Identifying the alternator

[zigzagsky]

Hi.

Recently bought a Series 2 2+2 which has an alternator with bearings that make quite a racket. However I'm having problems working out exactly which alternator it is. According to SNG Barrett, the one for cars with my serial number are no longer available - all I know is it's Lucas and does not seem to have been replaced with one with integrated regulator etc.
Anybody able to help with working out which one I have and whether it's best to just replace it or try and get new bearings etc?

Thanks,

Brian

[mgcjag]

Hi Brian...when i first got my 69 2+2 the alternator was noisy....turned out that it was mounted wrong so the drive belt was not running straight...the pulley on the alternator was slightly out of line with the other pulleys..have a good look.....you can get alternators refurbushed.....post a photo of yours....it could help.. Steve

[zigzagsky]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip on pulley alignment. I'm including a picture of the rear of the alternator which may help identify it.

[chrisfell]

Beware, recently 'restored' alternators can have their new bearings seize. If this happens there will be a noise, but it wont be dry bearings, it'll be the bearing rattling around in an ever increasing hole in the front plate. And that will trash the whole unit.

Unless you are a slave to originality (and I am not) you might consider a modern replacement with a built in regulator. Higher output, smaller size and weight, and cheaper than an original.

[mgcjag]

Hi Brian..that looks like the right one...11AC (43amp)....part no C29168....sng now have it as superseded to C29168 on exchange http://www.sngbarratt.com/PartSearchRes ... tno=C29168
Worth looking here for info http://etype.chrisvine.com/2012/03/stri ... lternator/
Do you have a service manual..page PYs4
Steve

[abowie]

11AC. Bearings, brushes etc all available on Ebay usually.
Easily rebuildable by any competent auto electrician.

[zigzagsky]

Thanks Chaps. I wasn't sure if it was the 43amp or 60amp version so thanks for identifying it.
Rather new to E Type ownership so rather 'green' at the moment.

I've just had to go on a business trip for the next 4 weeks so having a bit more of a fiddle with the alignment or ordering a replacement from SNG Barratt's will have to wait until I get back which is a bit of a pain with the nice weather due.

With regards to the 'service manual' I've got the correct one for the car which was kindly given to me by the previous owner.

[mgcjag]

Hi Brian......the info i gave above in not correct.....looking through S2 parts catalogues etc there are 2 alternators
C31081 43amp and C32152 60amp ..i thought the 60amp was for cars with a/c but the parts catalogue and SNG both show the 60 amp was used on all 2+2 from engine No 7R37695 Chassis No 1R35333....so not really sure what you have....or where the part number is on the alternator.....anyone know.....thanks.. Steve
Looking at the link to Chris vines website i gave above your alternator looks the same..Chris,s has a yellow lable saying 60amp

[zigzagsky]

Hi Steve, I thought I must be going a little mad as when researching the 45A alternator after reading your post, the rear connections on all the pictures I found were different to mine.

Looking further, I had found a version for cars with the A/C which looked the same and was wondering if maybe the wrong one had been substituted in the past. However, my chassis number is 1R35419 so is within the range of cars which had the 60A alternator according to SNG Barratt so looks like it's correct after all. But as I mentioned in my first post, they say that these are no longer available.

I am therefore thinking that I may either try replacing the bearings or perhaps changing it for one with the built in regulator etc. as they seem to be a bit fragile from what I am reading. SNG seem to have the parts (although not available online according to the website) to repair but I'm not sure which path to choose.

Any advice?

[mgcjag]

Hi Brian....been searching for an answer on the difference between the 43 and 60amp models....no clear answer with no visable part number stamp..unless you still have the 60 amp yellow label....however as you have noted yours has a different type of connection plug.....here is mine...my engine No falls in the range to have the 60 amp.but dont know if the alternator is original

Very confusing... Steve
Ps..i think the way to go if you need a replacement is an upgrage....lots of info here on tne forum for it

Edit...just talking to an old school auto electric shop that rebuilt a starter motor for me.....he said that quite often the part No was stamped on the front face partially under the fan near the top adjusting hole but very hard to see clearly.....i cant see mine.....also on the 60amp the center iron section between the two aluminium ends will be wider.....on mine its 23mm...what do you have....

[zigzagsky]

Hi Steve,
Interesting tip on identifying the alternator.
Sadly it will have to wait until I'm back in the UK from St Petersburg which is 4th July.

I've got long arms but not quite long enough to stretch from Russia to the UK.

[Hugo]

Unless you are a slave to originality (and I am not) you might consider a modern replacement with a built in regulator. Higher output, smaller size and weight, and cheaper than an original.

That's exactly what I would do. Simplify the whole system. An alternator is an alternator is an alternator as far as I'm concerned. If you have one from an a/c car it will be spinning the wrong way, although that shouldn't matter.

[mgcjag]

Ok...so decided to take off my alternator as i could see a partial number stamped on the face plate....

The number is 23521 11ac.......cant find this number in the Lucas pages in the knowledge base section...any one know what it might be....thanks... Steve

[zigzagsky]

I had a look around and that Lucas alternator part number does show up as being used on the Triumph Stag in 1971-72. It's cross referenced to a Triumph part number of 213121 in one document and against 215167 in another.

I also found a link between that Triumph part number and an alternator on the Rimmer Bros website under their code of GEU2202.

Hope this helps.

[Heuer]

The 23521 number you have is a correct Lucas part but not for the S2 which should be 23507 or 23504. It is a service replacement and they used an 11AC they had on the shelf from a Triumph Stag.

[mgcjag]

Thanks guys....just could not find a reference to that number......its amazing what pops up out of the blue....had never given the alternator much thought till the question arose how to tell the difference between 43 and 60 amp versions......then managed to find where the part number was stamped....and now mine is from a Stag......I can live with that

[Gfhug]

Steve, your comment above about the 23mm gap between the two aluminium ends on your 43 amp alternator, my alternator (part no 23580B) is a 60 amp and it has a 23mm gap, so that doesn't seem to help.

This reference does show your 23521 as being 45 (not 43) amp and used on Rover 2000 as well as the Stag.

Pages D1-3 and D15
http://www.northwestclassic.co.uk/LUCAS ... 1%20ON.pdf

Geoff

[mgcjag]

Thanks Geoff......got that.....the different width gap was a bum steer.....finding out that the part number is stamped on the front is the answer, will stick with what i have for a while then probably go with a A127.....all the best.. Steve