If during the operation of the Mazda 3, after certain numbers of the run, you began to hear a strange hum, whistle and other suspicious sounds from under the hood, it is quite possible that they come from the generator. Chances are high that the buzz and the whistle produce bearings in the generator, which wears off gradually.

If you do not replace the generator bearings, soon after the whistle and hum, you will most likely hear a knock again - this is a sign that the bearings are not just worn out, but they are simply beginning to fall apart, completely failing.

To repair this important part, namely, to replace the generator bearings on the Mazda 3, you have several options:

• Look at the service, undergo diagnostics, identify a specific problem, entrust repairs or replacement of certain parts to professionals. This path is obviously the most convenient and possibly the most reliable, however, and the most expensive.
• Purchase a generator in the collection to replace the old one, and change it yourself. The advantage of this approach is that you will have a new generator, and not just new bearings in it. Minus - in general, it can cost about the same as the replacement of generator bearings on the service.
• Purchase and independently replace the bearings in the generator. This way out of the situation is most preferable in terms of cost, but it will require from you certain knowledge, skills and time for self-repair.

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We repair ourselves

Let us consider in more detail the last one - the most affordable way out of the current situation, namely the independent replacement of the bearings of the Mazda 3 generator.

1. So, first we loosen the alternator belt, unscrew it and remove it.
2. Turn off and remove the alternator pulley.
3. Next, you need to get to the rotor, on the shaft of which are located the front and rear bearings. Most likely, the front bearing will be available for dismantling from the shaft immediately after removing the pulley, whereas before the rear bearings, you probably will not be able to get so simple.
4. To gain access for convenient removal of bearings from the shaft and installation of new bearings on it, you may have to unscrew and remove the upper arc-shaped bar with two bolt holes, as well as evaporate the diode bridge so as not to evaporate the entire rotor.
5. To dismantle old failed bearings and install new bearings on the generator shaft, a special tool is needed - a bearing puller. It can be purchased at the car market. Attempting to replace the bearings of the generator without a puller is very labor-intensive and may result in damage to the new bearings purchased or other parts of the generator. With the tool, there are usually no problems, the whole procedure is quite elementary.

It should also be said that when disassembling the generator in order to replace the bearings, it is very desirable to also check the brushes, which with mileage, most likely, also significantly worked together and required replacement.

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