Alternator Options

[eacmen]

What were you seeing for voltage when on track? Low or fluctuating?

It would fluctuate and trend downward as the track session went on. I would also see periodic dips to 13v but I suspect that was because SMG pump was priming.


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[fourmula1]

New Valeo unit seems to be doing the job.

Old alt was 13.7v at cold idle. New alt is 14.1.

Wont call it success until I do a track session though and see the data.


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What were you seeing for voltage when on track? Low or fluctuating?

[eacmen]

Its a new alternator, I have the receipt of when it was put in. The guy at Autozone hooked up the tester to the battery terminals under the hood and it came back "bad diode". I'm wondering if hooking up the tester to the jumpers under the hood has anything to do with it. We couldn't hook it up directly to the battery terminals because of the stupid big red plastic piece around the positive terminal and they were about to close. In any case, kinda bummed if it is really bad. It wouldnt start the other day and I put in a new starter thinking that was the culprit since both the battery and alternator are new.

Yeah wasnt trying to claim it wasnt new, just curious when Valeo moved manufacturing from France to Poland.


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[Maxima SE]

Photo of sticker? Country of mfr? Looks like the original alt was made in France but I think the newer ones are made in Poland.

I just replaced the original alt and mine is 2004 with 100k miles. No clear sign of failure except a couple voltage dips in track data.

I bet you could just replace the voltage regulator versus the whole alt. Unless it was a mechanical
failure.


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Its a new alternator, I have the receipt of when it was put in. The guy at Autozone hooked up the tester to the battery terminals under the hood and it came back "bad diode". I'm wondering if hooking up the tester to the jumpers under the hood has anything to do with it. We couldn't hook it up directly to the battery terminals because of the stupid big red plastic piece around the positive terminal and they were about to close. In any case, kinda bummed if it is really bad. It wouldnt start the other day and I put in a new starter thinking that was the culprit since both the battery and alternator are new.

[eacmen]

anyone have a Valeo go bad on them? I picked up a Z4M couple months ago that had a new valeo alternator installed less than 2 years ago and it is already bad. Freaking thing still looks brand new. I was shocked to find out it is bad when I took it to autozone.

Photo of sticker? Country of mfr? Looks like the original alt was made in France but I think the newer ones are made in Poland.

I just replaced the original alt and mine is 2004 with 100k miles. No clear sign of failure except a couple voltage dips in track data.

I bet you could just replace the voltage regulator versus the whole alt. Unless it was a mechanical
failure.


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[Maxima SE]

anyone have a Valeo go bad on them? I picked up a Z4M couple months ago that had a new valeo alternator installed less than 2 years ago and it is already bad. Freaking thing still looks brand new. I was shocked to find out it is bad when I took it to autozone.

[eacmen]

New Valeo unit seems to be doing the job.

Old alt was 13.7v at cold idle. New alt is 14.1.

Wont call it success until I do a track session though and see the data.


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[Shonky]

My old one from my 08/2004 build car is marked S29AN04 so that would appear to line up.

[eacmen]

Valeo is a french company so I'm assuming S = semaine (week). An is year. So 26th week of 2004.

Wow, 4 years of french and I would have never made that connection. Thanks!


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[heinzboehmer]

Anyone aware of how to read Valeo date code? This is what I pulled. I assume since the BMW logo is on it that it was original to the car.





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Valeo is a french company so I'm assuming S = semaine (week). An is year. So 26th week of 2004.

[eacmen]

Anyone aware of how to read Valeo date code? This is what I pulled. I assume since the BMW logo is on it that it was original to the car.





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[PSUEng]

Also in stock at RockAuto--I grabbed one.

[eacmen]

Were you able to get the "correct" alternator, or did you get the X5 version?

I got the correct one from bimmerworld. They are back in stock


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[D-O]

Were you able to get the "correct" alternator, or did you get the X5 version?

[eacmen]

Picked up a new Valeo unit from Bimmerworld. The unit I pulled out was also Valeo. I assume it was the original alternator on the car. We'll see if it solves my voltage dip problems!