Hello Mini Truckers! I recently imported my 4th Acty and this one has truly tested my patience. After replacing my dead battery with a lawn mower battery it was time to turn it over. Once it cranked over, the battery light and the exhaust temperature sensor light was on. Not only was the light on, but there was horrendous faulty bearing noise coming from something. I went ahead and pulled the belt off to the alternator and it went away. Now I need a new alternator. I searched around for alternators and found used ones and some Chinese manufactured alternators. Some sites had alternators for cheap but shipping was $700 (wtf?!). I then decided to call around locally hoping some alternator repair shop can repair this thing. The first shop I call I ask if he can repair an alternator with the numbers and manufacturer labeled on the alternator. He stayed on the phone with me to tell me he can get the parts in tomorrow (YES!!!). I drove 20 minutes there to drop it off and the work he did on this alternator made it brand new. I've attached the list of parts he replaced along with standard cleaning up of the alternator (prices may be different so I asked him to write down what was replaced). They did an amazing job on repair and the price was just right. They also do starters but i've yet to cross reference our starters with their parts catalog. Additional info: The exhaust heater sensor went away once I had full power delivery from the alternator. Info to shop: Indy Alternator and Starter (317) 801-8551 310 Indianapolis Rd, Ste J Mooresville, Indiana 46158
Yeah Denso makes the majority of alternators for the small trucks and many vehicles. If you look hard enough at small tractors/ excavators you'll find an alternator that will drop in. Starters will be servicable without anything special also except you'll probably find they can't get the bendix stuff.
Just 1991 Acty just replaced the clutch, now need an alternator. Not charging. Recently ordered this guy. Share the same first section of part numbers, will update on the fit. For 60 bucks and free returns not a bad option. If the pulley or mount is not the same just gonna us the internals, should match. these come apart with a screwdriver. If this link expires just search mini alternators. looks to be the same alternator hot rod guys are using because its really simple. They are even cheaper on Ebay (35 bucks) if you can wait, just impatient and had mine amazon prime for two day. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S6O5URK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Yes that is a Mini Denso, and you an get them with 90 and 100-amp outputs. They aren’t too hard to reclock, but you have to take the screws off the winding leads, and straighten them out before you can seperator teh case halves. And, the windings have to be pried out of the front half, of the case to rotate them so they stay aligned with the rear half and the regulator. But, they are considerably less expensive than buying from Japan, and you can upgrade the alternator to handle bigger loads.
Very good price, for that I even cannot get a original, used one here. Usually they offer them here in Japan for $50-150 used, plus shipping.
This is great info! I'm in the process of checking mine out and possibly increasing the output to handle bigger loads! I have several plans for increased load needs in the near future. Thanks guys! Limestone
Checked eBay just now. The going rate seems to be just over a dollar and Amp. Just remember when you upgrade, that the little engine doesn’t have a lot of horsepower, and a 90-amp alternator, by the time you figure in efficiencies, is going to suck off three of them.
Jigs, I guess I don't quite understand what you mean by, figuring efficiencies, and that it's going to suck off three of them. Please explain. Thanks, Limestone
the higher the amperage the alterator, the more hp it takes to turn when it's operating at it's maximum. These trucks come with 35a alternators or around that, and alternators that will work can come in 60a. If you end up loading 60a on one, it might just kill the truck at idle
Matt, Thanks Matt, That helps a lot. So with today's, LED lighting, as a lighting upgrade, witch doesn't draw many amps, I would assume that's one area of draw that I would be ok with. Naturally depending on what else I decide to do with the little fella! Limestone
Limestone, Matt pretty much covered it. Volts X Amps = Watts. So 13.6-Volts X 90-Amps = 1224-Watts. And, 746-Watts = 1-hp. So, the draw is 1.6 horsepower, but the belt to wire is only about 80% efficient, so the crank has to deliver at least 2-hp, and the belt has one loss, so your going to use 2.5-hp turning the Alternator at 90-Amp. Your 550-cc engine made about 37-hp, in factory trim when new, and tuned to the best of the ability of the factory mechanics. So you’re probably around 30 To 32-hp now that it is tired. This means your you using almost 10% of the available power, to turn a 90-amp alternator At full output.
even when you have the aircon on and when the AC compressor kicks in, you can feel the loss of engine power on our small engines.
Shogun, That's good to know. Evan though I don't have AC on my 89 Daihatsu hijet. I have thought about possibly adding it! Thanks Again, It's a lot easier having as much info available ahead of time, just in case. Limestone
Ok, solved it. I took the original alternator apart, just too see what exactly went bad. Diodes and rotor had no continuity, checked with a DMM. Like Jigs-n-fixtures said the new alternator would essentially have the be competently torn apart to be indexed (clocked) and reassembled. on top of that the new alt would hit the belt cover and would need spacers to be mounted. Not a ton of space down there to mess around with spacers. Side note if you just need brushes a diode or a regulator just swap them from the new one. super easy and just take a screwdriver and small socket Decided to use all the new guts of that alt in the old housing. (sorry didn't include pics) only ran into 2 problems, the stator was to small for the original housing, exhaust tubing wall thickness was size to compensate, couldn't find a size that big so i cut a strip lengthwise down a piece of pipe and single wrapped the stator. The fit was nice and tight but i used some epoxy just for insurance .(note:make sure you mark where the stator wires go, especially if you glue it) tighten the housing down evenly to make sure the rotor doesn't bind Problem 2 since my original diode was bad I had to trim the ends that go over the stator wires to fit. would recommend using original if still good. . Then after complete brought it to Autozone for a free test on their machine. They need to know what kind of car it came out of to test it. say its for a 1986 subaru GL, 1.5L The little guy is pumping out 14.6v now and looks original. was it worth it? does a bear shit in the woods? yes. for a 60 dollar rebuild kit better than 300-1000
For testing the alternator voltage output I have installed in the cigarette lighter socket a dual USB car phone charger with LED display for the output voltage, with that I charge my Navi system, mobile phone and can see the output voltage of the alternator constantly. Usual data for such part: Input Voltage: DC12V-24V, Output Voltage: 5V-3.1A, Output Power: 120W, Output Current: 3100mA. One can get it online for abt. $10 Amazon, I bought some on Aliexpress from China for $2/each incl. economy shipping.
Just wanted to add to this alternator thread. I have a 97 HA4 After doing a bunch of research with the OEM part number I purchased a replacement from summerparts.cn Was a bit sketched at first, but the company takes only paypal payment so no credit card info, the owner Sam was in contact with me right away when it arrived and I wasn't home to receive it and it arrived real quick. Part numbers are identical to the oem honda one, not a bad price ($100 USD) and works like a charm. Better than paying 800$ for those replacements. Like wtf. Anyways. Just thought I'd share!
Went to see a mutual friend by the name of Dan, the owner, at a place in a suburb near me, called Custom Electric, a couple of wks. ago. Been dealing with these guys for over 40 yrs. now. The heavy equipment shop I used to work in, has been using them for yrs. also. Any way's, Dan rebuilt the starter on my mini, a few months back, new brushes, etc..... freshened it up, like new, 35 bucks! So I took the alternator to him, he tested it said it was working fine, we talked about what my plans were for my mini, 89 Daihatsu, and he was telling me that mine was putting out anywhere between 35-40 amps. I told him I was interested in putting a new one in, adding more amps, and he suggested a WAI 12651N Al 19h3 made in China, (where else)! I left him my old one for reference, and he re clocked it, and I picked them both up after work, one day! For 80 bucks cash out the door, happy again! He told me that he has had great luck with these and he really thinks at the 60-63 amps, that it puts out, that I would be fine! It's exactly the same configuration as the other one I am replacing. I plan on bolting it up this wknd. as I move fore ward with my rebuild, It already fits, that much I know, because I did check! Again, these people here don't deal in BS., they can't afford to, they are a small shop running at full capacity, doing very well, as there reputation speaks for itself. These little shop's have been falling by the way side left and right, and any time that I can find one and throw some change at em, I do it! I'm an old fashioned dinosaur, and proud of it! A lot of the old ways, still work! Limestone
