How to Maintain Your Car Alternator

If you have problems keeping charge on your car battery, the first part you should inspect is the alternator. The alternator controls the charge of the battery, and if you do not maintain its wire properly it can hinder the battery's ability to start the engine.

Instructions

1

Test the alternator with a DTAC testing system. This will enable you to identify if the alternator is causing a charging problem in the car electrical system. Clean the battery terminals and connect the positive wire and negative wire to them, then do a full system test with the directions that came with the testing system.

2

Check the relay fuses to be sure they are not blown. If they are, replace them with the fuses that the car manufacturer recommends.

3

Dissemble the alternator so you can look at its internal components. Remove the drive end from the rotor and leave the stator in the housing. Take off the cover and take out the baffle. Remove the brush holder, rectifier bridge and the regulator.

4

Put an ohmmeter on the rectifier to test for failure. Connect the wires from the heat sink to the bridge terminals, and then reverse the wires. If the ohmmeter reads the same in both setups, then you must replace the rectifier.

5

Clean the internal components. Clean the brushes with a dry, soft cloth. Clean the rotor by spinning and applying a polishing cloth.

6

Replace the bearing assembly by pushing it to the bottom of the frame and then soldering the connectors again.

7

Reassemble the alternator. Be sure to use some grease on the end frame to avoid overheating under the rectifier bridge.