Postby ramishrrr » September 21st, 2018, 7:25 pm
My niece has a 1800 cc Fielder ZRE-142. Recently her alternator started making noise. He mechanic told her it was the alternator bearing, so she contacted me for help.
I took the car to the auto electrician, and it was pointed out to me that that type of alternator has a grooved pulley with a built-in clutch called a decoupler pulley. The alternator bearings were ok. It was the bearing in the pulley that was going bad. The car is a 2009 model.
Why a clutch ? Maybe to soften the impact on the serpentine belt, and to reduce chatter on the external belt tensioner. It works just like a bicycle coaster sprocket. No reason to doubt that its made exactly the same inside. The previous model cars did not employ that system. My 1800 Fielder (NZE121 model is 15 years old and never had alternator trouble.)
If the repairs are not carried out, the coupling will slip and eventually the alternator shaft may not turn, and your battery light will come on.
As it is, from that model onwards (NZE 141 shape) and the larger engined vehicles, the same type of decoupler pulley is employed. It is made in Canada, and fitted on the Denso alternator.
Now the nice part.
Foreign-used parts people tell me that the alternator is very difficult to find. If you get it, it will be TT$2,000-3,000 !!
Well, my auto parts dealers in Marabella have it.........the genuine Toyota grooved clutched-pulley. Faiz Auto....TT$1,000. Marud....TT$1100. Aftermarket TT$595.
I opted for the aftermarket for TT$595 and TT$100 for servicing and repairing the alternator. That's TT$600 I spent.
Why I bought the aftermarket ?
Seeing that how this thing is built, with a sealed bearing inside, and the service it is in, I feel that the genuine Toyota pulley will not have that much life more than the aftermarket.
I have aftermarket rear wheel bearings on my car about 7 years now. The car was 8 years old when the originals went bad. The genuine Toyota at TTL was TT$2,830. The aftermarket was TT$395.....ABS sensor included ! Of course, the rest is history.
Back to the alternator !
Looking at the alternator on the 1800cc 1ZZFE engine (NZE121 shape) and on my 1800cc 2ZZGE engine (NZE121 shape), I feel that that older model Denso alternator can be substituted. The simple pulley appears smaller, but the belt tensioner is able to take up the slack on the serpentine belt. The 2ZZ has VVTLI and the engine can rev like hell, and I used to rev it before the laser gun came. My alternator without that decoupler pulley has survived for 15 years !
So those of you with Noah, Voxy, Fielder, Vigo and other with decoupler pulleys on your alternator, do not let the foreign-used people, and the Change-the-alternator-auto-electricians dig out your eyes. Too, remember it is used already, so the life will be significantly shorter. Yours can be repaired for less.
Mine was repaired by Shane at Union Park Junction, Marabella.
Peace.
RR.
Last edited by
ramishrrr on September 22nd, 2018, 9:33 am, edited 7 times in total.