E30 Zone

evening all,
Just been sat in traffic for 30 min without moving and my car 318i started to lose power (electrical) dash lights very dim, radio not working wipers moving slow etc..
When I eventually got moving all was fine again. So just stopped for tea and the car won t start, I only left it 5 mins by the way. Just waiting on the AA. Anybody any ideas?

alternator or battery fooked?

batterys 2months old so shouldn't be as for the altenater not a clue do they just go? Cars always started on the button before. Cheers for the reply tho

i had a simalar problem on my rover the alternator just wasnt charging enough to cope with a high load ie lights stereo heater etc. check the conections and the charge rate while running.

alternator says the nice AA dude. E30s look wrong on the back of a breakdown truck

i have a good working one for £20 posted

cheers pal but need the car runnin by sunday dinner I ll let u know tho. I ll be trawlin scrappies on sunday morn.
Is changing the alternator as simple as it looks? Three bolts and the connector?

Yes they pretty easy to replace. cant remember how many bolts etc but If I can do it I'm sure u can! lol

here you go mate an online version of the Haynes Repair Manual,



Page 120 , chapter 5.10

johnny_boymk1 wrote:cheers pal but need the car runnin by sunday dinner I ll let u know tho. I ll be trawlin scrappies on sunday morn.
Is changing the alternator as simple as it looks? Three bolts and the connector?

Most alternator faults are confined to just the regulator pack.
This is held into the rear face of the alternator by two small cross head screws, and can be changed in minutes, without touching the alternator mounting bolts or the fan belt.
Check a few brush packs in the scrappies, and pick the one with the longest carbon brushes.

thanks for the help guys, just waitin for the scrappies to open. Mr Moore I 'm a little confused, what do you mean by carbon brushes? Are they actually on the alternator ?

Carbon brushes stick out of the regulator pack. Take the pack out of your current alternator, and you will probably find they are both short, and at least one is showing signs of burning at the end.
Give them a gentle pull, and the pack will probably be good for another thousand miles or so.

Job done !
I know it ain t a big job but I m proper glad I did it myself
Also seemed to find a perfect donner car. I paid £15 for the alternator and a mirror lense
Thanks for the help you lot