BMW 3 series E30

Since 1983-1994 of release

Repair and car operation

14.31. What to do with the failed generator

THE GENERAL DATA

What to do with the failed generator: to repair or change? If it is necessary to you such choice, it is not necessary to worry.

Speak, cars as people. The known share of justice in this comparison is. "Life" of generators, for example not very much differs from the human. One units work and reach mature age, others suffer from uncountable set of malfunctions. Some reliably serve some years, and then pulled hard "illnesses" lead up them to a stop. Duration of existence of others does not overstep the bounds of youth.

Despite it, it is possible to return the majority of generators to a life. Capitally repaired, restored, updated – name somehow – the generator – the phenomenon quite usual. There are two ways with which help he can be born"anew.

The first – when the old knot is cleared by streams of steam or simply washed out, and then painted outside and is on sale as restored, is frequent with "guarantee" of the replacement in most cases expressed by a phrase: "If it does not work, bring it back". Whether there is such generator out of operation in a month or later – it is not known.

The second way is to buy really restored unit. They differ high quality as were exposed to full dismantling, are cleaned, checked up, and the faulty and raising doubts of their part are replaced.

The generators restored industrially, pass in much similar process of restoration, and such small parts as brushes, contact rings and bearings are replaced without fail. The knot repaired at factory, is good, as new and at the same guarantees has the service life close to operation time of the new unit.

In the latter case generators are put on trial on the maximum loading and capacity. You receive that, for what pay. The recoloured generators usually considerably are cheaper, than qualitatively touched knots. You, of course, can get the repair complete set but if the case of your generator is faulty a choice at you does not remain.

By the way of generator replacement

The application and replacement tables which are let out by manufacturers, are usually exact, but some firms establish on the cars generators of various marks and the sizes. Even if old and new generators are at first sight identical, necessarily check up electric sockets, the maximum current of loading, adjusting arms, fastening of pulleys and distance from a plane of installation to a pulley – to be convinced that the generator pulley will be in one plane with pulleys on cranked to a shaft and the water pump.

Sometimes, in spite of the fact that the knot looks a little differently, its operation is possible. Despite "an origin" difference, generators have an identical maximum current of loading more often and are made so that all points of fastening and connection are in the same places.

Pulley, шпонка and a nut can not enter into the repair complete set. Then they are rearranged from old knot on the new.

It is necessary to find out also that has caused generator refusal. If the reason external the established spare parts can fail with the same success. Today it will be a question of most often meeting malfunctions of generators.

We repair

Besides unit replacement, there are other ways of the decision of problems about which it is told above. For example, many replace generators at bad contact of brushes though this malfunction it is possible to eliminate idle time зачисткой.

Way the first – to clear brushes independently and free of charge. Even if spare parts be required to you, this variant will appear the cheapest. It not such difficult to what it seems at first sight. If at you it will turn out nothing, in the worst, than earlier, position you will not appear.

The way of the second – to address for check and repair of the faulty generator to the expert. It is difficult to predict, in what repair cost will manage. It depends on character of the malfunction, necessary spare parts and their cost. In any case your expenses will make approximately half of cost of the unit restored industrially, but it is less than half of cost of the new generator - the economy will be considerable.

However in each of these situations it is necessary to take into consideration age of the generator, and also economic feasibility of replacement of one or two details (brushes or contact rings) if others shortly, possibly, fail. Replacement of details is more preferable to non-standard or expensive generators, but it makes sense to replace the most widespread models entirely.

Malfunctions of the generator

Possibly, very first sign - abnormal work of a control lamp of a charge of the storage battery. If it does not light up at all malfunction of the lamp or its feed circuit can be the reason of it. To find out it, disconnect the generator, include ignition and by means of a display lamp define working capacity of a chain on a small socket. The small socket can have marks Ind, Ign, D +, or 15. If both the control lamp, and an indicator lamp burn, then the lamp feed circuit is serviceable. If the generator thus does not give out зарядный a current, that, possibly, brushes are faulty. However if during check are not lighted neither a control lamp, nor an indicator lamp, it is necessary to check up a lamp and its feed circuit.

When the control lamp does not die away at normal work of the engine, malfunction, most likely – in the generator. The truth short circuit on a chain site between a control lamp and the generator yields the same result.

Also check up by means of the indicator pressure presence on the big socket of the generator. Here it should be always – if it is not present, check up generator connection to the storage battery. If the pressure regulator on your car is located separately from the generator it too can be faulty. In this case it is better to remove the generator and a regulator of pressure and to address to the autoelectrician.

The elementary check of a current of loading of the generator is made so: dimensional fires of the car join and the engine is started. If at the working engine fires do not start to burn more brightly this best proof of that the generator does not give a current. If you have a voltmeter, connect it to plugs of the storage battery and start the engine. On the raised turns of idling the generator should develop a current, and the voltmeter – to show about 14 V.Pokazanija differ more than on 1 In? It is faulty either the generator, or a pressure regulator.

In many cases constant burning of a control bulb signals about malfunction of the generator, but malfunctions are possible and in other place, and the generator as it is paradoxical, can be serviceable at this time.

And nevertheless for the majority of automobile owners a control bulb – a unique indicator of serviceability of the generator. The most often meeting reasons of abnormal functioning of a control lamp of a charge and typical situations are resulted in the table. For example, the line "the Control lamp does not light up" means that ignition should be already included, and at the same time it does not mean that the engine should be started. Malfunctions of the generator are resulted in ascending order probabilities of their occurrence. The malfunctions italicised, have no direct relation to the generator. The table explaining in what can result some of aforementioned malfunctions is more low given.

The typical malfunctions reflected by a control lamp of a charge

CONTROL LAMP	THE REASON
Does not light up	Leaky contact of brushes
	The pressure regulator is faulty
	Defect in a rotor winding
	Bad contact to "weight" or its absence
	The storage battery is discharged
	The control lamp, safety lock, the switch, electroconducting are faulty
Does not die away	It is faulty выпрямительный the block
	Defect in a winding статора
	Malfunction in connection with brushes
	The bearing (noise) is worn out
	Defects of electroconducting, breakage drive a belt
Burns low at engine start-up	It is faulty выпрямительный the block
	Leaky connection of electroconducting of a feed circuit of a control lamp
Blinks at engine work	Bad contact of brushes
	The pressure regulator is faulty
	Adjustment is broken