Alternators

Your lucky, I am on my 4th..or is it 5th Alternator on my 105 series Cruiser, in 150,000km.

They just don't like being mounted low, and in the dust, moisture, water and crud.

Have a look at their position, they even cop a wet hiding from the fan drawing water thru the radiator from rain and road mist

Hello,

actually it's not the isolation switch itself, but the high charging current through the auxiliary batteries which can wear out the alternator quickly.
Batteries can get extremely hungry for current once discharged below 70 to 50% SOC.
Starter batteries never get discharged this low, so the alternator isn't really designed to cough up that much current again and again under adverse conditions. So depending on the amount of current limiting protection circuitry built into their regulators (which needs to take into account the temperature of the diode plate), plus overall build quality (size and material of sliprings, carbon brushes etc), your mileage may vary.

cheers, Peter

Factory alternators on LandCruisers last a lot longer than aftermarket replacements. Most common thing to go is simply worn brushes - I replace mine after 150,000k to keep it sweet.

Your Toyota dealer now stocks factory reconditioned alternators for about half new price (prob about $300+ for yours). I think this is a better option than a new aftermarket replacement.

We can source one alternator for $200 and another looking the same for $450, both are meant to be identical, the one for $200 the wholesaler said was the same if not better then the oppositions $450 one but they can do them cheaper because blah blah blah.

The $200 one comes with a 12 month warranty and the $450 comes with a 3 year warranty.

Have a guess what one uses cheaper parts?

There are so many manufactures and re manufactures of alternators overseas it's hard to tell what's good and what's bad unless your in the industry.

When they rate amps there can be so much of a variance between manufactures one rated at 110 amps may only do 80 amps and another rated at 80 amps may do 100 amps output.

Some auto elecs will sell you the cheapest alternator they can find thinking if they don't they will loose the sale and this is true as most customers would not care or understand the differences in why one is more expensive then the other...... hell it's only an alternator.

We hear it day in and day out....

Customer: How much for a XXXXXX?
Us: We can do that for $795 fitted.
Customer: Na your to expensive Joe Shonks down the road said he will do it for $495 fitted.
Us: Do you know what brand he is using?
Customer: Wouldn't have a clue but anyway I don't want to spend that much...yeah thanks.

A customer lost until the cheap XXXXXX fails, the guy he bought it from is no longer around or he's washed his hands of it and he comes to us for advice.

Thank god most places put sold and service stickers on stuff they sell so we know where it can from.

I'm prolly going to mozz myself but mine has done 90k, been dunked in slop and water many,many times and has 3 batterys to charge and still have had no dramas in 8.5 years. yes i will pull it @100k and replace the brushes if it makes it that far. try and get a remanufactured OEM alt instaed of aftermarket.

Thanks everyone for your output, it has been much appreciated. I wish I had known then what I know now!
Our starter motor has not been touched since new (now 280000klm). What do you suggest?