Diy rectifier and brush holder replacement
04-23-2017, 04:27 PM
#1
Diy rectifier and brush holder replacement
hey guys I just replaced my rectifier and brush holder and thought I would post up some pics. I know it is a straightforward process but thought some of you may appreciate some pics. I ordered third party rectifier and brush holder on the bay for ~$40 shipped. Let me know if anyone wants any other pics; I have a few more that I took today.
here are the replacement parts:
Picture of the alternator (sorry, I took out the screws/nuts before taking the picture. pretend like there are screws/nuts there, lol). Red arrows correspond to three nuts (I used a 5/16" socket, but a metric equivalent socket may be better). Green arrow is a phillips head. Blue arrow is 12mm nut. You can now lift the metal cover off the alternator.
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With the cover off, you'll see the following picture. Remove the five red phillips-head screws to take out the brush holder in the middle and the voltage regular on the lower right. You can use something like a strong paperclip to retract the brushes and lift the brush holder up.
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On the side of the rectifier, remove the four phillips-head screws and remove the rectifier. You're almost done at this point. Put in the new rectifier and brush holder and reverse the directions to put everything back together.
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My dash is flicker-free and is super bright now. I swear my VTEC kicks in harder too, yo!
here are the replacement parts:
Picture of the alternator (sorry, I took out the screws/nuts before taking the picture. pretend like there are screws/nuts there, lol). Red arrows correspond to three nuts (I used a 5/16" socket, but a metric equivalent socket may be better). Green arrow is a phillips head. Blue arrow is 12mm nut. You can now lift the metal cover off the alternator.
upload images
With the cover off, you'll see the following picture. Remove the five red phillips-head screws to take out the brush holder in the middle and the voltage regular on the lower right. You can use something like a strong paperclip to retract the brushes and lift the brush holder up.
free image upload api
On the side of the rectifier, remove the four phillips-head screws and remove the rectifier. You're almost done at this point. Put in the new rectifier and brush holder and reverse the directions to put everything back together.
image processing service
My dash is flicker-free and is super bright now. I swear my VTEC kicks in harder too, yo!
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04-23-2017, 04:47 PM
#2
Worked for me too, holding up so far.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-ALTE...dW84LN&vxp=mtr
This the one you used?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-ALTE...dW84LN&vxp=mtr
This the one you used?
09-18-2018, 07:57 AM
#4
I had the flickering dash lights, and tackled this last night. The diy was very helpful!
Some notes.
- I used the rectifier linked in the posts above. The part looks well made. The company is called Transpo. A quick google shows the company was founded decades ago by an engineer with experience in the industry. A garage operation that quickly grew. That gave me a little more confidence in using a non-oem part.
- I also replaced the brushes. The old ones were about 2/3 used up. So it was an acceptable time to replace them. For reference, my car has 140k miles. I surmise that the brushes wear quicker at first, since the spring pressure forcing them in contact with the shaft they spin against lessens as the part shortens from wear. There is another tread where someone with 330K miles replaced their brushes doing other service, and the brushes were almost completely used up. So perhaps my 2/3 of brush length used was really more like half used based on mileage. The brushes seem to be a universal Honda part. Same brushes as used on many other models. So these parts are inexpensive.
- I had a lot of trouble getting the new brushes to mount. They just didn't want to slide down into place. It wasn't the brushes, I used a tool to push them out of the way. It was the plastic body of the brush assembly. I really couldn't see what it was hanging up on. Finally I removed the regulator, which is the piece with the cooling fins. Its mounting hole needs to mount under the brush mount hole, but I just wanted to see if that is what it was hanging up on. Then the brushes slide on no problem, and I was then able to slide the regulator bracket under the brush bracket mount hole. So if you have trouble getting new brushes on, try that. Remove regulator, install brushes, slide regulator under brushes, attach screws. (note, I think I now know what the problem was. The new brushes are so much longer, its difficult to get a tool in there that is strong enough to hold them out of the way, yet thin enough not to get in the way. The tool I was using was just too fat, thus holding the new brushes off center)
- There was a lot of black dust, presumably from the brushes. I cleaned it off with spray contact cleaner. You can get it at Autoparts store or Amazon. Its meant for cleaning electrical parts. Usually used for cleaning things like misbehaving potentiometer switch contacts. But works well here too. No concern about it harming any of the internal components. The regulator was especially dirty on its underside. So I cleaned that well. There is an orange rubber gasket under where the brushes go. When I cleaned the alternator with contact spray, this piece fell off. I almost didn't notice as I was reassembling everything. Make sure that part is there as you begin reassembly so you don't have to do over.
- Some of the Phillips screws were on pretty tight. Make sure you have the correct size screwdriver so you don't strip the heads. That would suck.
To remove alternator:
- Disconnect battery terminal
- Remove the intake, the serp belt, and its just two 14mm bolts, and two electrical connections to get the alternator off (pay attention to how serp belts routes)
- Use a 12 mm ratcheting box wrench to at least loosen the fat 12V lead from alternator before you remove the alternator bolts
- Remove alternator from its mounts and pull it out slightly, then its easier to get at the two electrical connections to remove them
- My alternator fits real tight in its lower mount, and a prybar was necessary to slide it out (to get it to slide back in during reassembly, I had to hammer on it with a wood block (two foot 2x4 and ball peen hammer))
- With the alternator and intake removed, it was a good time to do some engine bay cleaning in areas normally not accessible. So plan for extra time if that will be on your agenda. (plug the Throttle Body with a rag so nothing gets in there!) Now is also a good time for Throttle Body cleaning
Some notes.
- I used the rectifier linked in the posts above. The part looks well made. The company is called Transpo. A quick google shows the company was founded decades ago by an engineer with experience in the industry. A garage operation that quickly grew. That gave me a little more confidence in using a non-oem part.
- I also replaced the brushes. The old ones were about 2/3 used up. So it was an acceptable time to replace them. For reference, my car has 140k miles. I surmise that the brushes wear quicker at first, since the spring pressure forcing them in contact with the shaft they spin against lessens as the part shortens from wear. There is another tread where someone with 330K miles replaced their brushes doing other service, and the brushes were almost completely used up. So perhaps my 2/3 of brush length used was really more like half used based on mileage. The brushes seem to be a universal Honda part. Same brushes as used on many other models. So these parts are inexpensive.
- I had a lot of trouble getting the new brushes to mount. They just didn't want to slide down into place. It wasn't the brushes, I used a tool to push them out of the way. It was the plastic body of the brush assembly. I really couldn't see what it was hanging up on. Finally I removed the regulator, which is the piece with the cooling fins. Its mounting hole needs to mount under the brush mount hole, but I just wanted to see if that is what it was hanging up on. Then the brushes slide on no problem, and I was then able to slide the regulator bracket under the brush bracket mount hole. So if you have trouble getting new brushes on, try that. Remove regulator, install brushes, slide regulator under brushes, attach screws. (note, I think I now know what the problem was. The new brushes are so much longer, its difficult to get a tool in there that is strong enough to hold them out of the way, yet thin enough not to get in the way. The tool I was using was just too fat, thus holding the new brushes off center)
- There was a lot of black dust, presumably from the brushes. I cleaned it off with spray contact cleaner. You can get it at Autoparts store or Amazon. Its meant for cleaning electrical parts. Usually used for cleaning things like misbehaving potentiometer switch contacts. But works well here too. No concern about it harming any of the internal components. The regulator was especially dirty on its underside. So I cleaned that well. There is an orange rubber gasket under where the brushes go. When I cleaned the alternator with contact spray, this piece fell off. I almost didn't notice as I was reassembling everything. Make sure that part is there as you begin reassembly so you don't have to do over.
- Some of the Phillips screws were on pretty tight. Make sure you have the correct size screwdriver so you don't strip the heads. That would suck.
To remove alternator:
- Disconnect battery terminal
- Remove the intake, the serp belt, and its just two 14mm bolts, and two electrical connections to get the alternator off (pay attention to how serp belts routes)
- Use a 12 mm ratcheting box wrench to at least loosen the fat 12V lead from alternator before you remove the alternator bolts
- Remove alternator from its mounts and pull it out slightly, then its easier to get at the two electrical connections to remove them
- My alternator fits real tight in its lower mount, and a prybar was necessary to slide it out (to get it to slide back in during reassembly, I had to hammer on it with a wood block (two foot 2x4 and ball peen hammer))
- With the alternator and intake removed, it was a good time to do some engine bay cleaning in areas normally not accessible. So plan for extra time if that will be on your agenda. (plug the Throttle Body with a rag so nothing gets in there!) Now is also a good time for Throttle Body cleaning
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nubbel (10-11-2018)
10-04-2022, 08:03 PM
#6
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Worked for me too, holding up so far.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-ALTE...dW84LN&vxp=mtr
This the one you used?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-ALTE...dW84LN&vxp=mtr
This the one you used?
10-05-2022, 02:37 AM
#7
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10-05-2022, 10:18 AM
#8
Is this what usually goes/breaks when needing a new alternator?
Do you just replace this, and not the entire alternator?
Just curious... as it's always good to know this kinda maintenance stuff, when the time comes (esp since I'm at 130k miles).
Do you just replace this, and not the entire alternator?
Just curious... as it's always good to know this kinda maintenance stuff, when the time comes (esp since I'm at 130k miles).
10-05-2022, 01:45 PM
#9
^^ Yes and bearings if needed
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Jah2000 (10-06-2022)
10-05-2022, 02:10 PM
#10
The typical issue is flickering dash lights. This is the clue the rectifier is shot. Its job is to convert the AC current produced by alternator into DC. When it fails, instead of a nice, steady ~14.5V output, it pulses up and down, like half a sine wave.
This really hammers sensitive electronics. Chips, transistors, etc. Micro damage tbat adds up over time. The ecu, any fancy stereo head unit you might have, etc. So best to fix asap when noticed.
The typical scenario is you use your S to jumpstart another car, and this stresses your alternator (especially of you crank that other car while S engine is running. If you have to use S to jumpstart something else that isn't smaller, like a motorcycle, then leave jumper cables hooked up for a long time while S runs, so it charges other battery, then SHUT OFF S before trying start other car. Use S to charge other battery only, not using yoir alternator to run orher cars starter), blowing out rectifier.
This really hammers sensitive electronics. Chips, transistors, etc. Micro damage tbat adds up over time. The ecu, any fancy stereo head unit you might have, etc. So best to fix asap when noticed.
The typical scenario is you use your S to jumpstart another car, and this stresses your alternator (especially of you crank that other car while S engine is running. If you have to use S to jumpstart something else that isn't smaller, like a motorcycle, then leave jumper cables hooked up for a long time while S runs, so it charges other battery, then SHUT OFF S before trying start other car. Use S to charge other battery only, not using yoir alternator to run orher cars starter), blowing out rectifier.
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Jah2000 (10-06-2022)