Hi all,
I went on a small holiday to Perth on the weekend, and (reluctantly) lent my mini to my brother. He has a way with cars, it seems.
Anyway, when I went to pick it up it had no fuel and a flat battery, so I put some fuel in, jumped it and drove it home.
The following day, I found that the alternator had died. The alternator died the same way a couple of years ago (after jumping it and driving home), so I did what I did last time to fix it. I dismantled the alternator, gave it a bit of a clean, tested everything to make sure it worked, and reassembled it. It now works again
But one thing - how long should the brushes be? Are they usually of equal length? The one in the middle is quite long - probably half an inch. the one to the side is probably closer to a quarter. It makes sense that the outer one would wear quicker, but this alternator was apparently reconditioned only a few years ago (I have the receipt). Both still give a good contact to the slip rings.
Anyway, if they are worn (I imagine they are) where's the best place to buy them? I can't seem to find a place that sells them in small quantities. It's a lucas 16ACR.