e36/e46 alternator question

[Kish2604]

Hi Guys, need some electro help here, i got a spare valeo alternator that i pulled out my e46 330 and replaced with a bosch one purely for ease of parts for the future... now i was asked to sell the valeo one to a mate with an e36 with a M50 motor, the pulley lines up exactly as do the mounting bolts etc so fitment is not an issue, however this is where my concern starts, will the electrical work? i know the e46 has the thick spply cable and a thinner plug that has 2 pins inside whereas the e36 has a thick power cable and a single wire (i suppose this is the field wire) so when putting the e46 alternator into the e36, which pin in the quick plug do you connect to? whats the purpose of the dual pins in the e46 plug and do both need to be connected for the alternator to output current?

thanks for the help and hopefully this will assist the e36 guys with replacement options when the alternator needs replacing...

 

[Prev]

Subscribed :rollsmile:

 

[Kish2604]

Bump....

 

[moranor@axis]

ask gizmo he likes retrofitting things to the e36 chances are he has already tried this :rollsmile:

 

[Kish2604]

Gizmo pm'd...

Anyone else?

 

[Gizmo]

I don't know.:sorry:

 

[moranor@axis]

Kish2604 have you tried googling it? maybe someone on the Internetz has done this...

 

[Kish2604]

Thanks Gizmo and Sean...

Been searching and the basic idea is that one pin in the plug is for the field wire and the other for something called an "exciter" wire, however nobody knows if the alternator will charge if only activated through the field wire or do you join the 2 together or just ignore the exciter wire and connect...

Bit of a confusion, is no one a sparky around here?

 

[Prev]

Found the solution.

1 pin / wire is a smart wire that goes to the DME and the other pin / wire is the charge light wire. On the E36 the smart wire can be eliminated hence only 1 wire to the one pin. Now as to the golden question of which pin, if you are standing at the front of the car facing the car, its the pin on the LHS. :=):

Forgive the layman explanation but that's how I understood it. Kugs330 relayed the information to me via his mech :thumbs:

BTW the E46 alternator is a direct fit on the E36 M3 (3.0 coupe). All the pulleys, mounting points etc line up 100% except you will now have an 120A alternator that will help with feeding HID's, sound etc

 

[Kish2604]

Now all e36 owners.. I have an e46 alternator that is for sale.. Will give your e36 an extra 30amps at the wheels...:roflol::roflol::roflol:

 

[riaane99]

Hi Guys,

My 2005 E46 320D alternator died. It is a Valeo and my tech quotes me R5,950 (! ! !). Excluding labour

Can I fit a Bosch? And if so, what price more or less?

This is outside my budget and I need help please.

Car is in Midrand at the moment.

Please assist?

 

[moxypen]

Hi

G-drive

120 amps valeo 3943.21

150 amps valeo 4777.26

Cheers

Sent from my ST17i

 

[riaane99]

Hi

G-drive

120 amps valeo 3943.21

150 amps valeo 4777.26

Cheers

Sent from my ST17i

Hi moxypen, thanks for the reply. Waiting for some other quotes.

 

[tyu333]

Hi Guys,

My 2005 E46 320D alternator died. It is a Valeo and my tech quotes me R5,950 (! ! !). Excluding labour

Can I fit a Bosch? And if so, what price more or less?

This is outside my budget and I need help please.

Car is in Midrand at the moment.

Please assist?

Take your old one to Motolek in Roodepoort CBD, the will refurbish for +- R1000

 

[riaane99]

Thanks Guys, I found a place in Midrand 300m from my office. Will wait and see what the cost and service is like and then report back.

 

[riaane99]

Update for those that are interested. The Auto Electrical guys in Midrand totally reconned the Valeo alternator for R3,021 incl VAT. Good as new and comes with 12 month warranty. Took 4 days though

 

[A.C.SCHNITZER]

Hi Mate

Did you come right with an E46 alternator on an E36?

 

[Beemerbro]

I REPLACED a factory installed Valeo alternator with Bosch last year on an e46 325 and paid R3000 for it from a Bosch outlet...I'm sure you can find one in your area:thumbs:

 

[A.C.SCHNITZER]

I REPLACED a factory installed Valeo alternator with Bosch last year on an e46 325 and paid R3000 for it from a Bosch outlet...I'm sure you can find one in your area:thumbs:

Thanks for the reply, but I wanted to know how the wiring issue was sorted 2 pins vs 1pin on the regulator. Use only 1 or join both wires