Thread: In cape York with alternator trouble.. help!

the brushes are shot....

if you're really lucky there will be enough meat left for you to pad them out beyond the normal safe wear limit.

driving in the bog has essentially turned your alternator slip ring into a grinding wheel and its eaten the brushes.

you'll need to polish up the slip ring while you're at it or the brushes wont last didly even if you do replace them.

if you pulled it out, its also worth checking that you didnt damage the inside fixings of the terminals.

Have you got a location someone could ship one to you? I can get hold of one and forward it if need be.

If it is the brushes, you could take a look at the wind screen wiper motor brushes and fit them to get you down the coast.
Seems to be the time for alternators to go on the blink, i replaced mine 2 days ago.

The nearest workshop is in Seisia, and seems a good bloke( From the Northern Beaches)
BUT he will probably have to get bits flown in.
There is a wrecker in Bamaga, but moot whether they will have a Disco.
Regards Philip A

If you have solar panels that you can charge your batteries with you should be able to manage without the alternator. Just dont use anything that uses batteries like, fridges, lights, radio etc.
The tdi once running, should only need 12v to go to the fuel cut off solenoid as far as i am aware? on our 90 it is like that anyway. you could run a lead straight from one of the batteries to this once running and then isolate that battery from everything else, either through your dual system controller or by disconnecting terminals, so the charge lasts. You should be able to get back to somewhere you can fix your alternator like that. have one battery isolated and on solar charge at all times if your dual system allows it.

M R Automotive should be able to express post parts to the nearest post office, probably be 2 maybe 3 days delivery due to location. Their number is 07 3284 6688. They sent us parts during our trip, from memory was 2 days to Cooktown.

Wow! You guys are great! I'll check out the bushes. At last check, two months ago, there was plenty of meat on them, I'll bodgy something up.

Looks like solar powered disco to bamaga then, I'll strap em on the camper!



Plenty of fish here so we won't die of hunger!

Not a bad place to have trouble .

I had similar problems when I was up Cobourg Peninsula. Solar
panels Put in enough charge each day to get me to Katherine where I got a new alternator.