Bought new van, alternator stopped working. Turns out it's absolutely covered in oil, like really bad. Replaced valve cover to stop oil leak now wondering if I can take alternator apart and clean the oil out, will it fix it?
I have an alternator that gets dripped on. I haven't removed it from the car but periodically blast it with brake cleaner followed by a thorough rinse with electrical contact cleaner spray. Seems to be happy.
Depends what the problem is. I would guess it may have overheated due to restricted air cooling. It's routine to replace bearings, brushes and the electronics package, but if the windings or contacts are damaged then it'll need replacing.
