A Big Hello and sorry to say I have to start with a problem

WIDELOAD · Post by **WIDELOAD** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:33 pm

Hi

Firstly I would like to say a big hello from me and my wife, Sharon from sunny Birmingham. We have not had our bongo long, about 3 weeks in all. It's took this time to pluck up the courage to post a message ( i'm a bit shy

)

Me and my wife first started looking for a bongo last year but only concerntrated on the camper versions. Soon realised this wasn,t the best option for us as it had to be used to ferry all the kids around on a day to day basis but we still felt that we could achieve cheap holidays and a daily run about in one vehicle and the bongo fitted the bill.

My wife only had one stipulation and it was she wanted the aqua marine colour, this has proved very difficult but finally found one. It is the 2.5 td auto with 4wd. It seemed to be in good order, very clean and looked after but we have a problem.

We were due to go away this bank holiday for the first time and were itching to try it out,but unfotunately we had an alternator problem last week. I took the altenator to our local garage that re-conditions them, and they quickly turned it around. Once I got it home I started to install it, I noticed that when the connector had been inserted along with the battery connection, it started to make a noise and then smoke

, I immediately disconnected the alternator and took it back to the garage for him to check it out.

The reason I am posting this message is to make sure the connections are correct and I am getting what I should get at the plug end for the alternator

There are two wires in a connector that plugs into the alternator and the main charge lead to the battery. There is a thin blue/yellow wire which I gather is from the charge light on the dash and I have checked this and it seems ok but there is a thick brown wire in the connector that is perminant 12v, I would just like to confirm that this is correct and to make sure its not supposed to be ign 12v.

I am due to pick up the alternator again tomorow and would just like to make sure all is ok with the car side of things before the garage says it is my fault

Sorry for waffle I am new to forums.

Cheers Lee

John the sparky · Post by **John the sparky** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:41 pm

hello Wideload,

someone will be along to help shortly.....

but they will ask whereabouts you are, so maybe someone local can advise you

hope it gets sorted

John

Post by **mobilecat** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:44 pm

Hang on in there - its bank holiday weekend and a lot of people will be away but it will be busierlater tonight - we are not ignoring you.

Welcome to the gang - and post some ovely photos soon.

Post by **Ian** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:05 pm

Wideload, is it a Woodall alternator, or is it a Hitachi, or is it a Mazda original? I ask because there is a bad batch (with dodgy solders) kicking around at the moment.

scanner · Post by **scanner** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:16 pm

John the sparky wrote:hello Wideload,

someone will be along to help shortly.....

but they will ask whereabouts you are, so maybe someone local can advise you

hope it gets sorted

John

It's not under location, but he did say in the post.

a big hello from me and my wife, Sharon from sunny Birmingham.

But I think he's fibbing about the "sunny" bit.

WIDELOAD · Post by **WIDELOAD** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:19 pm

Hi,

Thank you for your welcome, we were not expecting posts this fast. Even though me and the wife were waiting at the computer

The alternator is a Hitachi, 12v 90amp, model no. LR190-731B, and the Mazda no. is WL01 18 300.

Just to clarifiy, they have reconditioned my original alternator, it wasn't swapped for another one. I would just like to confirm what to expect at the connector so when I pick it up again tomorrow I can be confident that it is not the car that is causing the fault.

Cheers Lee

P.S. I will have to work out how to put pictures in $\:D/$ I've got the hang of the smilies

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:28 am

Welcome WIDELOAD and nice to have you with us. Can't help personally but there is plenty of discussion about alternators on here (try using Search) and/or lots of expertise that will continue to help once they've read your thread.

Good luck

Mike

Post by **Doone** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:09 pm

Don't forget to disconnect the battery (batteries) before fitting the alternator.

WIDELOAD · Post by **WIDELOAD** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:28 pm

Hi,

Looks like the garage has let us down, was hoping to get the alternator back today to try it out in good time and get ready for our first holiday (part 2) down Poole next week, starting to worry now

, might have to camp on the drive

, at least there will be plenty of beer in the fridge

I have searched high and low on the forum to try and find out if the brown wire that goes into the alternator connector should be ignition 12v or perminant 12v, anybody know what it should be

Cheers Lee

B*Witched Blingo · Post by **B*Witched Blingo** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:34 pm

Could anybody take a piccie of one in situ for you to have a look at before you refit yours. Dark now, but maybe there is a piccie in the owners manual.

Good luck to you. I wish I could help you more.. Sorry...