Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: Alternator without ecu control
John Bonnett

posted on 16/7/20 at 11:35 AM Reply With Quote
Alternator without ecu control

As many of you know I'm using a 1.6 Sigma engine for my project and am planning a DTA ecu. Normally the alternator is, I believe, on this engine controlled by the ecu. This won't be possible with the after market ecu. I've heard and would appreciate confirmation that the alternator can be wired in the normal way without going through the ecu using an ignition warning light and direct connection to the battery. If this is right can you tell me what wires are redundant and which one is the exciter.

Thank you

Joh

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
starterman

posted on 16/7/20 at 01:28 PM Reply With Quote
Do we know the part number of the alternator John?

Cheers
Mike

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
John Bonnett

posted on 16/7/20 at 03:29 PM Reply With Quote
I'll try to attach a couple of photos Mike. Thank you for your reply.




[Edited on 16/7/20 by John Bonnett]

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
mangogrooveworkshop

posted on 16/7/20 at 04:23 PM Reply With Quote
Its not quite as straight forward as you think. I have a contact who mods these things to make them run or better use the twee dihatsu one.
its not a voltage but a signal that controls it

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
starterman

posted on 16/7/20 at 06:24 PM Reply With Quote
John,

I will have a play around when I'm in work in the morning.

Cheers
Mike

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
John Bonnett

posted on 16/7/20 at 06:59 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by starterman
John,

I will have a play around when I'm in work in the morning.

Cheers
Mike


That's really kind of you Mike. Thank you.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Oddified

posted on 16/7/20 at 08:01 PM Reply With Quote
I ran into the same problem on the st220 engine/smart alternator. I ended up stripping the alternator down, removing the 'clever' control and adding in 3 diodes and a conventional reg so it works as a conventional alternator with ignition dash light.
View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
t3nay
Contributor






Posts 20
Registered 16/5/15
Location Okehampton
Member Is Offline

Photo Archive Go!
Building: Always improving my Sylva Striker, MK2 Escort Mexi

posted on 28/7/20 at 09:44 PM Reply With Quote
Has anyone had any luck with this?

I have the same problem.

There must be a way to fool it into charging.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
starterman

posted on 31/7/20 at 04:42 PM Reply With Quote
Change the regulator. Drop in and have a chat if you want, I'm in Callington.

Cheers
Mike

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
t3nay
Contributor






Posts 20
Registered 16/5/15
Location Okehampton
Member Is Offline

Photo Archive Go!
Building: Always improving my Sylva Striker, MK2 Escort Mexi

posted on 1/8/20 at 10:32 AM Reply With Quote
Thanks Mike, sent u2u
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
FFMan

posted on 3/9/20 at 08:27 AM Reply With Quote
is there a solution here that can be shared as i'll be in this boat soon.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
John Bonnett

posted on 3/9/20 at 09:24 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by FFMan
is there a solution here that can be shared as i'll be in this boat soon.


If it's the same alternator as the one I have which is from a MK1 1.6 Focus it's simply a question of changing the regulator which I'm sure Starterman will help you with.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
mcerd1

posted on 3/9/20 at 10:40 AM Reply With Quote
does anyone know how different these alternators are to the slightly newer ones found on the duratec's ?

for example my tin-top (2008 1.8 duratec) started playing up - at first it was just like a battery not holding much charge (struggling to start on cold days etc) and I didn't think too much of it, but before I got any further with it I ended up with a totally dead battery and was forced to jump start it (which I know is not great for some of these cars ) shortly after this it started throwing up error codes and turning off the power steering while driving etc... which all seemed to come from over-voltage (according to the dash it was charging at anything between 11v and 18v seemingly at random)

long story short I bit the bullet and swapped the alternator out which cured the over-voltage issues - so I'm sure the regulator was dead in the end (who knows if that was part of the original issue as the old battery actually shows up not too bad on tests)

but I still get the other error code which is apparently triggered by a short somewhere (not found it yet, could be in the ECU) - this means that smart charging has effectively switched off and runs the alternator in limp mode at a constant 13.5v


This started me wondering if there was an relatively simple way to trick these alternators into limp mode ?
or is changing the regulator cheap enough that it's not worth the hassle ?





-

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
t3nay
Contributor






Posts 20
Registered 16/5/15
Location Okehampton
Member Is Offline

Photo Archive Go!
Building: Always improving my Sylva Striker, MK2 Escort Mexi

posted on 3/9/20 at 01:20 PM Reply With Quote
Mike (starterman) changed my regulator for £15. Wasn’t worth messing around with at that price, very helpful man. 👍
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
FFMan

posted on 3/9/20 at 02:56 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds like the way to go as I am trying to isolate my ecu to engine only in prep for replacement and perhaps one that does not have alternator control or drive the dash board etc

Question. If i convert my alternator to a more conventional type, will the standard ecu get hissy prior to me ditching it ?

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.