Should my Alternator look like this?

[JohnnyGraphic]

Hello fellow ZHP mafioso!

Been having a problem with my beloved Imola ZHP. The last few days, my red battery light would come on about a minute after initial start. It would stay on for a few minutes and then go away. I did the on board test. The Onboard computer reads 12.2/12.3 with the engine off and 13.9/14.0 at idle. When the battery light comes on, it reads much lower. In the 11’s if I recall.

I know my power steering reservoir has a slight leak which is right above my alternator. So, I’m wondering if my alternator should look like this, copper and carbon fouling colored?


I did replace the reservoir cap and cleaned it up as best I could, but wanted to see if this is normal.

Sorry for the long post.

Thanks in advance.

[Oli77]

Looks like mine. The copper wires have black carbon deposit on them.

How old is your battery?

[JohnnyGraphic]

Looks like mine. The copper wires have black carbon deposit on them.

How old is your battery?

Battery is about a year and a half old. Very new. Maybe 5k miles on it? Doesn’t get driven much mostly in town driving. Total of 140k on the odo.

I’m really hoping the new PS cap will do the trick.

[JohnnyGraphic]

And, any way to figure out what alternator I have? Bosch? 90V/120V/150V??? Thanks again for all of your help!

[danewilson77]

Could the serp belt be slipping?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

And, any way to figure out what alternator I have? Bosch? 90V/120V/150V??? Thanks again for all of your help!

Look at the backside with a mirror and you'll likely see a Bosch emblem. I'm not sure what the Valeos look like, but I believe it's obvious.

[JohnnyGraphic]

Could the serp belt be slipping?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

It shouldn't be slipping. I did a coolant system overhaul not too long ago with all BMW parts. The tensioners and belts are all new. I've torn into it a bit more and pulled the belts cuz I wanted to be sure and the belts look fine. There's nothing abnormal about them that I can tell anyway. Any other tell-tale signs?

Look at the backside with a mirror and you'll likely see a Bosch emblem. I'm not sure what the Valeos look like, but I believe it's obvious.

I used my iPhone and shoved it down there and took a video. It's a 120V Bosch unit. They're about $265 at ECS for a remanufactured one ($70 core). Is this a fair price for one?

Thinking I should just go ahead and replace my power steering pump while I'm at it. The fluid looked kinda nasty. Not like it did the last time I did a flush.

Do the hoses fail typically? It looks like the cap is either leaking or too much gunk is blocking the filter and there's too much pressure causing the fluid to leak out. One hose was a lot more gunky than the other. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks again!

[ZHPizza]

Definitely wipe everything down and try to locate the leak. The PS reservoir tends to leak from three places:

1. The hose connections as they deteriorate. I actually just tightened the hose clamps a half turn and they've been fine since.

2. The cap seal gets brittle and leaks. I'm guessing that was replaced with the new cap.

3. There is a breather hole in the cap that some fluid can spray out of when you're pushing the system. The 'sock mod' is a popular way to deal with it. I stuffed a bit of q tip cotton in the hole to help catch the airborne droplets.

[JohnnyGraphic]

Definitely wipe everything down and try to locate the leak. The PS reservoir tends to leak from three places:

1. The hose connections as they deteriorate. I actually just tightened the hose clamps a half turn and they've been fine since.

2. The cap seal gets brittle and leaks. I'm guessing that was replaced with the new cap.

3. There is a breather hole in the cap that some fluid can spray out of when you're pushing the system. The 'sock mod' is a popular way to deal with it. I stuffed a bit of q tip cotton in the hole to help catch the airborne droplets.

Thanks!! I miss get as well replace the PS reservoir. It’s only $23. I’ll just need to get the hose clamps and atf fluid.

Still on the fence with the alternator though. It doesn’t look too hard to do right? Expense is holding me back.

[ZHPizza]

I wouldn't bother changing out the reservoir as it should be fine. It's the hoses themselves that deteriorate over time. Just clean everything up, make sure the clamps are tight, and keep an eye on it to see where it leaks from.

AutoZone etc can test your alternator in the car. They're pretty easy to remove too, but definitely test it before looking into replacement.