muddy alternator

[dougs3.0L98]

i'm sure many of you have killed your alternators while wheeling and getting them underwater and/or covered in mud. i've lost count on how many times i've swapped mine out in the last couple of years.

Is there any way to protect my altornator from mud and whatever else i throw at it? i try to clean it along with the rest of the engine after getting it dirty but i'm for any ideas because i'm getting tired of changing them out.

thanks again.

 

[almostclueless]

It would have to be something that still allows airflow.

 

[dogboy]

Maybe it is a Ford thing?

My dad and me wheeled our Samurai for a good 4 or 5 years or more and never had any problems with things failing becuase of mud/ water...

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any way to protect it, becuase, like Almostclueless said, it has to allow airflow to continue, so you can't just biuld a box around it.

 

[94STXRanger]

unless that box circulated air some how! which probably would just flood with water also. damn

 

[Natedog]

Huh, had my Toyota alternator underwater and mud many times and only replaced it once. I guess we'll see when my 4x4 Ranger gets running....

I'd just carry a spare. Maybe the 'washing it out' is doing more harm than good. I never washed out my Yota alternator.

 

[Sunk]

My engine usually gets pretty muddy when I go wheeling, and Ive never had any problems my alternator. Ive also never washed it out. I don't know if that has any affect on it or not though.

 

[dougs3.0L98]

hmm. maybe i have some other problems causing my alts. to fail. i think i'm only on my 3rd one though.

 

[DRanger024]

Couldn't you build a box around it with an inlet from a cold air source and then an outlet that hooks up to the air box to act as a vacuum and pull air through to cool the alt.?

 

[Natedog]

Couldn't you build a box around it with an inlet from a cold air source and then an outlet that hooks up to the air box to act as a vacuum and pull air through to cool the alt.?

Yes, either he has some other electrical problem killing alternators or he's buying bad rebuilts imo.