Did you ever had this trouble trying to start your car in the morning and it doesn’t work ? If it never happened to you , certainly you’ve already had that apprehension. So when you notice an alternator noise on Mazda Mx5, you can already imagine yourself breaking down, stuck waiting for the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to produce this post to help you find the sources of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first see the role and functions of the alternator in your Mazda Mx5 and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Mazda Mx5 may be.
Role and alternator operation Mazda Mx5
Alternator role
Your alternator is an fundamental part of your Mazda Mx5. Indeed, its goal is to provide power to your entire electrical system: headlights, interior lighting, signalling, computer… It will have the goal of charging the battery once the car is in motion, to provide power to the car in motion and to allow you to always have a sufficient energy reserve to be able to restart the next time.
Alternator functioning
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The alternator works on an electrical principle that has been used for decades, the concept of copper coil wound around a magnet . This coil while rotating creates electricity. It is the engine motor itself that will furnish the energy required by the alternator to generate the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Mazda Mx5 engine stops, the battery takes over to furnish the car with energy.
What are the different alternator noises or sounds on my Mazda Mx5 and what are the causes?
I discover a knocking noise coming from the alternator of my Mazda Mx5
One of the characteristic noises of a tired alternator on Mazda Mx5 is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Mazda Mx5 will most of the time occur when your engine is idling, it can be associated with voltage drops that could affect the normal operation of electrical parts such as headlights for example. In many cases, it is a of both bearings of the alternator that is faulty, to check it, use a multimeter on the terminals of your car with the engine running and you must get a value between 12 and 14.7 volts, which means that your alternator is charging your battery well. If the value is lower, the alternator of your Mazda Mx5 is tired and you should think about swapping the bearing if it is the only reason otherwise the complete part.
I notice a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Mazda Mx5
If you are in the case where the alternator of your Mazda Mx5 generates grinding sounds, in this case you will have to check it more seriously. This warning sign can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, however , in general, we often realize by looking more closely that it is the accessory belt that is loosened or worn and is therefore the reason of it. In this case, we advise that you consult this document to find all the necessary details to solve an accessory belt noise on Mazda Mx5.
I notice a loud noise from the alternator of my Mazda Mx5
Experiencing a loud noise from the alternator of your Mazda Mx5 is quite common, in fact, it emits an audible sound when producing the electrical pulses it generates. It is up to you to check that the battery indicator light on your dashboard does not show up, and that you do not have a voltage drop when your engine is running (headlight or dashboard light that jumps for example. If this noise is too loud, we advise that you have a look this document to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Mazda Mx5.
