Que this weekend just passed and I went out early on Saturday. Came back and started the car and it was squealing from the engine. Sounded like aux belt, but I knew I'd replaced it recently. Then I see smoke. So I turned the car off immediately and opened the bonnet. Wafted the smoke away and then I see the aux belt ping off. Having no idea what happened, I gave AW Alex a quick text to which he asked if the pulley on the alternator was able to spin. After it had cooled down, I checked and it was seized. He said that was his first thought as he's seen a few alternators in recent months fail. But because I ordered my new one from him days before our Scotland trip, he said he would swap it under warranty as it was only 4 months old. He even offered to have the car collected if I was stranded but luckily I was parked in a safe place. He ordered me one on the Saturday morning along with a replacement belt and both came Monday morning. After work I drove to his place and collected them, then drove back home. I decided on route back to fit it that night and get the car working again asap, as its a bit of a pain being car-less and car sharing with current work/home schedule.
From getting to the car, getting tools out, old belt and alternator off and new ones on, was 30mins, which I didn't think was bad, considering it was dark and cold and I wasn't trying to go fast.
This one is a Gates belt and Napa alternator. I've no experience with the gates belts but I know there common. The Napa stuff I've experienced before and never had an issue with there stuff, on my car and others. My seized alternator was a Bosch one. When I first fitted the bosch, it used to "whine" with the revs which I thought was little odd as my old one didn't. But this Napa one is silent again.
Once the old alternator was off, I managed to spin the pulley but it's not smooth as you can hear and see in this video, compared to the new one.
And the mileage now with the new belt fitted.
Got a few current pics of the car when I dropped off the seized alternator back to Alex for return/warranty claim. Car hasn't been washed since the gas mask pics and is in dire need of it. Lost a little love for it recently, I have to admit but I plan on washing it this weekend so I'm sure I'll get a little of the love back.
Have to say, excellent customer service from Alex as per usual. He went above and beyond to get me some parts and help recently and it was very much appreciated.