilt an alternator. great vid surprised its only hex bolts a lot of ACdelco ones ive done use E torx bolt heads and it sucks. Again great video vampliers for the win!
thanks man! i'm not surprised to hear ACdelco used e torx on their alternators. I'd have to use the vampliers on those because I don't have any e torx sockets lol.
I'm kinda thinking about repacking my bearings after brake cleaning them, I have an EP2 Honda civic with a whining sound RPM biased, I don't know if it's a good idea to repack them reason being, the races might be beaten up, there's no grinding sound yet, so I am assuming it's just plain dried out. What do you guys think, just screw it and buy a replacement bearing or buy a reman unit with a core for the old one?
New or reman unit is the best way to go considering time and effort, but if you do the bearings, I would use whole new bearings, they're sealed bearings so not really repackable. Once they're whining it's too late imo. They should be really cheap to buy.
@@aDIYCarGuy thanks for the quick response. Alright I will go with a reman unit, 80 euros from DENSO. Bearing kits are about 35 euros with a good name brand bearings. Not worth the hassle really. Anyways thanks a lot for the video and the lightning response. Wish you well.
Good work pal😁👍 my case on my Oldsmobile may be just reset computer , reset alarm if so I get out easy but, nothing like new bearings Either 😃 Godspeed ! You are clever
Hi, how are you? I can hear the exact same noise in my 2006 Mini cooper S. i hear the noise with a crew driver, and it is undoubtedly the alternator bearings. Now. I tried to find the bearings, and they are VERY hard to find with the denomination you describe in the video. Did you look for them in a special way ? Do you remember where you purchased them ? Thanks so much ! Great Video BTW !!!
The small one I got from Fastenal and are common. The big one was on amazon a while ago, but is no longer available there. I think you might have to get a replacement alternator, the bigger bearing might be discontinued, I couldn't find it anywhere else.
Your belt is probably squeaking until it warms it. Would make sense if you get in your car in the morning and run defrost first and the belt is cold and then when you can see you switch over to heat and by that time the belt is warmed up and stretch out and doesn’t squeak. My belt squeaks doesn’t about 10 seconds when I turn my car on and I don’t worry about it
alternator might be bad, get it tested.....turn the car on, use a multimeter to check DC voltage at the battery with the engine running, should be reading over 13 volts with the engine running. If it's just reading 12.xx with the engine running, the alternator is bad. Most auto parts stores can test alternator and battery for free.
@@aDIYCarGuy Mine´s reading 12ish at some points while the car is warmed up, can go down to 11.8 with everything turned on at idle. Could it be that the regulator might be failing? I found a repair kit online with both bearings (which are starting to make noise), regulator, brushes and brush case, so looks like the kit is worth it as long as the voltage issues might be due to the regulator going bad
@@Peponnkkss a good alternator will read at least 14.4 volts at the battery while the car is running. I’m surprised that your car starts with that low voltage.
Dont know why mechanics today dont rebuild alternators, its usually the bearing that goes out, my old car had bad alternator that was caused by bearings i got another alternator for around 250 cuz non of them want to rebuild the alternator as they say its cheaper to replace it. The new alternator died after 2 years cuz it was cheaply made and not original. My other car now also has a whinning alternator which is caused by bearings.
Oh snap dude that has to be a ordeal ( but doable )mine is exactly like how my truck is. I think the Crown Vic's alternator is it's original. Would it have been easier to just replace the alternator entirely?
It wasn't too bad, the thing that doubled the time was having to take the front of the car off. It would have taken less time to replace the alternator instead of rebuilding it. Most people would replace it, because like water, people take the path of least resistance. The path of least resistance for me is retaining money that I already have, instead of having to sacrifice a .5 - 1 day or so worth of income to cover the cost of a new alternator. Of course I could have got a used one for $59, but who knows how long that would last. This cost me probably around $5 and some time. For me it's worth it in the sense that I believe saving money is like paying yourself, and I can also make an interesting video out of it; so there's a chance this ordeal might pay for itself sometime in the future lol.
a DIY Car Guy Your very knowledgeable thank you. I did not know that you could replace the bearings in the alternator , I have just been replacing the alternator outright. It seams like you think the same way i do. I also believe in saving money I dislike having a shope replace a part that i could do . Plus my father and I learn in the process . I learned all of this because my dads truck was in the shop more times than it being on the road, and it still never really ran correctly . With the knowledge I have now i can fix or build any vehicle i want ( Wanda ).
Jimbo Booth Thanks and you're welcome. I didn't know if they could be replaced either, some people on some forums said they couldn't, I couldn't imagine why, so I had to see. I love taking stuff apart lol. Same here pretty much!
@@aDIYCarGuy that's ok; next year, or 4, you'll have to pull the engine; after the whole front that is; just wait until they see that you had it easy,they'll make it more difficult,while the damm GOVs turn the blind eye,as usual .
I don't know when this video was made, but no one can buy two bearings for an alternator for $1.50. Not sure where this number came from, but just no very believable.
@@aDIYCarGuy I guess the United States must be more expensive than where you live. No one has been able to purchase two bearings for an alternator for less than $8 for the last 20 years.
I worked at Nippondenso (note the ND on the cover) in Quality Control for 22 years building these alternators, and I have disassembled hundreds of these for defect diagnosis. Nippondenso was changed to DENSO in early to mid-90's. Very cool video!
it really doesn't add on that much time on top of taking out the old alternator, which you have to do anyway, maybe an extra hour or so to save whatever a new alternator costs
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As recently as the 70’s it was common to rebuild our own alternators. The nearest parts store normally had, in stock, the bearings, brushes, regulators, diode packs, etc.
I worked at Nippondenso (note the ND on the cover) in Quality Control for 22 years building these alternators, and I have disassembled hundreds of these for defect diagnosis. Nippondenso was changed to DENSO in early to mid-90's. Very cool video!
Hi;what kinds of defects? thanks.
If bearing was just dry couldn't you just regrease bearings? Just wondering, my alternator has 17000 miles whining is driving me nuts there seems to be a national shortage to replace my alternator that's under warranty I think they said 3 months out.
@@josepeixoto3384mainly looking for noise or amp/voltage defects...usually a loose screw, bad weld, or wrong part.
@@LarryHAboveRHeads bearing should not be dry that soon. Could be a supplier defects.
@A P I'm a rebel.
"This is not as complicated as it looks...but yeah, you have to (take the whole front end off)" Gotta say, that certainly got a chuckle out of me. Thanks, appreciate it, and I'll never own a Mini Cooper because of this video.
and that small bearing is the main reason that people always assume that replacing the alternator is the only option. Anyways... thanks for the video, man. I always think that everything man made is also fixable, but never knew that fixing squeaking alternator is just that simple ( except that small bearing lol )
I recently took apart the ND alternator on my '92 Accord and it looks identical to the one you showed here. A new one from Honda is *gulp* over $1k. I'll replace the bearings and brushes myself, thank you very much.
Good video. I'm NOT knocking your DIY methods, but I wonder why you didn't spend a few more bucks and replace the other bearing, regulator, and brush assembly while you were at it. I sure wouldn't want to have to pull off the nose of the car next year just to get to the alternator again. I'm just ordering a complete rebuild kit (bearings, regulator, brush assembly) for $39. It's sure a lot cheaper than the $149 to $225 my local parts house wants for a rebuilt alternator. BTW....another cheap way to get those Philips screws loose is an impact driver. They're about $10. One quick gentle tap with a hammer and stuck screws come loose. They're great for older motorcycle case screws, too.
is the kit universal ?
I tell you I prefer doing it myself for the knowledge and also to know I've done it properly the first time with good quality parts not cheap junk that Craps out a couple KMs down the road... Great vid thanks for posting
Great Video!! Thank you for talking the time to edit it. I just get a used one and swap it.
thank you! definitely easier to replace the whole alternator
You learn a lot less doing it that way, and I bet it feels a whole lot more satisfying knowing you fixed it instead of junking the alternator and buying a new or used on. That's my $0.02 @@aDIYCarGuy
Could the bearings not be re-lubricated instead of changing them?
Sorry if that's a silly question. I'm having similar issues with my alternator 😐 Going to pick up a used one tomorrow though. But still wondered if re-lubricatong was a possibility?
Not really, once they're worn they're worn.
Wow you are really committed I would have just got a used alternator that doesn't squeak. Nice Job
All if I am not mistaken alternator bearing size in were 6202 , as an ex auto electrician 40 years ago
Getting the small bearing off is a pain. But, you can buy a bearing puller for about $10
Thanks for the vid. Just found out my alternator roars.
Squeaking sound is more likely worn-out belt need to be replaced.
If it bearing? It'll make grinding sound and will see metal saver disposit around alternator.
did you replace also the carbon brush since you are at that teardown session?
Damn with mini coopers you really gotta do things right the first time
For my wife's car Toyota does not even list the part number for the rear bearing (nor do they show it in the diagram!)
They typically don't, you have to take it apart and find the part number on the bearings, or measure the bearings and then find some that fit.
@@aDIYCarGuy Ok, thanks.
Is this a lucas/mitsubishi alternator
Probably saved at minimum $900 dls. 🤔
No, $200 for an alternator
So when alternator is bad it’s always the bearings ?
no
been a long time since i rebuilt an alternator. great vid surprised its only hex bolts a lot of ACdelco ones ive done use E torx bolt heads and it sucks. Again great video vampliers for the win!
thanks man! i'm not surprised to hear ACdelco used e torx on their alternators. I'd have to use the vampliers on those because I don't have any e torx sockets lol.
Very catchy tune.
Very very nice video helpful 👏👏👏
Vampliers really are pretty great
I'm kinda thinking about repacking my bearings after brake cleaning them, I have an EP2 Honda civic with a whining sound RPM biased, I don't know if it's a good idea to repack them reason being, the races might be beaten up, there's no grinding sound yet, so I am assuming it's just plain dried out.
What do you guys think, just screw it and buy a replacement bearing or buy a reman unit with a core for the old one?
New or reman unit is the best way to go considering time and effort, but if you do the bearings, I would use whole new bearings, they're sealed bearings so not really repackable. Once they're whining it's too late imo. They should be really cheap to buy.
@@aDIYCarGuy thanks for the quick response. Alright I will go with a reman unit, 80 euros from DENSO. Bearing kits are about 35 euros with a good name brand bearings. Not worth the hassle really.
Anyways thanks a lot for the video and the lightning response. Wish you well.
What camera did you use to shoot this? Looks very nice!
Thanks it was a Nikon D5100. Old already when I bought it in 2015, but the image quality is still great by any standard.
Good work pal😁👍 my case on my
Oldsmobile may be just reset computer , reset alarm if so I get out easy but, nothing like new bearings
Either 😃 Godspeed ! You are clever
thank you!
Using a dremel like that do you risk cutting the shaft?
certainly....might nik it at best by the time you realize you're cutting into the shaft
Imagine. Taking the front end Off for an alternator, a step further the dealership - a beating.
All that work to put on a new baring O my goodness that's crazy
iknoright lol
@Alejandro P or paying $900-$1200 for a shop to replace the alternator
Hi, how are you? I can hear the exact same noise in my 2006 Mini cooper S. i hear the noise with a crew driver, and it is undoubtedly the alternator bearings. Now. I tried to find the bearings, and they are VERY hard to find with the denomination you describe in the video. Did you look for them in a special way ? Do you remember where you purchased them ?
Thanks so much ! Great Video BTW !!!
The small one I got from Fastenal and are common. The big one was on amazon a while ago, but is no longer available there. I think you might have to get a replacement alternator, the bigger bearing might be discontinued, I couldn't find it anywhere else.
why didn't you clean it?
My alternator have a chirping sound but when my defrost or heater is switch on the chirping sound stops
Your belt is probably squeaking until it warms it. Would make sense if you get in your car in the morning and run defrost first and the belt is cold and then when you can see you switch over to heat and by that time the belt is warmed up and stretch out and doesn’t squeak. My belt squeaks doesn’t about 10 seconds when I turn my car on and I don’t worry about it
thank you for your sharing sir.
Thank you bud! It's helpful. Köszönöm!
Cool, Good Job !!!
What if the alternator belt is still in fact, what could be the possible problem if the battery warning comes on?
the devil
Hmm I needed help but anyways thanks for being polite.
alternator might be bad, get it tested.....turn the car on, use a multimeter to check DC voltage at the battery with the engine running, should be reading over 13 volts with the engine running. If it's just reading 12.xx with the engine running, the alternator is bad. Most auto parts stores can test alternator and battery for free.
@@aDIYCarGuy Mine´s reading 12ish at some points while the car is warmed up, can go down to 11.8 with everything turned on at idle. Could it be that the regulator might be failing? I found a repair kit online with both bearings (which are starting to make noise), regulator, brushes and brush case, so looks like the kit is worth it as long as the voltage issues might be due to the regulator going bad
@@Peponnkkss a good alternator will read at least 14.4 volts at the battery while the car is running. I’m surprised that your car starts with that low voltage.
mantu infonua sukses terus bosqu
nice job
thanks!
good job
good job done excellent work
Alternetase karbon kam kiya hota he
Dont know why mechanics today dont rebuild alternators, its usually the bearing that goes out, my old car had bad alternator that was caused by bearings i got another alternator for around 250 cuz non of them want to rebuild the alternator as they say its cheaper to replace it. The new alternator died after 2 years cuz it was cheaply made and not original. My other car now also has a whinning alternator which is caused by bearings.
Oh snap dude that has to be a ordeal ( but doable )mine is exactly like how my truck is. I think the Crown Vic's alternator is it's original. Would it have been easier to just replace the alternator entirely?
It wasn't too bad, the thing that doubled the time was having to take the front of the car off. It would have taken less time to replace the alternator instead of rebuilding it. Most people would replace it, because like water, people take the path of least resistance. The path of least resistance for me is retaining money that I already have, instead of having to sacrifice a .5 - 1 day or so worth of income to cover the cost of a new alternator. Of course I could have got a used one for $59, but who knows how long that would last. This cost me probably around $5 and some time. For me it's worth it in the sense that I believe saving money is like paying yourself, and I can also make an interesting video out of it; so there's a chance this ordeal might pay for itself sometime in the future lol.
a DIY Car Guy Your very knowledgeable thank you. I did not know that you could replace the bearings in the alternator , I have just been replacing the alternator outright. It seams like you think the same way i do. I also believe in saving money I dislike having a shope replace a part that i could do . Plus my father and I learn in the process . I learned all of this because my dads truck was in the shop more times than it being on the road, and it still never really ran correctly . With the knowledge I have now i can fix or build any vehicle i want ( Wanda ).
Jimbo Booth Thanks and you're welcome. I didn't know if they could be replaced either, some people on some forums said they couldn't, I couldn't imagine why, so I had to see. I love taking stuff apart lol. Same here pretty much!
a DIY Car Guy I agree totally. I took apart my mothers kitchen table when i was young.
@@aDIYCarGuy that's ok; next year, or 4, you'll have to pull the engine; after the whole front that is; just wait until they see that you had it easy,they'll make it more difficult,while the damm GOVs turn the blind eye,as usual .
Thanks for me going agsin
What size vampliers did you use?
They are the 8" Vamplier Linemans which are found here: amzn.to/2NFBYIN (affiliate)
@@aDIYCarGuy The reason they strip is because you aren't using a JIS screwdriver fyi.
I know this is an old vid but your crank seal has a bad leak
lol in subsequent videos i take out the engine and replace a lot of the seals
Ask klng bkit pinupodpod ung panbelt ng alternator at umiinit ung pulley nia
Looks like same as 5he 99 camry
I don't know when this video was made, but no one can buy two bearings for an alternator for $1.50. Not sure where this number came from, but just no very believable.
You could at the time when I made the video, long before prices went crazy. People are so short sighted...
@@aDIYCarGuy I guess the United States must be more expensive than where you live. No one has been able to purchase two bearings for an alternator for less than $8 for the last 20 years.
@@bpetnoi1472 I'm in the US. I still have the receipts. There are many sources from which to acquire things, you have to search for them.
Wow genius design of the mini! NOT
Why not just clean and lubricate the bearings? Especially the inner small one.
Where are you getting a bearing for 1.50 lol
Might have been a hardware website or ebay lol
no way in hell I'd ever buy a cooper after seeing what you have to go through to service anything accessory related
I worked at Nippondenso (note the ND on the cover) in Quality Control for 22 years building these alternators, and I have disassembled hundreds of these for defect diagnosis. Nippondenso was changed to DENSO in early to mid-90's. Very cool video!
Minicoopers blow.
Yah $1.50 repair and 4 hours to do it
it really doesn't add on that much time on top of taking out the old alternator, which you have to do anyway, maybe an extra hour or so to save whatever a new alternator costs
Nice job. But you’re shitting me.
v n
I’m not impressed with bearings from China