Power steering and alternator problems

[m1lky]

Hi everyone,

I have a vy ss

Last night my alternator light came on and the battery isn't charging. Went to check it out and the alternator is drenched in power steering fluid (resivour was almost completely empty), it was full a few weeks ago.

The ps pump is saturated, looked in my workshop manual and there are two o-rings and a seal on the pump so I want to replace them myself. Are the parts readily available (the seal, obviously the o-rings will be.) It's been whinning terribly about 3 weeks now. So the leak is probably why, air in the rack too?

I will get the alternator spun up by the auto sparkie but I'm thinking the ps fluid probably stuffed the windings. I may try rebuilding this myself too, if it's the diodes or brushes. Has anyone done this before? Is it simple enough?

Cheers

[m1lky]

Hi everyone

Got them both out. Alternator is covered in ps fluid. Can I clean it with brake cleaner?

Cheers

[axemurderer101]

you will need to pull the alternator apart and check if the brushes are fine or not, i just clean alternators in kero but only when i have pulled it all apart.

[m1lky]

Cheers mate. I'll pull that one apart tomorrow.

Just trying to disassemble the power steering pump, want to check that it is the seals before I buy new ones. How do you remove the pulley? Is it an imperial Allen key. My 10mm one it ever so slightly too big.

I have removed the rear plate and outlet plug. But it appears that the pulley must be removed prior to removing the shaft from the pump.

Has anyone done this before?

[m1lky]

Can't get the alternator apart. Workshop manual says remove brushes first but where the hell are they? Hopefully it just needs cleaned. A new alternator is expensive. Looks to have been apart before which isn't a good sign though :/

Still can't get the pulley off the ps pump, even with the right size Allen key, its a 3/8, damn yanks! Will try a rattle gun on sat. Seal kit from Holden was only $40, which was a nice surprise

Is there anyway to drain the rack? Would like to flush as much of the old ps fluid as possible.

Cheers

[wamboin23]

not sure on the power steering pump, but with the alternator you'll have to undo the 4 screws that hold the two halves together first.

brushes are inside, need to separate before you will see them. chances are the slip rings and brushes have been turned to mush, and things have gotten very hot.
might be lucky though and just be able to clean it up.

[DAKSTER]

The brushes are attached to the regulator. The regulator is the black plastic box bolted to the back of the alternator that the wires plug into. Undo the screws that hold the regulator in, and remove the regulator. You will see the copper blocks that are the brushes, they come out with the regulator. If you werent dismantling the whole alternator, you could replace the reg and brushes in like 5 minutes with a new set for $70 or so.

[m1lky]

I'm hoping to be lucky. I can't see any screws or plastic bits on the back (other than where the plug goes in) I'll spray it with electriclean and maybe that will help.

I undid the 4 screws that hold the halves together but it wouldn't budge :/ nothing to press against.

Does anyone know how you hold the pulley/shaft still to remove the pulley bolt? In either ps or alt

Thanks

[m1lky]

One of the brushes is min thickness and one of the sliprings is 0.3mm below min. I'll bite the bullet and replace the alternator

[m1lky]

Still can't get the pulley off the ps pump. Anyone know how to do it?

[D3CID3R]

Still can't get the pulley off the ps pump. Anyone know how to do it?

get a mate to hold one of the bolts with a ratchet/breaker bar, and undo the rest.. then wedge a spanner diagonal across the bolts ( so you stop it from turning) then undo the last bolt

[m1lky]

Which bolts?

All I have is a 3/8 Allen key hole and a tread under it. I've tried a large lever on the Allen key and it won't budge

[ivabiggen]

you will have to use a pulley puller to get the pulley off, lol.

[m1lky]

Used a wheel bearing puller. Didn't realize it was pressed on

[m1lky]

All fixed now.

Incase anyone else does this. You must support the back of the pump shaft while you press the pulley back on. Do not press against the back plate or it will blow out and you'll be up a pump