Alternator strange occurence

[fussydave]

I went out for a drive today and after about 15 miles I suddenly started to hear a grating sound coming from the engine. The performance was not affected, the gauges read correctly so I ignored it untill I got home. On opening the bonnet and starting the engine again the noise was obviously coming from the alternator. My alternator has been moved up to the left hand side of the engine to make way for the EWP. On examining the alternator it was obvious that the cooling fins were bent forward and were fouling on the fan belt, causing the grating noise. How on earth can the fins suddenly have bent forward? I got my pliers and bent them back square to the alternator. Fortunately there was very little damage to the fan belt. Any one else come across this issue?

Dave.

[mole42]

I had similar but the fins were just touching the alternator case. Made a horrible clatter! Mine is in the original position so I think a stone might have caused it. Like you, I found that judicious use of a large screwdriver fixed the problem.

[fussydave]

Hi Mole,

A colleague at work suggested that something could have been thrown into the alternator (obviously between the case and the fins to bend them out towards the fan belt) but as the alternator is high up I find it hard to imagine something getting thrown up from the road through the gap between the enging and frame and briefly lodging in the alternator. There was no clattering leading up to the grating noise.

Dave.

[Kithmo]

Ghost of a previous owner ?