My weekend

[Darwinian]

A few weeks ago I started to get strange warning lights appearing on my dashboard. Actually, to be precise, I got strange warning lights staying on after I had started the engine.

The volt meter that I had fitted a while ago always use to read 14v - 15v when the engine was running but now it was 12v! With my usual rapier like problem solving ability and fierce intellect it only took me a few days to realise that the car was no longer charging the battery and that all the electrical systems were running off same.

This is probably going to be expensive I thought and my fears were confirmed when I found replacement alternators for my Lexus GS300 on eBay for £250+ and that's not to mention the cost of getting it installed. So, for the past three weeks or so I have had to almost permanently have my car battery on charge and when driving, no radio, CD, heaters and forget driving at night with dim headlights running off the battery

But then I found a salvaged part for my car on eBay for only £60 and free postage and it arrived in two days.



All I have to do now is take the old one out and put the new (ish) one in. Simple as there are only a couple of bolts and a couple of wires to deal with and slackening off the fan belt turned out to be a piece if cake.

However, the alternator is buried deep in the bowels of the engine bay with all sort of vicious wires and protuberances to contend with and it took at least an hour just to undo one bolt and another to actually create enough space to remove it completely. Hence..



But I eventually got it out..



And put the new (ish) one in, which turned out to be much easier. And, after starting the car, no strange lights and 14.9v of lovely electricity surging through my baby



I was going to throw the old alternator away but it's such a fantastic piece of engineering that, after a spell in the dishwasher, it's been transformed into an attractive ornament



Just thought I'd share...

[Annik]

The only thing I know how to do on my car is change tires and check the oil. Hovik knows how to change an alternator because he dad was a mechanic (retired after back injury) and told him how to replace it when his broke. I wish I could do stuff like that, but cars are so complex! Kudos to fixing your own problems!

[Darwinian]

It's actually really easy but really frustrating because you have no room to work!

[Annik]

I'd find a way to make it difficult. Do you do most of the work on your car/s?

[Darwinian]

If I can, but sometimes you need an expert :S

[Annik]

What's the thing you've done on a car that you're most proud of?

[Darwinian]

Change the alternator

[Annik]

I hope your hand doesn't sting too much. Did you really wash it in a dishwasher? Lol

[Darwinian]

Yes, dishwashers are brilliant for getting things clean. I've even washed kettles, sandwich toasters etc. in them. My children despair of me!!

[Annik]

Mine must suck. It can't even handle dishes!