Alternator repair/rebuild 1987 BMW E30

[andyphuket]

I have a 1987 BMW E30 316i with the M40 engine.

The alternator has gone bad and I need to get it repaired or rebuilt.

New ones are way to expensive (about 18k), and I don't want to buy a second hand one as you never know what condition it's in.

I currently live in Rayong, and have been lots of different places, but they can't/won't fix it, or tell me where I can get it done.

I don't mind sending it to another province if I have to.

Does anybody here know where I can get it fixed?

Thanks

 

[stubuzz]

What is the problem?

A regulator or bearings is an easy fix so i assume it is more involved.

If you are a Facebook user, there are BMW breakers.

Edited January 19, 2021 by stubuzz

[andyphuket]

Thanks.

Forgot to mention that I put a new regulator in it a couple of months ago.

I have tried on Facebook, but they just want to sell overpriced secondhand ones. ????

That's the reason for me wanting to repair/rebuild the one I have.

[stubuzz]

30 minutes ago, andyphuket said:

Forgot to mention that I put a new regulator in it a couple of months ago.

And did it fix the problem initially?

Is it overcharging or not charging?

[Kwasaki]

I can only suggest try contacting a German company that reconditions alternators.

[canthai55]

Don't know where you live, but here in CNX there are shops which do exactly this, along with starters

Dismantle, replace what need doing, assemble, test.

Not expensive. I have used one shop for the last few years. good work.

 

[samtab]

I understand that driving an old BM or Benz is better than any newer jap krap, but you already know that parts are expensive, and if you keep the car, just buy new part to avoid any future problem !

What are you going to save wit ha second hand or rebuilt ? 5000 thb ? even 10000 is ridiculous.

 

[andyphuket]

Yes, I am very well aware of that.

As it's not my daily, I just don't want to spend too much on it. 

Like I said in my first post, I don't want a second hand one.

If rebuilt properly it will last long enough for me.

If I can save 10.000 that will but me a nice pair of wheels for it. ????

 

[In the jungle]

I would go with a locally manufactured Denso alternator.

 

If your mechanic cannot work out how to do that they are not much of a mechanic.

 

It will be cheaper and probably more reliable.  I did such a swap on a European car years back.  I did the work myself.  It took a couple of spacers and a new belt tensioner which were made by a local machine shop.  The spacers ensured the belt drive was properly aligned.  I was lucky in that the alternator pulley was a straight swap but a machine shop could easily make such a pulley.  The stock Bosch alternator which had a reputation for unreliability went in the bin.  The new alternator was much smaller and lighter but slightly higher output. 

[andyphuket]

6 hours ago, stubuzz said:

And did it fix the problem initially?

Is it overcharging or not charging?

I measured the voltage it's putting out, and it's just under 10V.

Yes it did fix it initially.

[stubuzz]

2 hours ago, andyphuket said:

I measured the voltage it's putting out, and it's just under 10V.

Yes it did fix it initially.

Have you checked the battery and the engine earth? Charge it up and have a shop load test it.

Give all the fuses and relays a wiggle with the car running.

Then give the wires on the alternator a wiggle see if gives the voltage increases. Check voltage at the battery and the back of the alternator.

Try replacing the rectifier and brushes again, it may be faulty or the incorrect unit. The slip rings could also be worn out.

If that doesn't work, you will need to modify a Japanese unit to fit.

 

[samtab]

You should contact the foreigner at SATTAHIP near Pattaya who is good at working on German cars, I guess he can help you with this.

I think it's called car tech sattahip.

 

[malathione]

11 hours ago, samtab said:

You should contact the foreigner at SATTAHIP near Pattaya who is good at working on German cars, I guess he can help you with this.

I think it's called car tech sattahip.

 

Yes, he seemingly knows what he is doing and is easy to deal with. Car Tech Service Center Sattahip.

[Lancashirelad]

Take a Thai speaker with you. Go to a battery shop, ask them. They will most likely know of someone who reconditions alternators.

[kanGBK]

On 1/19/2021 at 5:03 PM, canthai55 said:

Don't know where you live, but here in CNX there are shops which do exactly this, along with starters

Dismantle, replace what need doing, assemble, test.

Not expensive. I have used one shop for the last few years. good work.

 

Could you please tell me where these shops are and if possible telephonenrs. 

Many thanks in advance.

[canthai55]

This is the one I use - excellent, quality work

[transam]

Every biggish town in LOS has a place to re-con alternators and A/C pumps. If you have a place that fixes coach probs I would go there, coaches often have probs. 

I had my Vigo alternator fixed in such a place, Mrs.Trans went there to tell them we can't move the truck, etc.

 

They came and collected the truck. Fitted a fully charged battery and took it away.

They ordered a kit which included a smaller pulley, to speed up the thing at low RPM. On completion, they delivered it back. 

Cost me a bit over 3000bht......????

PS. I took the bike to their workshop, it was a real dive, but, there were a couple of coaches, a few trucks with stuff stripped off, in one corner was a huge stack of refrigerant bottles, which told me the place was busy.

My alternator was totally stripped, cleaned and laid out, new parts on display for total restoration...

 

[DavisH]

On 1/19/2021 at 7:18 PM, samtab said:

I understand that driving an old BM or Benz is better than any newer jap krap, but you already know that parts are expensive, and if you keep the car, just buy new part to avoid any future problem !

What are you going to save wit ha second hand or rebuilt ? 5000 thb ? even 10000 is ridiculous.

 

Wifes niece had an old 3 series. It was on a slider more than the road. lol  Sold that and bought a new accord. 

[kanGBK]

On 1/26/2021 at 11:45 AM, canthai55 said:

This is the one I use - excellent, quality work

Thank you very much for the information.

Greetings.

[samtab]

have you found a solution ?