Diesel Alternator: How It Works & Benefits

Evening.
This week, I had an old BMW diesel with a leak in the return line to the EGR valve.
Diesel spilled out and flowed along the Lima river.
After the repair, the charging indicator light blinked intermittently, and I measured a voltage of 12-18V.
Previously, the light would flicker, and the charging voltage would fluctuate between 13 and 14.5V.

Just out of curiosity, is it possible that the Diesel engine caused the Lima to fail, or is it a coincidence that it stopped working now?

I installed a new one, and it's working properly again, and the light isn't flickering anymore.

Best regards,

It's quite possible that the diesel fuel was the culprit, potentially dissolving the coating on the windings or the potting compound inside the regulator.

Do you still have the old part? Are you probably not going to disassemble it because of the scrap metal deposit?

Hey Micha,

"When I look inside, it appears black. I might try loosening the adjustment screw on the back and see if that helps."
I really don't want to disassemble it any further, first because of the time involved (despite my curiosity), and second because of the €120 deposit.

Hi!

It's quite possible, with diesel. In large quantities and over a prolonged period, diesel can damage almost anything that isn't made of metal or a suitable type of plastic.
It is also conceivable that the carbon brushes, while having low wear due to being lubricated by a diesel film, did not conduct the current as effectively.

I disassembled the regulator, and there was a greasy film all over it. Unfortunately, I couldn't do anything more than that, or I wouldn't have been able to return it.
The customer is happy and has been driving without any problems since then.