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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Lucas ACR alternator repair. Easy as it happens.

I've scoured the archives, there must be at least one thread about repairing the ACR range of lucas alternators, but I can't find it(them). Plenty on other sites though.

Anyway. I rebuilt my spare 'broken' alternator today. I was surprised at just how easy it is. Given the cost of a Lucas ACR these days, I wonder we don't all do it. Even more, I wonder why I haven't done it before, instead of buying a new one. Probably because the price has gone up, and I'm getting tighter at the same time. lol.

My midget alternator had a broken front mounting lug. I had a duff spare alternator (like you do), but it had a broken rear mounting lug. So it was either pay circa 40 quid for a new alternator, 15 quid for a front bracket, or strip and cannibalise my spare, to make one good one. I did the latter, and now have a good alternator with two good lugs, and a bad alternator with 2 broken lugs.

You only need basic tools and a soldering iron, to strip an alternator completely to it's component parts, and a couple of hours if it's a first time event. Now I've done one, I reckon I could rebuild an alternator in less than an hour.

You can buy a complete rebuild kit for circa 20 quid. Includes -- Bearings, brushes, rectifier, regulator, slip rings holder. But most of the time it's the regulator that's duff, and that only costs circa 6 quid.

Next time I need an alternator, I'll repair my own again.
Lawrence Slater

and the satisfaction is worth a damn sight more than the money saved (well almost!) Well done that man! I've only refurbished a dynamo from when I had a Morris Minor, that wasn't too bad a job.
Good one Lawrence.
Dominic Excell

If you can find someone with a TIG welder the broken lugs are easy to repair also even if you don't have the broken bit as building up the missing bit doesn't take long.
David Billington

Cheers Dominic.

I thought about getting the lugs welded David, but guessed it would cost me more than the price of a new plate(£15). Also you see scrap alternators on Ebay for a few quid on occasion. So I'm on the look out, to rebuild my spare.

I know the field and stator in my 'duff' spare are good. The rear bearing rarely fails, the front takes the load and mine is a bit noisey. It's just a washing machine bearing, so very cheap. If I get a scrap spare off ebay, with good lugs, it might well have a decent bearing anyway.

That just leaves the other stuff. I need brushes, and possibly a regulator. Pretty sure my rectifier is ok -- easy to test, but I'd buy a new 2 wire regulator if I do need one, instead of the old 4 wire version. Apparantly more reliable, and cheaper too.

Hear's a pic of some of my basic tools used to take it apart. Pulley nut was a bit stiff, but yielded to the club and stilsons. lol.


Lawrence Slater

Ah, I see the BFH in the bottom left of that photo....excellent - ideal for fixing REAL cars!
Cheers colin
colin frowen

Yes
I also have climbed that alternator mountain.....great satisfaction when you get a good result... I have a friend that has a stone shaker machine and we used to clean the aluminum casings by letting them ride on top. Everything looked new!
Steven Devine

This thread was discussed between 11/06/2014 and 13/06/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.