Restoration-Mini

Technical Forums => Maintenance and Modifications => Topic started by: ADRay on May 02, 2025, 11:36:52 AM

Title: New alternator - does this sound ok?
Post by: ADRay on May 02, 2025, 11:36:52 AM
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJJ55NDR-hb/?igsh=MTAxYTNsNTF5dGcyZg==

Link to Instagram video. New alternator is operating fine, but is squealing in a way that sounds more like the unit than the belt. Didn't sound like this at all beforehand. 

What do you think?
Title: Re: New alternator - does this sound ok?
Post by: MPlayle on May 02, 2025, 12:35:08 PM
Sounds a bit like the alternator's fan may be barely scraping the case?

Title: Re: New alternator - does this sound ok?
Post by: MiniDave on May 02, 2025, 01:13:31 PM
Mine has a slight whine like that, and it's from the "fan" on the alternator. On my old Jag I thought the fan blades were bent too far away from the body to cool it properly, so I carefully straightened them to where they were about 1/8" away from the body - the damn thing screamed! So, I bent the blades back where they were and it was completely quiet.

Was there a spacer behind the blade on the old one?

The new one I put on my car makes a similar noise, I can't really hear it in the car so I ignore it.
Title: Re: New alternator - does this sound ok?
Post by: ADRay on May 03, 2025, 05:06:49 AM
Quote from: MiniDave on May 02, 2025, 01:13:31 PMMine has a slight whine like that, and it's from the "fan" on the alternator. On my old Jag I thought the fan blades were bent too far away from the body to cool it properly, so I carefully straightened them to where they were about 1/8" away from the body - the damn thing screamed! So, I bent the blades back where they were and it was completely quiet.

Was there a spacer behind the blade on the old one?

The new one I put on my car makes a similar noise, I can't really hear it in the car so I ignore it.

Might be something to that. The fan blades came bent to a 90 degree angle. the only one (Lucas) didn't have a spacer. I'd played with the idea of swapping the fan blades and pulley from the old one if it comes to it. Thanks
Title: Re: New alternator - does this sound ok?
Post by: ADRay on May 03, 2025, 06:34:20 AM
PS - the car sat for 3 days, and I took it for a short quick run to get milk this morning. not hearing the sound with the bonnet down at idle, nor is it making any odd noises while driving. Another easy Mini fix 😬
Title: Re: New alternator - does this sound ok?
Post by: MiniDave on May 03, 2025, 07:21:09 AM
There you go!   :great: