Power steering pipe leaked

[Burton]

As above on motorway tonight steering went heavy. Managed to get to my parents house without many turns as it was near impossible to turn the wheel. Called AA they managed to find the problem. There had been a repair on the pipe underneath by the alternator that had come loose, fixed that easy enough but then realised alternator wasn't charging. Having a second look the hose had sputed steering fluid all over the alternator, and thinking maybe shorted it out . I'm guessing it's knackered now and won't restart charging once excess has dripped out? Happy new year to me grrr

[Gerg]

It's many years since I took an alternator to pieces, but in my opinion the oil may well have not done that much damage at all. 

The only component it's likely to have affected is the pair of small carbon brushes, and the copper slip rings they must electrically connect to. 

On older alternators these carbon brushes were removable for servicing. If they can be removed, de-oiled, perhaps with brake cleaner, and the slip rings cleaned up, then I can't see why it wouldn't work.

The oil shouldn't have stopped it working beyond preventing the brush contact from working correctly. 

The oil will attract dust and general crud over time though, which may prevent good cooling to the regulator and rectifier. In the slightly longer term, if you get it working, it might be worth trying to investigate cleaning up all the components at the back end. 

I don't think it's a foregone conclusion it's stuffed. 

If all other repair routes have been exhausted, then I'd look to put a good spray of brake cleaner through the vents at the back end of it. 

Perhaps other folk have some better ideas? 

[Gerg]

Thinking a bit more about this, the issue with your alternator is likely to come when the oil, which is preventing carbon brush contact with the copper slip rings, starts to get wiped off.  Whilst the brushes are 'sort of' making contact, they will probably spark and pit the previously smooth slip rings, which is bad.

Having the alternator on the car with the engine running might be damaging these parts until they can be cleaned of oil.

Having said that, I would not run the engine with the alternator connector disconnected under any circumstances, as you'll ruin the regulator/rectifier!

This site looks useful for sourcing new brushes if you need them, and more especially identifying what these parts look like.  They seem to be advertising plenty of Lucas ACR alternator bits - so older cars.  But they do show two Denso brush kits.  And the prices seem keen :-

https://www.autoelectricalspares.co.uk/alternator--dynamo--brush-sets--bearings--rectifiers-96-c.asp

They are in Warwick, maybe near you?

Perhaps they could offer advice re: flooding with oil.  I've stripped down similar stuff over time, but not professionally, and not after one has been oiled-up, I'm just a regular Toyota owner...

[Edit: This french supplier on eBay shows a repair kit for a Denso alternator.  I have no idea if this fits your one, but it does show brushes and copper slip rings very clearly :-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292825736858?hash=item442dc6269a:g:GAsAAOSwAHBaM-ZX&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsO6FDrnsYk1lK%2Fr2UykXB8RL8UqlhJAkY5GiisvzOi7pRPZACbyeF4USJdEbze6bGcyaphsc%2BXUFwS5tfleQ%2Fy%2Ff9tMs7kYjnBoJLi41B%2BzimfsnwfEeeSBe5MGUUsoGsExbuTy9DqfkirfdSR38HkSKQvE1yB1VVPc4YM0ojXjo5wywZffT3k2a9PZS9vgS%2FRpR%2FNGz3RmRQoy%2BwPx8xM%2ByNlH0f3Aq9uo0fz5N1nZy|tkp%3ABk9SR57m1M20YQ   ]

[DerekHa]

12 minutes ago, Gerg said:

Thinking a bit more about this, the issue with your alternator is likely to come when the oil, which is preventing carbon brush contact with the copper slip rings, starts to get wiped off.  Whilst the brushes are 'sort of' making contact, they will probably spark and pit the previously smooth slip rings, which is bad.

Having the alternator on the car with the engine running might be damaging these parts until they can be cleaned of oil.

Having said that, I would not run the engine with the alternator connector disconnected under any circumstances, as you'll ruin the regulator/rectifier!

This site looks useful for sourcing new brushes if you need them, and more especially seeing what the inside of these parts looks like:

https://www.autoelectricalspares.co.uk/alternator--dynamo--brush-sets--bearings--rectifiers-96-c.asp

They are in Warwick, maybe near you?

Perhaps they could offer advice re: flooding with oil.  I've stripped down similar stuff over time, but not professionally, and not after one has been oiled-up, I'm just a regular Toyota owner...

As Gerg is suggesting,

I wouldn't be inclined to write off the alternator just yet. Would be best to take the alternator off the vehicle, put it in the best position to let any remaining fluid drain out and use brake cleaner to flush the interior of it out  to clear the power steering fluid. As I understand it PSF is oil based and apart from making an awful sticky mess should be easily cleaned out with the likes of brake cleaner, wouldn't use carb cleaner as it has other solvents that may remove internal finishes and it dries off too quickly. Only problem I can see is the cleaning fluid washing out any lubricant inside the bearings in the alternator but think you could avoid that if your careful.

Having said all the above of course it depends on how handy you are with the spanners though this isn't really a difficult job to do.

That link to the electrical spares looks interesting! Shall bear them in mind as they're not to far from me should I need to repair any of my vehicles electrics.

Good luck Burton with however you tackle that messed up alternator.