BXProject

[Vanny]

So, the thing (excuse) for not having done cock all with Jazz has been a lack of alternator. I've bought just 4 replacements to date, all new, and not a single fecking one matching the description (anyone need an alternator for a Relay van?). Pissed off, formerly of Scally Ville, has had enough, so today i marched to the garage and assembled my army of alternators!

5 in total, one Mitsubishi and 4 Valeo's. The Valeo's are all Xantia alternators ranging from 50 ro 80 amps. They are suffering from a mixture of brush and regulator failure.

The 'MELCO' one i've had for a while with no real idea of size or fitment. Well it turns out, that not only is it an 80amp unit, but it is also the exact one that should be fitted from the factory to a BX with aircon. Thanks very much, thats rather handy.

I know this one has no brushes, so set about dismantling. Failed, or should i say stopped before breakage occured. Remembered i'd read in the work shop manual how to take one apart, had a look, the 'example' is for the very unit i want to dismember. 5 minutes later and i have a set of goosed brushes in my hand! WHOOP! The rear bearing has also failed.

Back inside, a quick bimble over 'Woods Auto Supplies' in Huddersfield, and they list all the parts i need to get her ship shape again. Except they have no stock of the brushes

Never mind, soon i'll have the alternator on, and the aux belt and compressor back on, then rebuild the fucker and sail her out of the garage!!!!

[Philhod]

Yeah! There's always something lurking to stop you.

I went down to look at mine, took off the cover and made a list of next jobs.
Then I go and break my foot and I'm laid up for a few weeks.
The agravating bit with mine is, I'm not short of anything, it just needs me to get on with it.

[docchevron132]

Jesus christ man, the dude I got my alternator from has hundreds of the fucking things, brand new, 80Amp, off the shelf, next day delivered etc etc..
Bout fucking time though..

[Vanny]

Go on then smart arse, where from.

[docchevron132]

I posted a link on here fucking ages ago, when I got mine in actual fact.. erm, I'll see if I can find it..

[Vanny]

I guess that means it wasn't cheap. £5 or bearings and brushes is much better than £120 new alternator imho.

[Philhod]

Yeah I agree there Vanny, The diode, brushes or brgs are the only things that fail usually, although it's not often you can find someone to sell them to you as they make more out of the £120 version.

[Vanny]

Woods will get the brushes in in 4 weeks time, arses. If you've never been on there site, they literally stock everything for every conceivable alternator, i think its actually possible to build complete alternators from components.

[Philhod]

That would be worth costing out because I can't believe there is over £100 worth of parts, or anything like it.

[docchevron132]

mine was £74 delivered, next day..

[Way2go]

That would be worth costing out because I can't believe there is over £100 worth of parts, or anything like it.

I think that there's a fault in that logic as to build a car out of new spares would cost significantly more in parts than the factory job.

Unless it was like Johnny Cash's "One Piece At A Time"!

Linky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIuo0KIqD_E

[Philhod]

I used to have that track somewhere.

There are things, like alternators, that are way overpriced as to what they cost to make,
So the logic may not be that flawed

I paid £10 more than that, 10 years ago Doc

[Way2go]

There are things, like alternators, that are way overpriced as to what they cost to make

The concept to grasp though is that in this modern world, price has nothing whatsoever to do with cost! Cost is only true at the point of manufacture, thereafter through the supply chain to it's final sale, Price is what someone will pay for it in a "free" and competitive market.
In the "old days" the final price was governed by a cost-plus calculation whereby each company aimed for a fixed gross margin on each item of 25% or 33%. Today that GM will vary wildly depending on the product but unlikely to dip below 40% except for unusual reasons.
Cost plus lingered longest in the Govt Contract areas which showed that low margins also did not equate to lower prices as in that sector inefficiency was an active undercurrent that increased company profitability or financed through any gaps that otherwise would have occurred in production.

But, in real numbers, the mind would boggle at say the difference between the on sale price of a 50" LED 3D Flat Panel TV in the High Street against the unit production cost in China/Far-East!

[Philhod]

That was a lot of words to say "Rip off Britain"

Used to work in the power industry and that was always on a cost + basis, mainly because it was all prototype work sometimes using new production methods or ones devised specifically for a certain job. We had one customer in this country, CEGB/ National Grid. Costs were planned, jobs secureish and power affordable. Enter Maggie and her band of robbers.
But that wasn't market driven(?) so it was broken up to be competitive, Powergen Natpower etc. They ordered abroad from competitors. Companies folded, millions of skilled jobs lost, competitors put up prices, Power prices out of control and certainly no longer affordable.

Sorry, you hit a raw nerve there......well it's only been 20 years

[Bx Bandit]

Might have to have one of they Doc - depending on what I end up doing engine wise on the TD

[Vanny]

Well brushes and bearings arrived, not even fucking slightly close to the right size for the MELCO unit. right for the valeo though, and no i din't order the wrong partno, there just a shit company.

[Philhod]

Were you ordering from part no's?

That's one problem with ordering by post or over the phone, you can't actually se what your getting till it arrives.
A lot of websites are putting drawings in now to make things easier.

[Vanny]

blah blah its all a load of shit

[Philhod]

I take it that's a wobble thrown then

[Vanny]

You post shit, but i'm not allowed to, come on Phil, this isn't a democracy you know!