Member Since: 13 Apr 2017
Location: midlands
Posts: 151
Very helpful and clear instructions many thanks
14th Apr 2017 4:21 pm
Paddington
Member Since: 30 May 2013
Location: Southampton
Posts: 280
Had to change my alternator today as the battery light came on yesterday, followed the write up which was a great help, thanks
Previous cars
Discovery 200 tdi
Discovery 300 tdi
Discovery td5
8th Dec 2017 2:32 pm
81cw81
Member Since: 09 Nov 2017
Location: Wigan
Posts: 1
Evening people, had my battery light come on yesterday afternoon, checked volt output was getting 10v. Ordered a new alt and battery while I was at it. Fitted today with very little problem after following this guide. Started up now getting 13.5v at idle, but battery light is still on. All the suspension and gearbox faults have cleared now and most important the heated seats work again. Has any body had this issue or know of a possible cause.
23rd Dec 2017 7:20 pm
Paddington
Member Since: 30 May 2013
Location: Southampton
Posts: 280
Hi 81cw81
make sure you fully charge the battery first and aux belt is on properly
Previous cars
Discovery 200 tdi
Discovery 300 tdi
Discovery td5
One might consider counting the number of grooves on the pulley of the new alternator vs the number on the removed alternator.
Most often the number of grooves is the same, but for me, the second replacement alternator had the wrong pulley. The first replacement had a defective regulator - took a week or so figure out, and the second, the wrong pulley - swapped pulleys and all good, but just a thought.2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.
25th Dec 2017 4:49 pm
widewheels
Member Since: 28 Jan 2018
Location: Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Posts: 6
Big thank you to the chap who posted this guide. Priceless !!
Believe me when I say that I am a complete novice and changing the alternator was actually the first ever job that I have done myself on my D3.
After 1.5 hours, 5 cups of tea, 15mm of skin missing from left knuckle and 654 blasphemes the job is complete and the red battery light of doom has, at long last, gone out.
Tools I used:
- 13mm swivel head ratchet spanner (alternator bolts x 3 and live feed nut at top of alternator)
- 36mm viscous fan spanner and fan locking/ holding thingy (Bought as a pair for £20 on eBay) - Very very very useful, not sure how I would have removed the fan without these. Even with them I still needed to give the spanner a good whack with a large persuader to shock the nut loose.
- Appropriately sized ratchet to loosen the belt tensioner and release the belt from the alternator.
Process followed:
- Pretty much identical to the guide posted here.
Other tips:
- Whilst installing the new alternator, I clicked in the plug to the rear and I tightened up the the live feed nut first. Then inserted the single facing top bolt and only finger tightened to keep a bit of play but also to hold the whole thing roughly in position. Then I inserted the furthest most bottom bolt as this one was tricky to line up with the hole due to being blind. Again just finger tight. The final bottom bolt was then inserted and fully tightened. Finally, the other two were fully tightened.
- The rest was straight forward.
Please Note: My battery received a full charge overnight, the night before I changed the alternator meaning that a fully charged battery was installed straight after installing the new alternator.
If I can do it, anyone can do it.
3rd Feb 2018 4:25 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2863
Had the battery light come on and P0622-29 (6C) Generator field terminal circuit - General signal failure - signal is invalid fault on the IID whilst trying to diagnose a whine from the bonnet that had started on the way home.
Unfortunately due to a busy day already planned there was no opportunity to get onto it until tonight.
1 hour to find my viscous spanner then 50 mins to sort the rest - had to work fast as I was outside in the driveway and it is "Brass Monkey Weather!" Anyhow all sorted.
Thanks for the guide and modifications to it from everyone along the way.
I found it easiest to remove the cables after I'd removed the bolts and then swapped the alternator and connected the cables back up before juggling into position putting the top bolt in and then getting the back and front lower ones in finger tight before tightening with Halfords flexible ratchet spanner set - this was a great help as you can adjust to the right angle in the confined space.Must stop buying shiny toys....
4th Mar 2018 12:55 am
northernmonkeyjones
Member Since: 11 Feb 2013
Location: Derby
Posts: 64
had to do mine yesterday, was whining so I thought it was best to swap it over. Had a search and found this thread
Pair of stilsons on the fan and it was all off pretty quickly. I took off the lower fan shroud too, it just clips out. Made it much easier to get the alternator in and out.
tools needed
7mm socket or flat head screwdriver to remove the house clip on the top pipe
8mm ratchet spanner
13mm ratchet spanner.
3/8" drive bar to release the tensioner
13mm socket and small extension bar
unbolting the alternator gives access to the top +ve cable.
Denso alternator from LR direct, for £206 incl so that wasn't too bad.
honestly, if you have any mechanical skill at all it is a very doable job, and there is plenty of room once the fan is off etc, it took me under an hour, and tbh if id taken the lower fan shroud out to start with it would have taken less time.
Many thanks to the YouTube man and all the tips on here helped too.
I bought a recon Denso from Ebay and this turned up (see photo). Is that a recon Denso? I don't think it is and am pretty miffed. Had to fit it as I'd already ripped out the original so was half way through the job. I've seen mention of low quality alternators lasting just a short time....GRRRRR!!!!
13th Mar 2019 9:44 pm
Mogwyth
Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: Pwllheli
Posts: 3976
Just changed the one on the V8 surprisingly easy and no need to remove the fan.
Belt tensioner is to the right of the fan and can be moved with 3/8 drive end on long breaker bar. The alternator looks the same as the diesel fitting and wiring wise and is very easily removed and replaced via the front offside access, no need to jack up or remove the wheel.==================================
05 D3 HSE V8 4.4
04 MG TF 135
03 MG TF 115 Cool Blue Edition
02 MG TF 160
00 Hymer B564 Lionheart
1971 Series III 109
13th Mar 2019 10:08 pm
trots
Member Since: 04 Jul 2015
Location: Auckland
Posts: 41
Remove alternator without taking fan off
If you've read this far, can't get hold of the LR viscous fan holder tool, and still can't get the fan off after trying a 36mm fan spanner with various other improvised and home made tools, hammers and levers, and don't want to use heat or chisels, there is hope!
I've managed to remove alternator from under the car without taking fan off. Remove all bolts and connections on alternator, pull it out and wiggle it round until is positioned as close as possible to the bottom of the car. Remove the radiator/intercooler hoses, and push them up past the alternator. maneuever the alternator out the bottom. Don't know if others have ever had to resort to this, but it can be done.
Tried it all:
Gap the alternator fits through:
Intercooler hose removed at bottom:
Radiator top hose removed to enable them to be pushed up out of the way:
New Denso being slotted through:
30th Mar 2019 2:14 am
davidhem
Member Since: 21 Feb 2013
Location: Kenilworth
Posts: 710
A massive thank you to Methley for this great description of replacing the alternator, I would not have undertaken to change mine without reading it first.
The only thing I struggled with was the bloody red plastic cover over the live cable, It was only when putting it back on that I noticed it had a small cutout that allowed it to be peeled upwards to get it more out of the way.David
21st Jun 2019 9:17 am
MatcherMike
Member Since: 15 Sep 2012
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 94
Great write up. Did mine today in under an hour . To remove fan I wedged a screwdriver under the 10mm bolt on fan hun and onto the top right pulley. 36mm spanner and it popped off.
Easy enough to get alternator off and on. Positive lead nut was the fiddliest bit under the rubber cover.
Cheers
Mike
28th Jul 2019 10:26 pm
TT___50
Member Since: 07 May 2017
Location: God’s own Country
Posts: 171
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