Alternator started to cause "the whine" last week so I have one coming but just have a question before it gets here on the installation. I watched the British Atlantic video on replacing it but just wondering if there were any other tips or things to watch out for? Can I use a regular 3/8" breaker bar instead of the flat bar used in the video? Thanx...

Also, I ordered a reman'd Bosch unit... had the choice of Bosch or Denso from two different sites but went with the Bosch as they offer a 2 year warranty with road side towing compensation if it fails. Does anyone have any experience with the reman'd Bosch units?

 

Just did my alternator about a month ago. Breaker bar would work fine. I presume you are referring to releasing tension to remove belt? I actually used a ratchet with short extension and a 36" piece of pipe slid over the ratchet handle. Worked perfectly. Same set up worked great when doing front brakes as a breaker bar. Call it an "economical" solution I found in the scrap pile of pipe at Home Depot for less than $5.

I installed a reman Denso unit so can't speak to Bosch...so far so good on that one.

 

I just did my alternator yesterday - finally. I couldn't use a breaker bar. The angle of the tensioner was such that the frame of my vehicle was in the way of the handle and I just couldn't get enough **** on it. A 2 piece flat bar with 1/2 to 3/8 adapter was the answer for me. I had the truck on a lift at my local DIY garage, but I think it was a job I could have done on the garage floor with the vehicle on ramps, or better yet - the front jacked up with front passenger tire removed. I also installed a Denso.

 

I have a re-manufactured Bosch unit in my other car, a Volvo, and it's been in there for years (at least 5 at this point).

 

We are a Bosch service center and the reman Bosch units are "good". However, if an OE supplier part is available, I always chose that over the Bosch. In your case, Denso is the supplier to Land Rover and that is what we normally use.

 

Thanx for all your replies. I've got a 2 year warranty with the Bosch so I feel confident. Will take the advice of remaining OEM for the future into consideration.

 

Given the regular stream of failure posts on the OEM LR/Denso alternators (and the few catastrophic, smoking, battery-destroying failures), I think I'll probably go Bosch when the time comes as well. Could be something environmental or external causing the failures, but I've had good luck with the Bosch parts (they are OEM on my Volvo, failures are very rare, mine was replaced tracing down a noise that turned out not to be alternator related at all).

 

So, I ordered my Bosch replacement and after waiting for three days to arrive and then booking my local shop, when they got the old one out, the alternator I was sent wasn't compatible...arrrrgh! The post was in the wrong position and the plug was a different configuration and stuck out the side instead of the back. Luckily, the shop was able to source one (Denso reman'd) that could be delivered within a couple hours for similar coin. Contacted the original supplier and sent the useless unit back for refund.


Lessons learned: check local first. My shop has access to a few different parts suppliers that are at most next day deliverable.

 

Also to add... I noticed the reman'd units (both Bosch and Denso) are utilizing an open visible finned heat sink on their rectifiers whereas my original was sealed. Probably the reason for them eventually going bad.

 

Which Bosch unit did you order, just so none of us accidentally grab that one when the time comes?