01 X5 3.0 Alternator

[g300d]

Which did you have, and what did you replace it with?

[cn90]

Couple questions for those who replaced the alternator:

1. For those with Valeo 140A alternator, when did the bearing fail? Is it around 130k or 180K?

2. Did anyone install a Bosch AL0703N 120A into a car that came with Valeo 140A? Any issues with it?

[Ricky Bobby]

I had a Valeo 140A alternator and it failed completely at 91k miles but 13 years of age - Left me stranded and needed a power pack to limp it to the dealership over the summer - not sure if it was the bearing that failed or the voltage regulator but it was dead as a doornail -

So in my opinion not as much about mileage but age -

[dkl]

Mine also failed at 13 years of age, but with 123K miles. Luckily I was only about 10miles from home and was able to limp home without being stranded - but that 10miles ride was the longest ride of my life

[Ricky Bobby]

^^LOL - oh man I turned on the OBC Test 9 and was driving to the dealer with everything else off and just watching that voltage DROPPING was so nerve racking - I think I made it 11 miles (I was an hour from my house, down the shore) and got a mile from the dealer and it died as I coasted into parking lot of Bed Bath and Beyond -

Then the local tow service gave me a booster pack on the battery terminals so I could start and limp it the last mile -

Man that was a nerve racking experience I was so proud of her that she made it as far as she did - it was also 105 degrees in Jersey that day (isn't that always the case with these situations?)

[dkl]

^^I guess we can have a good laugh about it now after the fact. I was sweating bullets staring at my radar detector, which happens to have a voltmeter readout. Was sitting in traffic during rush hour - Watching the voltage drop further and further was so nerve racking! Had to turned every that I can think of OFF. Only had the headlights on. At one point, I was contemplating whether I should turn the headlights OFF as well.

[Zulu95]

Just joined the club! Failed about 12 miles from home. Took it into Wallyworld (It failed in the parking lot.) and had to start/stop the engine about 6 times to get their stupid computer to read things. THEN we had to drive home. I'll charge the battery and plug in my jump started to get it back to my indy when the new Bosch unit get here. So 16 years and just shy of 85K miles is all it lasted.

[squidzilla]

My Bosch alter failed at 135k miles on my e46. Well, the Voltage regulator is what failed. No weird noises coming from it so my bearings are fine. The rotor looked great as well so I only replaced the VR. I had been using my Bluetooth adapter to monitor things saw it producing just 12 volts. The eventually it only produced 11.5, and then 11.00.

After seeing that cn90 and old skewel having rebuilt their OE parts, I will be going that way for all alts in the future.

It was a bad month for me with alts with both the 545i and the 330xi failing on me in the same month.

[Scott ZHP]

Originally Posted by squidzilla

It was a bad month for me with alts with both the 545i and the 330xi failing on me in the same month.

At least it wasn't a starter. Just replaced one of those in my E46. Not fun.

[tahoechallenger]

I replaced the brush and voltage regulator assembly on our 3.0i X at 150k. It has the Valeo alternator. The brushes were worn down to nothing and would not have made it much longer. The bearings felt good. I hope it last another 100k.