This weekend my trip to Uwharrie was cut short by two of our party having alternators gunked up with mud. Both my XJ and my buddies TJ ended the day with no voltage in the charging system. Unfortunately for me, I discovered that my battery was also on it's last leg. It sure doesn't take long to drain a battery that doesn't have much of a charge to begin with.
After installing a new battery on my XJ, both jeeps limped home on batteries alone, I set out to find a way to fix the ALT without having to replace it. On searching both here, NAXJ, and google I didn't have much luck, so I decided to play around on my own and hope for the best. Figuring it couldn't get any worse then needing a new ALT. I tried rinsing it with water while running(got nothing) then rinsing with WD40(a little scary considering the flammable nature of WD
still nothing) Today I went to Advance Auto and start searching up and down the aisles thinking that there MUST be some kind of eletrical part cleaner for just such a situation. I found this stuff in the section with the engine cleaner.
CRC Lectra-Motive Electric Parts cleaner. (hell there's even a picture of an Alt on the can!)
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I sprayed the entire can of it into my alternator, about half while off and the other half with the engine running. No effect at first, then I decided to whack it a few times with a hammer to see if the brushes were maybe just lodged in there and might come loose. I'd tried this on the trail to no effect. Well with each HARD hammer whack, on my Alternator mount, the voltage started to come up. Finally, I was back to 13.5-14 charging volts. My wallet is now 250 fatter and I am a very happy jeeper today. I will be keeping this stuff in my jeep for all future trips. Best 4 bucks I've spent in a long time.
After installing a new battery on my XJ, both jeeps limped home on batteries alone, I set out to find a way to fix the ALT without having to replace it. On searching both here, NAXJ, and google I didn't have much luck, so I decided to play around on my own and hope for the best. Figuring it couldn't get any worse then needing a new ALT. I tried rinsing it with water while running(got nothing) then rinsing with WD40(a little scary considering the flammable nature of WD
still nothing) Today I went to Advance Auto and start searching up and down the aisles thinking that there MUST be some kind of eletrical part cleaner for just such a situation. I found this stuff in the section with the engine cleaner.CRC Lectra-Motive Electric Parts cleaner. (hell there's even a picture of an Alt on the can!)
I sprayed the entire can of it into my alternator, about half while off and the other half with the engine running. No effect at first, then I decided to whack it a few times with a hammer to see if the brushes were maybe just lodged in there and might come loose. I'd tried this on the trail to no effect. Well with each HARD hammer whack, on my Alternator mount, the voltage started to come up. Finally, I was back to 13.5-14 charging volts. My wallet is now 250 fatter and I am a very happy jeeper today. I will be keeping this stuff in my jeep for all future trips. Best 4 bucks I've spent in a long time.
