Alternator Fire (2007 4L V6, 122k)

Hello all,
Long time lurker and now first time poster I had a issue with my 2007 Tacoma (Dbl cab, MT, 4L 4x4, 122k)

So I pulled into work this morning and my alternator bearing is toast. It was smoldering, popping, and smoking after I shut down the vehicle for quite some time.

I'm trying to get it home on just battery power while I wait for parts. If I have a full battery it appears I have about 30mins of run time.

Has anyone done this before? Wondering if I can just unplug the alternator, connect a charged battery, use a jump to save the cranking amps for more run time to sneak home.

Any thoughts before I do this? I plan to shut down all non essential systems and even slightly pull ebrake to turn off the the day-time running lights.

Thanks in advance!

 

It will run, but it’s all dependent on the charge in the battery. For how long? again, back to the battery charge.
Just consider, what if I don’t make it home. I think it will work for 30min to hour or more on full charge.
Just try it and let us know. This could be fun.

 

If the bearing is that bad, I’d be concerned with it locking up and throwing the belt.
If the belt gets behind the crank pulley, it can damage the oil seal.
I’d play it safe. Have it towed, or fix it in the parking lot.

 

Tow only !

 

The 1 post OP only stuck around for 10 minutes. Not long enough to read even the 1st reply. Gonna be interesting to see if he comes back or just throws caution to the wind, tries to drive home, throws the belt, takes out the crank seal, and still has to have it towed home.

 

Hi all,

Long day yesterday...

I disconnected the alternator main stator connection and service plug and service wrapped with electrical tape.

I bought a battery charger at L0we's and got it 100% in about 6-8 hours time.


Learned a few things:
Batteries are rated by CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) CA (Cranking Amps) and RC (Reserve Capacity)

The RC# is the minutes it can run a 12v ignition system. My costco battery was rated for 130mins.

Home was about 20mins away and made it no problem except the belt is likely fucked.

Saved a tow and didn't burn down the office!

Next step: Get the battery tested, the voltage drop is and likely some of the cells are fried.

 

Jezus thats risky business. If it was the electronics in the alternator sure fine, unplug it and run on battery. But the unplugging did nothing to help you with a fucked bearing.

Glad you got home safe, i wouldnt do that again.

Also Reserve capacity is measured as a standard, no way the truck would run for 2 hrs 10 minutes cruising down the highway on just the battery.

 

Kept the speed slow to reduce the rotor rpms and was only 20mins away.

By having another car jump start and just run the ignition system/ECU on my battery, I made it a solid 25mins... The battery light didn't even turn on.

The truck is officially retired as a B-Car and off commuter duty. Time for blueprinting and repairs, 120k service and other nagging issues.

 

Glad you made it home. Thanks for reporting back.

 

Ain’t no way I’d try that, not this time of year.
I gotta hand it to OP, I admire guys that “try” and succeed.
I myself, almost always fail, when I try things I know I shouldn’t have.

Side story, I seen a guy with a small boat us his car battery to power the trolling motor.
It was his only means of power, and his only battery. He wasn’t worried at all.
Evidently he does this quite often.

Again, I’d make it just far enough to have to row back to the ramp.

LOL. I guess I may be jealous, how the hell you guys do this?
I got no luck

 

A friend of mine saw a guy take a battery, flip it upside down and touch posts to posts to jump start his truck. There’s a really fine line between taking stupid chances and being lucky.

 

Lol. This has got to be a troll posting

 

I saw a guy stick his hunting buggy really bad in this swamp, only tree around was beside him with a limb above him.
So he throws his winch cable over the limb, hooks to bumper turns on winch to lift buggy front end.
The cable cuts so far into the limb he can’t get it back. Eventually he had to climb the tree and cut the limb.

 

ive seen that in person myself...spun the car over but it didnt start anyway. sealed battery will work in this case lol