That is bad. How long did the second one last, and where was it from?
Technical Alternator failed
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Technical Alternator failed
That is bad. How long did the second one last, and where was it from?
About 2 years and 20,000 miles. Genuine Fiat part fitted by a FIAT Dealer.
The car is off to an auto electrtician tomorrow to see if it can be repaired. If not it will be £300 inc VAT (fitted) for a new one. The best price I can find for the alternator itself was £195 inc VAt from an Auto electrician in Washington.
It seems the cheap alternators from Germany are no longer available. I was on at 6.00am this morning searching (for four hours) to no avail. And to think I nearly bought one last year just in case. F*ck and damit!!!!:bang:
The other thing is that the car is running like a ruptured crab. It is idling at around 1,000 rpm. I am hoping that it is just down to the wobbly current (or sometimes no current) from the alternator which is sending the ECU a little haywire.
The car is off to an auto electrtician tomorrow to see if it can be repaired. If not it will be £300 inc VAT (fitted) for a new one. The best price I can find for the alternator itself was £195 inc VAt from an Auto electrician in Washington.
It seems the cheap alternators from Germany are no longer available. I was on at 6.00am this morning searching (for four hours) to no avail. And to think I nearly bought one last year just in case. F*ck and damit!!!!:bang:
The other thing is that the car is running like a ruptured crab. It is idling at around 1,000 rpm. I am hoping that it is just down to the wobbly current (or sometimes no current) from the alternator which is sending the ECU a little haywire.
I can't remember where I got mine, but the place was recommended on here by one of the regulars. It was a UK company, very helpful and a good price (if you haven't already tried them). And it's still working too. You should be able to find the info by searching this forum.
So genuine Fiat alternators are one to avoid then. Makes sense - crap the first time round, so at least they're consistent.
So genuine Fiat alternators are one to avoid then. Makes sense - crap the first time round, so at least they're consistent.
Caravadossi
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Someone in my family believes that only M&S stock genuine bananas.
There’s an AV Taylor in the NE selling quite a batch of Vectra-C 140A units on eBay.
Described as “brand new” – but a bit shy of disclosing the actual brand.
I believe the `outgoing’ & `incoming’ units on my Croma were Denso – but I never actually had sight of them in all the excitement.
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55 Prestigio 1.9/16v150
120417
DoIDon'tI
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Well thank you very much, that's my illusions shattered as well. What's next, are you going to say the Croma isn't a thoroughbred Fiat..?
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Well thank you very much, that's my illusions shattered as well. What's next, are you going to say the Croma isn't a thoroughbred Fiat..?
In fact, it shares a lot of GM parts.....!!! :devil:
i have slight end float play in my Alternator is that normal?
Alternator now fixed. Apparently the diode pack had blown on the old one.
However, the body computer has now developed a fault. The battery warning light will not extinguish without turning off the car and re-starting it. Even though the light is on the alternator is charging ok.
However, the body computer has now developed a fault. The battery warning light will not extinguish without turning off the car and re-starting it. Even though the light is on the alternator is charging ok.
was all your lights including dash pulsating? thats what i know to be diode fault
New croma owner
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Well I thought I will come back and give you all some feedback on the service I recieved from Urban Logistics Garage in Birmingham . First thing , never pay by a card always pay cash as the VAT is somewhat high , to fit the alternator which comes with 12 month warranty = £170 ,with VAT £210
So I had to walk for 20 mins to the nearest ATM and withdraw 170 cash . Moving on to the positives , the guy at the reception was great , very friendly and they managed to get everything sorted the same day but I was too lazy so collected my car the next day . I've done about 350 miles since and not once did the battery light flash .
Here is where it gets exciting , in the last two days , I've had a triange with a circular arrow come up few times . It disappears if I switch off , but if I ignore it I get the " lock thingy" come up too , I have no idea what's that , so help is greatly appreciated .
Croma's are such a pain in the sense that their parts are really expensive because they are no longer sold here
always pay cash as the VAT is somewhat high , to fit the alternator which comes with 12 month warranty = £170 ,with VAT £210 So I had to walk for 20 mins to the nearest ATM and withdraw 170 cash . Moving on to the positives , the guy at the reception was great , very friendly and they managed to get everything sorted the same day but I was too lazy so collected my car the next day . I've done about 350 miles since and not once did the battery light flash .
Here is where it gets exciting , in the last two days , I've had a triange with a circular arrow come up few times . It disappears if I switch off , but if I ignore it I get the " lock thingy" come up too , I have no idea what's that , so help is greatly appreciated .
Croma's are such a pain in the sense that their parts are really expensive because they are no longer sold here
lets hop the vat man dont read this and go visit Urban Logistics then.
isnt it strange than if people claim benifits of the state everbody thinks its bad, but when people dont pay into the pot everybody thinks its great :shrug:
isnt it strange than if people claim benifits of the state everbody thinks its bad, but when people dont pay into the pot everybody thinks its great :shrug:
:yeahthat:
I was fallowing this thread since the beginning.
And....
Today my croma said exactly the same thing this morning: "I WANT a new alternator!"
No warning lights though.
It seems that we can officially call it epidemic.
My car is on 87,5k now and this will be the second alternator after 42k miles and 3 years, previous one did 45k and 3 years.
I'll get it back tomorrow. 230 pounds all in. (I pay VAT
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Heat kills the alternators on modern cars.
Heat can't escape due to all the isolation stuff.
As a rule, I open the hood of my car after a long hot summer drive, to let it cool down faster...
So far, no alternator problems.
Heat can't escape due to all the isolation stuff.
As a rule, I open the hood of my car after a long hot summer drive, to let it cool down faster...
So far, no alternator problems.
i live in the north east england - it's never hot in here even in the summer
past few weeks we had 5 deg C in the morning (at most) and 10 during the day (at most)
my last alternator went in february
this morning there was alot of moisture in the air - the car was all wet outside - maybe that is causing the corrosion or something
past few weeks we had 5 deg C in the morning (at most) and 10 during the day (at most)
my last alternator went in february
this morning there was alot of moisture in the air - the car was all wet outside - maybe that is causing the corrosion or something
Cote DAzur
New member
Years ago, when I worked at Fiat dealers (original Uno, 126, Panda, Regatta & original Croma days) I do recall that Uno Turbo had a cooling duct fitted to alternator to draw cool air down to alternator, using fan on alternator to draw air down, so why didnt Fiat do this for the Croma?
Interesting. I wonder if this could be DIYed?
It is one of the highest-powered alternators available. I don't see why though - Vectras have a lower-powered equivalent, and still have electric everything, HID lights, etc.
If my replaced one goes pop then I might look at getting a lower-powered Vectra one - I wonder if the Croma one is over-specced, so is blowing itself due to its own heat.
Plus the higher-powered one is probably physically bigger, so leaves less air circulation space. It's in a very cramped spot - I know, I had the grazes to prove it.
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????
It is generally good practive to overate electrical devices. A 120A alternator running at 110A continuous load is (in theory) MORE likely to fail than a 150A rated device.
Also (within reason) the heat generated by the alternator due to losses will be about the same on a 120A unit and a 150A unit.
This possibly leaves just the physical size and air circulation space. Or the 120A casings are better ventilated than the 150A casings.
It is generally good practive to overate electrical devices. A 120A alternator running at 110A continuous load is (in theory) MORE likely to fail than a 150A rated device.
Also (within reason) the heat generated by the alternator due to losses will be about the same on a 120A unit and a 150A unit.
This possibly leaves just the physical size and air circulation space. Or the 120A casings are better ventilated than the 150A casings.
Caravadossi
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The replacement units I noticed on eBay* for the Vectra-Charlie were 140A units – that would suggest there’s a good reason behind that.
*eBay: 140678995376
120425
what are people doing with their old Alternators?
hid draw less amps than a standard bulb
