Thanks for sharing. My e39 which also has the M54 Engine and had a Valeo Alternator had the alternator light come on too - the brushes were worn out. You can just replace the brushes, but you have be able to solder. Getting the Brush Cover off on the Valeo Alternator is a real PIA. It requires careful cutting of the plastic cover and I tried to min. the cutting so it could be reused. (supposedly it can slide off, but good luck...to me it looked like one time use. The brushes are part of the Regulator and you can not change the brushes without removing that brush cover.)The Regulator on Valeo Alternator is more expensive: about twice the price of a new Bosch Regulator. Plus the fact that my slip rings were heavily worn (the copper discs that you were sanding that the brushes ride on) I just opted to replace with a new Bosch Alternator. The new Bosch Alternators are made in South Africa....So far no issues, but I wonder how long it last over the original European made Bosch (I think most Bosch Alternators on these Era BMWs were made in Great Britain).....Rebuilt Alternators - there is no telling how long they will last. Most Re-manufacturers are using inferior Chinese Bearings (if any new bearings at all) and you may only get a couple of years and/or 50k which is not worth the price. Most of the alternators I found in the Salvage Yard needed Bearings. The Bearings can be swapped out but the time to do that all that work and the cost of the bearings, you don't real save much plus removing them you may end up damaging the alternator casing.
You got lucky with that sleeve. On my car that was a 2000 323i with 250k miles and spent its whole life in the rust belt. It was a few hours of hassle to try and get that sleeve to move for the alternator to come out. Plus it happens in the middle of winter here in Chicago in a unheated garage so that made is so much better.
After you break your bolts and have them half way out take a small hammer and tap them sliders. I PB blast them before hand. also idk if that helps but can’t hurt.
Lmao I read it more humorous. I misinterpreted the comment. I thought he was saying how it would be possible to rust, when the entire engine leaks oil so it basically should be covered for rust problems. 🤣
I faced the same case on my 04/2004 330Ci (MS45.1) I noticed that my alternator looked different than what RealOEM was showing, so I pulled my alternator to check the part number for the alternator and the voltage regulator, when checking those part numbers it was from an E60! Love the channel btw, you helped me a lot, and I’m watching your new videos “just because”, I’m even watching the E90 videos although I don’t like it and don’t plan on getting E9x ever
Good video, Jason. Thanks. For those of you replacing the belt tensioner, please get a BMW part. I had a new tensioner break on two different BMWs during installation. Never happens with a genuine part.
Dude I just enjoy your instructional videos...BMW should pay you for helping fixing their ALTIMATE LEAKING MACHINES...GOD KNOWS THEY ALL LEAK. I have a whole epoxy floor for my e60 and e 46. Another great video Jason.
I did this job just a few days ago! Was actually looking around on your channel for a video on voltage regulator but was surprised you hadn't covered it. So I just watched your video on alternator replacement and looked on E46F for voltage regulator instructions haha. Also +1 to the connector type. What's weird is that my ZHP has the oval connector which is common to the Z4s. FCP's website didn't even have the oval connector listed for my car so I had to pull the PN from realOEM. I nearly ordered the wrong connector at first, luckily I realized it 5 minutes after placing my order so I quickly cancelled it and re-ordered the right one.
@@50sKid oh and what sucks about the oval connector is that there isn't any vent connecting to the brake duct for alternator cooling, which is interesting. I guess it was cheaper not to include that with the later cars
One week too late for me! Mine was going out as well, but I couldn't find any great videos to fix, so put in a new one. And of course, your video was my go to how to! Question for you though, ever since taking out the alternator and replacing, the clock on the dash won't work. I've searched the forums, but can't find a concise answer. Thanks as always for your vids- they keep my car on the road!
You might just have to reset the time if it looks like - -:- - the way you set the clock is make sure the menu shows the clock with no time and turn the one of the two sticks that poke out the instrument cluster. I believe it’s the right one. You twist it to adjust the clock.
@ 9:50 ... call up Bosch USA with the old VR part number (the Bosch pn) and they will tell you what the newer superceding part number is. Part numbers can change over 20 years, but for some reason the BMW pn will lead you astray. You may need to leave a voicemail with their tech support number, but they should get back to you within a few busuness days.
The combinations of different parts in different E46s strikes again... Found the pain of that early when I tried looking to se the model number for a radio I have in my E46 - what a nightmare.
17:00 I couldn't agree more about the flex head. I prefer the standard head since I can apply more torque and also stay squarer on the bolt heads which keeps them from rounding off. For me, the flex head is a special tool that I only get out for sticky situations.
@@50sKidWow! Using power lug nut for an old and brittle plastic without loosing them a bit...only American can do that. No wonder you guys have stickers on your microwaves " do not use for tumble dry "
Bro u can go even one step further and change inner bearings and the pulley if ur alternator has one of those overrun or decoupler pulleys. There are kits available on eBay for $40-60 for most alternators.
bmw ended that regulator a few years before this video. As i recall the ones on Ebay arent bad, but arent "Bosch" quality, so buyer beware. you can use the superceded part you have there, and they are a direct fit. hope this helps some that are watching this and are confuzzled..
In the next iteration of this issue you can just replace the diodes/brushes :) And it could be that BMW used a different alternator (different on the outside, not really inside) for the 4/6 cylinder engines, petrol/diesels, pre/post-facelift. And if the donor E46 already had a replaced unit from a Mexico-imported E53, no surprise that parts don't match anymore.
this takes me back to my m52TU alternator failure. The slip ring copper had worn right through. yours looks 80% gone. Replace it or it may leave you stranded. That reg. is normal, yet everyone selling the other type. It was weird.
Correction. It's not a commutator. It's a slip ring. The alternator generates AC voltage. That's why there are diodes. To rectify AC into pulsed DC. DC motors have comutators. AC generators have slip rings.
I had the same problem with the regulator, and you can't find the part code only if you take it out from the alternator, the regulator for my alternator brand new was from PSA :D
I made the same mistake getting my replacement from the junkyard. Had to go back and get the correct connector. I think maybe the changes the connected for 2004.
Does the 3 pin alternator works on the 2 pin one?🤔 I see that you removed a 3 pin and installed a 2 pin, also your connection is for 2 pins, obviously has the space for the third pin, but doesn’t even have the same connection like the other 2 pins
Don't you have overheating issues with the electrical fan? I learned that the clutch fan generates much more airflow and higher cooling performance, necessary for the automatic models.
@@50sKid no you had it linked when I over looked it. I just missed it. Thanks for your detailed explanations. Your helping me save my e46 325i 89k mi. By knowing how it's done and argue down repair shops. Apparently they really like to over charge my girl.
Not sure if you’ll respond but here is a try, I bought the special tools to remove the fan in order to access the water pump and alternator but the fan bolt is smaller than the 32mm special wrench I received. Any recommendations?
Hello I have replaced my alternator and battery on my 2004 bmw 325i . And I’m still having the battery light on intermittently when the car is at idle and it goes off when driving . The first alternator I bought from oriellys my mechanic installed for me and a day later the battery died again . I went back to oriellys and got another alternator. Still noticed the battery light and I replaced the battery .
Stupid question here but I need to swap the voltage regulator from an e46 into the alternator in my e83. Can this be done without pulling the alternator out of the car? I've got an alternator sitting in my storage unit that I could swap in but I'd really rather just toss in the regulator to prepare for the ms43 loom and DME.
I am having an issue with my alternator in my 2008 335xi (N54). There is no voltage output before, after replaced the voltage regulator with a new regulator, I got voltage from alternator but it always stop working after several minutes, and voltage may come back then go away. Not sure whether I should replace the while alternator or there could be some other issues? The connector is tight (checked).
My 2005 330Ci ZHP has just one wire going into the connector for the alternator voltage regulator. Is this normal for any e46? Every other one I've seen has two wired pins, whether oval or rectangular connector.
Curious about that part number , how many amps is it . I can’t find a Bosch branded unit with those numbers and your boys at oem bimmer don’t have that unit. At least not under M54 e46. Also is it rebuilt or reman . Whatever that means .
Do I need to have the duct for the alternator? Mine only has the 90 going down and nothing after it. ..I’ve been dealing with eml light and am about to give up on my e46
doesn't need a duct but if it does have one make sure to cap it or put somthing over it to stop leafs and that getting onto the voltage regulator and fuseing it out. my e46 has the same alternator in the video but the ducts connected to nothing and I had leafs get sucked in and burn out my voltage regulator. the duct doesn't matter so long as it's the alternator is the same brand, valeo or bosch (they're not interchangeable) aswell as the plug in the back is the same shape you can go up in amperage from stock but not down so when replacing it you need to make sure same brand same plug and the same amperage or higher the duct doesn't matter as long as you cap it
Hey Jason, i have a bosch alternator and its missing both upper and lower air ducts for cooling, and the alternator doesn't have the right plasic cap with thr hole that connects into air ducts, will it fit if i buy the alternator cap with the hole in it? Im not trying to buy another alternator, i just wanna put everything back like from factory
I cant lie I have a bigger garage than you and I still cant understand how you can work on cars in that tight of a space. If I didnt have a home gym in my garage I would have it made
I get to do this job in the next day, so I lived with the hell of trying to figure out what alternator I had. But in this video you do not hit the lower bolt with a hammer for some reason like you do in the original video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hrEehjM5tgQ.html Any particular reason you didn't do that this time?
I actually did do it but cut it out because it’s never been effective for me. There’s just not enough room to get a full swing. I always end up prying it out
@@50sKid I pried mine out as well though I did try and hammer tap but didn't ta hard enough... :) Being in Ohio - I am jealous over the look of the bolts where I have surface rust on all of mine. Hopefully my alternator comes in today and I can slap it in after exercising. I plan to get some penetrating oil in the threads on the engine and brush the bolts clean and wipe down with penetrating oil as well. Hopefully to try and protect them a bit. According to ECS the one I bought is a new unit - not a rebuilt (they were listed separately) so I am hoping - I don't have to send back mine to be rebuilt - so if I can get the old one tested and fixed - I can have a spare.
