(CZ)enda
Established member
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- Aug 15, 2005
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- 171
The first alternator packed it up at some 190 000 km. It seized, the pulley would not turn and the part of the housing on the pulley side cracked. So far, so good, nothing lasts forever - I got another one from a scrapyard the same day, it worked OK. A week later it was gone and looked exactly like the original one - seized, cracked housing. Both were standard Magneti-Marelli alternators and the belt was never overtensioned.
I gave up and bought a brand new one (HC Cargo, which, according to the dealer, was supposed to be made in Denmark - no way, it says the dreaded "Made in China" on the box).
The question is - what caused the same defect on the two alternators? Was it just a bad luck, or is it common once the car hits this mileage or age (my Punto is 1996)? I would understand the seizing (although the bearings did not make any funny noises before the failure), but the cracked housing is weird.
I gave up and bought a brand new one (HC Cargo, which, according to the dealer, was supposed to be made in Denmark - no way, it says the dreaded "Made in China" on the box).
The question is - what caused the same defect on the two alternators? Was it just a bad luck, or is it common once the car hits this mileage or age (my Punto is 1996)? I would understand the seizing (although the bearings did not make any funny noises before the failure), but the cracked housing is weird.