Saab 9-5 1.9TID 2009 alternator.

[ukracer]

The alternator light on the above car stays on after starting and only goes of after driving down the road a bit.

Are there any parts you can change with a soldering iron....do they contain brushes etc.

It seems they overheat and it's a common problem, an annoying one never the less.

 

[rikrobson]

Do you mean the Altenator Light on the Dashboard. I'd Hope that the altenator will be on for the duration of the engine running.

The Light is basically beasuring the current flow if its on then the current is flowing out of the battery and not the altenator.

The things you can change these days on alternators are limited. Usually there is a little black box, with the rectifiers in. This can sometimes be changed.

Other than that its a new alternator.

It could be a fault that is evident when cold and as it warms up goes away. As long as its not lighting up during your journey you should be fine, but you'd probably be better off changing it. they tend to go at the worst possible time.

Look to be about £100 on Ebay

 

[Swift&Bold]

You can change the regulator on it but that's the only serviceable electrical part, bearings and pulley are serviceable, the armature can be rewound but is it really cost effective?
It's a bitch of a job changing it too, the top mount is hidden behind the tensioner pulley (assuming it's the same as the petrol engine).

 

[armalites]

That's a unit used in Vauxhalls as far as I'm aware and I would guess there will be dozens of cheap Vectra alternators out there.

 

[Swift&Bold]

It could be a Fiat engine, I know the 9-3 is.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Check the battery tested.
Then test the O/P of the Alt.
Check Engine to body earth.
When dark, start up. Then turn on the main beam, if the Alt light goes out when main bean light comes on, the dash voltage stabilizer is at fault.

But Test the first 2 first.

I have had a Saab, 2 years ago, doing the same thing.

The one I was working on was a 1997 model.

If it is the Alt what has failed, the voltage regulator is available from Durite.

http://www.durite.co.uk/s/c/replacement-components/alternators

There is a link.

 

[dobbslc]

If it's the same as my Zafira (16v 1.9 CDTI) it could be the alternator pulley bearing has gone
It has a one way or sprag clutch that free wheels on the over run. They fail and don't drive the alternator.....
Bumper off job on the Zafira, as well as the inner wheel arch various coves, brackets, road wheel, pulleys etc.
Mine failed two weeks after I had the front end apart to do the timing belt!
Whole lot had to come off again ffff car!
(we need more smileys depicting utter hatred of a vehicle)

 

[ukracer]

Looks like I might be in luck....it took me a while to find it as my Internet connection was up and down more than a fiddlers elbow.

 

[ukracer]

I'll assume you mean the alternator/battery light?

There should be brushes, they may have glazed or worn.

Possibly the regulator sense is having issues.

Does it dim or go out if you give it a bit of revs?

Not sure my son just moaned about another 100 quid down the drain.. said red light only went off after driving a bit. I am sure he would have side it it went out with revs.

 

[ukracer]

It could be a Fiat engine, I know the 9-3 is.

Nope I think it's the vectra.

 

[rtbcomp]

The alternator light connects between 12v (via the ignition switch) and somewhere in the regulator. The bulb forms part of the regulator circuit and must be the correct wattage, so if you've changed it recently check this.

The light goes out when the alternator is producing enough voltage to charge the battery.

The field coil on the rotor is fed by brushes running on slip rings, these must be clean. The brushes can wear and stick in their holders, the slip rings can wear too.

 

[ukracer]

Q

The alternator light connects between 12v (via the ignition switch) and somewhere in the regulator. The bulb forms part of the regulator circuit and must be the correct wattage, so if you've changed it recently check this.

The light goes out when the alternator is producing enough voltage to charge the battery.

The field coil on the rotor is fed by brushes running on slip rings, these must be clean. The brushes can wear and stick in their holders, the slip rings can wear too.

I think i have found a complete kit for 32 quid. Brushes , slip ring, rectifier and bearings

 

[armalites]

If it does have the freewheel pulley then you will need a special tool to get it off, I bought a set recently for about £20 makes the job a breeze. Not sure getting the pulley off without one would be possible. I put some bearings in a similar one recently I used a press, I think there is too much risk of braking the casting if you try and drift them out.

 

[dobbslc]

I was going to buy the puller but after paying for that and a new bearing it wasn't worth the hassle, I just got the local alternator repair place to do it.
I did not want to take it apart again!

 

[ukracer]

Its a fiat engine - Z19DTH
GM had a partnership with Fiat - Fiat supplied the common rail diesel (Z19DT and Z19DTH) and GM would supply the chassis (The vectra C, Saab 9-3, 9-5, Fiat Croma, Cadillac something or other and I think one of the alfas share a lot of bits and are essentially the same car underneath - Vectra C hatch and the saab 9-3 share a floorpan, and the Vectra C estate and the 9-5 share the "wagon" floorpan)

Alternator can be removed, its fiddly but doable, the hardest part was reconnecting the wires once its back in, needed another set of hands for that part, the rest I did on my own

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151016403050?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT << recommend speaking to him, he seems to know his stuff and stocks the bits to rebuild them top to bottom.

That's guy who did those videos....

 

[ukracer]

I'll assume you mean the alternator/battery light?

There should be brushes, they may have glazed or worn.

Possibly the regulator sense is having issues.

Does it dim or go out if you give it a bit of revs?

It's now died...red light on all the time. It's been standing for a while before we purchased it so yes brushes could be stuck as it's only done 500 miles since we put it back on the road. Taking it out tomorrow we shall get more idea then

 

[Rannsachair]

Am guessing you have checked the earth strap? Found it was not earthing properly on my brothers 9-3.

 

[ukracer]

Am guessing you have checked the earth strap? Found it was not earthing properly on my brothers 9-3.

No mate. To be honest my son saw the light come on dim and then as he went into work it stayed on. He checked the battery when he got there and it was 11.3. With the impending g cold weather he did not want to get stuck at 4am in the morning so he brought it back in his break period and swapped it for our other car.

Gonna have a look at it in the morning if Weather permits.

 

[ukracer]

How did he get it started at 11.3 volts?
jump it?
mine won't even turn over that low...

That's what he said funny enough..."don't know know how the hell it started that low"

I know he did not jump it as he has just had a new snap on jump start kit and would have said if he used it.