hey everyone,
got a 1993 Fiat Uno 1.0 back in september and the alternator has now died. Does anyone know how easy they are to replace, or what its going to cost me for parts or fitting at a garage?

It looks like its going to be hard to get it out of the car, seems to be on the back side of the engine which could be a problem.

If anyone has any info at all i would very grateful

VViGGi

You can ask your mechanic or yourself do it. Jus jack up the car from the front right and loosen the bolts ands wiring harness. Remove the alternator. Has two bearings small and big. Get them replaced and it shud work. afetr fitting check if its charging the batt(very Imp)

Umm..
good info, but this thread is over 7 years old..

It doesnt have 2 beaings by the way, there are 2 bolts that connect it to the engine. One to pivot the alternator on and the other to keep the tension in the belt.

Its far easier to remove the alternator through the wheel arch by the way - take the wheel off first obviously.

yengulamit said:

You can ask your mechanic or yourself do it. Jus jack up the car from the front right and loosen the bolts ands wiring harness. Remove the alternator. Has two bearings small and big. Get them replaced and it shud work. afetr fitting check if its charging the batt(very Imp)

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Thanks for the advice, though I don't think the original poster will read it as they only ever made one post in 2003. They probably don't even have the car any more, and even if they did I think they've probably replaced the alternator by now

Oh, Ucof - there are two bearings in the alternator - one big and one small at the front and back. These can wear and will need replacing if so. However, for the time and money involved in doing this it's often cheaper and a lot quicker to get a reconditioned or good second hand alternator instead. And yes, it's easy to drop the alternator from the back of the engine to replace it. You can in fact do this without removing the platic splash shields and wheel - the plastic splash guard just bends enough to be able to do this

i have the same engine on my 1991 uno and was thinking about changing the bearings, but would like to know what are the dimensions of the bearings to buy them before starting the work.

Why change the bearings on an alternator?!?!?! TWOFT.
Get a new/ reconditioned unit as Chas suggests.


Chas, yeah you are right, the wheel arch does flex just enough, but it really is easier(IMO) to just remove the wheel to get better access.

the "new" one will be just an old one repaired, so it's practicali the same? and a brand new one would be too expensive...
and last but not least, i like working on my uno

I'd like to un-thanks Ucof's post above

It's a perfectly reasonable idea to refurbish the alternator. The main items that wear are the brushes and the front bearing, but if the rear bearing feels 'dry' then I'd replace that too. Then the alternator should be good again for some time. Brush replacement requires soldering (with a big soldering iron, gas-powered or 80W electric) unless you buy a replacement brushholder complete.

It's easiest to get the pulley off if you have an air impact gun - as then, you can just hold the pulley/fan and the nut spins off. Otherwise, you risk damaging the fan if you hold it with a screwdriver while you undo the nut - but that is possible too. Some alternator versions have a hex socket in the end of the shaft, which you can use to hold the shaft still while you use a ring spanner on the nut.

Sorry I don't have the sizes of bearings because they differ between alternator versions...

-Alex

alexGS said:

It's a perfectly reasonable idea to refurbish the alternator... Brush replacement requires soldering (with a big soldering iron, gas-powered or 80W electric) unless you buy a replacement brushholder complete....

It's easiest to get the pulley off if you have an air impact gun

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So I'll get myself a gas powered soldering iron, and an air impact gun, rather than just getting a new alternator..


I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't refurb an alternator, I'm just saying, it's far easier just to get a new or refurbed one, rather than doing it yourself!

The correct soldering flux makes soldering a joy.
I commend your attempt at blowing new life into the alternator, and saveing all that copper.

Ucof said:

So I'll get myself a gas powered soldering iron, and an air impact gun, rather than just getting a new alternator..

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Yeah, you're right. Having bought a new gas soldering iron yesterday, plus a new stubby 1/4" ratchet and a thumbwheel-device for spinning-in sockets and screwdriver bits, I was thinking this morning how I have probably $$$$s-worth in tools.

Jai called me a 'tool whore' once

-Alex

Dude I have tools I don't even know what they are for.