Alternator replacment, cost vs time
 

After more than 10 years of driving my X5,3.0 it finally broke down and left me stranded in GA on 95. I was able to switch out a new battery and go another 225 miles closer to home in FL even though the alternator was diagnosed as toast. I am wondering why the alternator didn't give any signs. It just broke.
Granted this is an 01 with 218 K miles. SO, the question is , how much to spend on a new , not remanufactured alternator. What brand do you all reccomend ? I don't know the amps yet, 90 or 120. Or the brand Valeo or Bosch, but I see some aftermarket stuff and I am wondering if they are worth it. Be nice to get another 30-40 K out of this X5 before moving on. :dunno:
Thanks.

Well the dealer will probably be closer to 1k. Or you can replace it with a brand new OEM bosch one for 200 with a lifetime warranty and only two hours of your time.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-alternator-al0703n

Hardest part of the alternator replacement is removing the negative cable off the battery. Two hours???? Yikes, is that dealer book time???? I can replace one in under an hour.

Indy should be around 600-700 or so. Not much less than the dealer, but obviously much more than the 200 DIY price.

Reconnecting the air duct is a lot of fun too.

And not having the proper tools turns it into a 6 hour ordeal as it did for my grandfather & I when we did it.

People have had some bad experiences with non-OEM supplier alternators. I personally had to get 3 once before I found one that actually made a field. That one was an OEM supplier unit.
The job isn't that hard though, if you know how to get the clutch fan off in a couple of minutes.
Mark your bolts. They are all different lengths.

From my experience the "new" Bosch has a "made in china" sticker on it while the reman Bosch is rebuilt in Germany.

Damn Chinese garbage ruins everything

Nearly everything is made in china now. Manufacturers are "saving" money... :(
But "made in china" does not mean it is crap by default, there are big differences: there are products wich are really fine and others not...

I have come to realize that the research effort to make decisions like this, combined with the helpless frustration when something would go wrong ends up being pretty costly.

So I almost always try to rebuild things like this myself with proper parts. It almost always comes out perfectly, and when it does not, it feels a lot better to have screwed it up myself than to have paid someone else to do it to me.

Yes it takes some skills and knowledge, but gaining those are a good investment.

Great, I have seen post for rebuilding the alternator. Anyone try that? Can you rebuild the bosch or valeo? Do they sell the rebuild parts? Is it just not worth the effort? BTW, how do I disconnect the aux.heating tube above the alternator to the right? Is it a special connector, or do I just tug on it till it comes loose? Do you remove the upper coolant hose?
thanks

I would recommend just replacing with a rebuilt unit, usually around $200 for the part. Don't forget most places have a core charge too so you have to pay to ship the old one back.

Here's an M54 alternator replacement DIY that should help:



Or, you can watch the oil filter housing gasket DIY I did here on our X5 which is more accurate for the X5 model.

My son removed his alternator and took it to a shop that specializes in alternators and had it rewound and refurbished for half the cost buying a rebuilt one. His was a bosh.

You have rebuilt your own alternator? Wow. I did not that was even possible. Do you mind elaborating some on this? I am sure it is pretty involved, but I am still curious.

OK, got it out, not that bad except for the upper coolant hose. Ok, so Autozone is selling the 120 amp alternator - Duralast Gold, new , with Valeo manufacture/components.
249. , is this thing worth it? Will it really work with my X5 , 3.0 ? Will it last ? My original lasted 15 years, 217,550 miles..

This thread follows the entire process, from debugging, onward for my '01 E53.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...3-0i-01-a.html

In that thread the first and main thing I was looking for was any clues on diagnosis based on the intermittent working vs. non-working observations. I did not get any help there, but here is the answer - that absolutely can be a symptom of worn brushes, which is already the prime suspect in any alternator failure. Basically, as the shorter brush has worn just to the limit, it is right on the edge, and if contact is made, current flows and the alternator works. If no contact is made, no current, no charging. The slightest temperature changes, etc. can put you on either side of that fence.

I've rebuilt other alternators on my cars, as needed, with new bearings as well.

Some comments for the x5 here:
- It can be very confusing regarding compatibility between Bosch, Valeo, what year, what amperage, what you've actually got in your car. First thing I would recommend is ignore all that and dig into your car far enough to see EXACTLY what alternator you've got in there (Bosch vs. Valeo, and how many Amps should define it). Guaranteed to be faster than trying to figure it out via normal methods, which would only get you to a 60% chance of being right.

- The water cooled alternators are very different.

- For mine, and I expect many of the air-cooled alternators, worn out brushes are likely to be the only problem.

- When you've got it on the bench, it may be worthwhile to replace the bearings as well, if you have them in hand. I ended up buying a Valeo rebuild kit on eBay (supposedly covers an incredibly wide range of Valeo alternators) with new slip rings, bushings, and brushes, that I saved for doing a full rebuild the next time I get the alternator out. I could not wait that long at the time, so I just bought a new VR, which includes the brushes, and swapped it in.

There are many references throughout this list and other BMW lists on how to do the rebuild. Really not hard to do - about the same difficulty as R+R'ing the alternator itself.

Another post following that repair:
http://www.xoutpost.com/1071539-post7.html

The one thing that I would be worried about with a rewounded repaired alternator is that it does not include the bearing replaced in the alternator. At some point that bearing starts to give and before you know it you are changing the alternator all over again. Just go with a bosch remanufactured premium alternator to get the best that the market can give you. Even the BMW one from the dealer are mostly remanufactured.

Success. Removed it. Ok, so Whats the deal with BMW alternators? Really that special?
It's an 120 amp Valeo that's 16 years old. Do I have to use Valeo? What about Bosch?
What about brands that state: "valeo compontent"?
It's an old X5 with 218K miles so I don't want to spend a bunch. The Daytona dealer wanted $617. for a Valeo/ BMW . What?

I got my brand new Valeo (180A I think) unit off of Ebay for ~$250 for a 4.4i. Just as a comparison for you.

Or, this popped up: BMW Parts and BMW Accessories | Bavarian Autosport

$299 for a new 140A Valeo unit from Bavauto. I used a 2004 3.0i as the criteria... verify it fits your truck first.

Yeah no need to go get the alternator from the dealer.

Not everything made in China is garbage or is it? Take that Eyephone you like so much. When Obama asked Steve Jobs if Apple would consider bringing back some manufacturing jobs to the United States, Jobs reply to Obama was a flat NO.

People buy products made in China because they are CHEAP.

If you read any of my past posts, I am one of the few people on this forum that advise people not to buy the cheapest products for their BMW.

I think there are many people on this forum who advise to NOT buy the cheapest products for ANY BMW, not just E53's. The majority of long term BMW owners here really. URO brand stuff comes to mind as a "stay away from"... and sensors/electronics should always be OEM purchases.

But the noobies that are coming on this forum are trying to keep their new to them 10-16 years old BMW X5 running and at the cheapest cost. They see a $50 or less MAF on eBay or Amazon versus a $350 Siemens MAF at a reputable BMW reseller or at a Dealer. Guess which one they will be buying? You may consider some of my posts as being negative, but I'm probably one of the few posters that don't view BMW's products through Rose Color glasses.

Why do I own and drive a BMW, I have already posted why I own and drive a BMW.

I don't disagree with you on your assessment of some of the young/new buyers who buy their first BMW.

But I think you view BMW products through the opposite of rose colored glasses (whatever that might be). Which is fine, that's your prerogative. Most long term BMW owners drive them because they enjoy the way they look and drive... not because they are cheap to own. That's my belief, and my situation, anyway. Though when you compare BMW maintenance to payments on a new vehicle, they are still on the cheaper side.

You have explained why you drive one. And it makes sense. Your help is an asset to the forum. But just as we have to accept that you consider the brand BM TroubleU's... you have to accept that the majority of us enthusiasts don't share that negative view of the brand. We are happy to replace parts as necessary to continue enjoying our vehicles. You probably feel much the same about your Lotus'. :thumbup:

Oh Yes Uro electrical and suspension parts = no good:(

+1

Once upon a time "made in Japan" was in the same boat - most of us were not yet born then. After China, I would imagine "made in India" and thereafter perhaps "made in Africa"? It's all about cheap skilled labor.

i bought an alternator from autozone and its lasted only 5 months then i went back and got another from autozone and that 1 last only 2 weeks. in the end i got a brand new alternator from a local alternator shop for 200