Alternator problem maybe?

[Emmenay]

Took my MH for its MOT today albeit 6 months late, had a slight issue on the way there with the temperature sender reading maximum with a cold engine but that soon resolved itself.
MOT passed ok, but when I started the engine for the journey home there was a loud squealing noise and the battery light was on. Gentle revving didn't stop the squealing as I would have hoped thinking it was maybe the belt slipping.
After a couple of minutes the noise subsided and the battery light went out but it kept on lighting up when I touched the brakes or used the indicators. What I also noticed was the smell that was coming from the alternator I think, it smelled like a new exhaust but was a bit more sickly....
When I got home I connected a voltmeter to the battery plug which is under the the driving seat, the voltage was 14.4 ish with the engine running but when I put the headlights on the voltage kept on dropping until I turned them off again (12.3v) Even the interior light was making the voltage drop but when I revved the engine the voltage went back up but with a noise like the alternator is working hard.
Anyway, I turned the engine off and let it rest for about half an hour, when I restarted it the same issue was present for about a minute but all of a sudden the alternator sprung into life and normal service resumed with the sickly burning smell subsiding. The voltages were all good, 14.4v no matter what load was running,
Is this a sure sign the alternator is going to fail or have I missed the mark here, do I do a kodak on it and risk a breakdown or should I get it changed regardless.
The vehicle is a 2003 2.8 jtd ducato.
Thanks for reading

 

[SandraL]

I would check alternator belt tension and condition first. Squealing may have been rotating belt on stationary alternator pulley.

 

[Emmenay]

To be honest that's what I thought but the burning smell was not like a rubber smell, it was more like a putrid burnt wire smell. I have since had a look as far as I can from underneath and the belts all seem to be tight.

 

[Stealaway]

Belt slipping

 

[JohnJan]

If the belt is burning up there should be a sheen on it caused by the wheel/pulley rubbing at a vast rate of knots.

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[Spriddler]

After standing for 6 months the pulleys can get a light rust which can cause the belt to slip and squeal as the rusting becomes dust.
When you put the lights on the load requires more power from the alternator so it needs more effort to turn it, thus the belt will tend to slip and squeal until full grip is restored. Squealing can often occur due to the resistance of the power steering pump when putting on full lock.
The smell may be just from the belt.
After running for a while it should sort itself out but fitting a new belt would be prudent or at the very least check the belt adjustment.

 

[andyjc]

Sprinkle some talcum powder on the belt

 

[Lenny HB]

Could be the alternator bearings on their way out putting extra load on the belt.
Worth changing the belt first incase it's just the belt.

 

[Clivefog]

Talc or just plain water on the belt.

 

[Grummyb]

Take the belt off and check all pulleys for any kind of play or stiffness if they appear ok I would replace the belt because if its been slipping it's probably knackered and they are not expensive make sure the tension is right when you fit the new one and if the noise is still there turn the radio up

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[donkey]

Keep in mind the fact that the starter battery was probably at a very low state of charge and therefore the alternator would have been working hard, trying to push the required amps into the battery.
As the battery became more charged the alternator was not under such extreme loads, so the problem temporarily went away.
I would suspect worn/loose alternator drive belt. The fact that the belt is under tension does not mean it will drive the alternator. If it and or the pulley is worn, then the drive cannot be transmitted fully, as it relies on the 'v' of the belt being gripped in the 'v' of the pulley.

Geoff

Bit slow typing there!!!

 

[Landy Andy]

I would remove the drive belt, inspect it, and also check all the pulleys visually and by feel to make sure none of them are binding, stiff, or showing signs of wear.

 

[DavidG58]

Best of luck, I have no idea what an alternator costs but I would be asking a garage to check it and change if even a bit doubtful, but that is me thinking this is a a £200 fix

if you were one of the majority who sorned their MH think of it like a free repair

BTW what’s a Kodak?

do I do a kodak on it and risk a breakdown

 

[Emmenay]

Talc or just plain water on the belt.

Excuse my ignorance but why talc?

BTW what’s a Kodak?

Let it develop

 

[jockaneezer]

Emmenay, I wondered that about the talc, as generally it's thought of as a "lubricant" ? It might stop the squealing, but wouldn't stop it slipping ?
We used to use aerosol cans of "belt dressing" on slipping belts, it's a bit like spray on adhesive that gives the belt more grip, but I can remember as a nipper, my dad running a saw bench with a flat belt drive from our Fordson Major and slapping a bit of black treacle (could have been animal feed molasses) onto the belt for more grip !
The alternator belt is probably a "polyvee" multi ribbed belt, have a close look at the vees , if they come to a point, they're worn out, they should have a very narrow flat on the "peak".

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[Emmenay]

Emmenay, I wondered that about the talc, as generally it's thought of as a "lubricant" ? It might stop the squealing, but wouldn't stop it slipping ?
We used to use aerosol cans of "belt dressing" on slipping belts, it's a bit like spray on adhesive that gives the belt more grip, but I can remember as a nipper, my dad running a saw bench with a flat belt drive from our Fordson Major and slapping a bit of black treacle (could have been animal feed molasses) onto the belt for more grip !
The alternator belt is probably a "polyvee" multi ribbed belt, have a close look at the vees , if they come to a point, they're worn out, they should have a very narrow flat on the "peak".

Funny you should mention the belt dressing, I have about a dozen spray cans of it at work for industrial water pump belts and conveyor belts, I didn't even think to make the connection

 

[SpeedyDux]

By now the original auxillary drive belt of a 2003 vehicle is quite likely to fail soon and changing it would be a wise precaution.

 

[Emmenay]

Well, what an awkward poxy job it is to tighten the alternator belt (which was a tad loose thank you all), it will have to do now until I get someone to change the belt for me. At least while I was under there I managed to check and lubricate the waste gate valve, been meaning to do that for years ☺.