Alternator replace or repair

[96RedRunner]

Something I've learned being a Industrial Electrician for a number of years having worked on DC motors is the maintenance required for carbon brush type devices. Keep the carbon dust out of the brush holders. This dust keeps brushes from moving freely in holder so they self adjust as they wear. Applying the same Preventative Maintenance practices to my alternator, I use compressed air and blow out Alt everytime I change my oil. 21 yrs old, 380k miles.

 

[mtbtim]

Something I've learned being a Industrial Electrician for a number of years having worked on DC motors is the maintenance required for carbon brush type devices. Keep the carbon dust out of the brush holders. This dust keeps brushes from moving freely in holder so they self adjust as they wear. Applying the same Preventative Maintenance practices to my alternator, I use compressed air and blow out Alt everytime I change my oil. 21 yrs old, 380k miles.

How are you blowing it out? Are you just pointing the air nozzle at different angles at the back of the alternator? I couldn't imagine pulling the back cover off every oil change.

380,000 miles is impressive. That certainly blows my math calculations out of the water.

 

[96RedRunner]

Runner is a 96 purchased 2000 with 74k miles from Florida figured sand would be present, it was. First time was only time I pulled Alt and cover in 2000. I made a nozzle with hard flexible plastic tubing that would fit into all the nooks and crannys. Plastic tubing used so I wouldn't have to worry about shorting out (letting the smoke out) of the Alt.
This applies to any electric motor (window, seat, lock etc) on any vehicle, Alt is by far the easiest to get at.
The carbon dust can build up in places that create arc paths to ground which in most cases causes the Alt/motor to fail.

 

[96RedRunner]

That certainly blows my math calculations out of the water.

Not necessarily, depends on the environment.