Vauxhall Viva Alternator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults
On the Viva, a simple belt-removal test genuinely helps confirm whether a whine or grinding noise is the alternator or something else belt-driven.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN by engine and amperage
| Alternators (aftermarket) | BV PSH 135.913.120.030 (120 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, 54 mm, new, clamp B+ M8, three mounting bores); Walker WAL01730 (120 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured, plug 0248, core charge £50.24); Walker WAL00697 (80 A, rigid multi-rib pulley, 5 ribs, 54 mm, new, clamp M8 B+, core charge £50.24); Rotovis 9041044 (80 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured, plug DFM/L); BV PSH 135.905.080.030 (80 A, 5 ribs, 54 mm, new, clamp B+ M8); DRI 2283071202 (120 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured exchange, plug 0248, core charge £40.19); Autoelectro AEG1447 (120 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, new, core charge £60.28). |
|---|---|
| Outputs & variants | Two outputs apply to the 1.0 engine: an 80 A unit (BV PSH 135.905.080.030, Rotovis 9041044, Walker WAL00697) and a 120 A unit (BV PSH 135.913.120.030, Walker WAL01730, DRI 2283071202, Autoelectro AEG1447), both on a five-rib 54 mm pulley. Freewheel and rigid versions exist in each output, with Walker WAL00697 the rigid 80 A option. |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | AS-PL A1028S for OE DRA0760 and AS-PL A4119 for OE LRA462 are quoted, but both are low-output single-groove units for the 1960s-70s Viva, not the C16. |
| Fitment notes | No Bosch, Valeo, Denso, Hella or Lucas unit is listed for the C16; Match the 80 A or 120 A rating stamped on the old unit. Reman and exchange units carry core charges of £40.19 to £60.28, refunded when the old alternator is returned. |
A Genuinely Reliable Way to Isolate the Noise — Vauxhall Viva Alternator
If you're hearing a whine or grinding noise that changes with engine speed, it's genuinely worth confirming the alternator is actually the source before paying for a replacement. Removing the auxiliary (serpentine) belt and briefly starting the engine is a well-corroborated diagnostic technique — if the noise disappears with the belt off, it's coming from one of the belt-driven components (alternator, water pump, power steering pump, or tensioner pulley) rather than something internal to the engine. Spinning each pulley by hand afterward, checking for roughness or play, usually reveals which specific component has failed bearings.
Vauxhall Viva Alternator: Often Blamed on the Battery Instead
On the Vauxhall Viva, a weak battery and a failing alternator produce almost identical symptoms at first — dim lights, slow starts, a car that won't hold charge — which is exactly why so many people replace the battery, only to be back at the garage a few weeks later with the real culprit untouched.
Vauxhall Viva Alternator: Watch: Replacing It
Same car as the Viva/Opel Karl; it is a YouTube Short
Vauxhall Viva Alternator: What It Does
The Vauxhall Viva's alternator generates electricity while the engine runs, charging the battery and powering the car's electrical systems directly. A healthy alternator means the battery is mostly there for starting the engine and covering brief demand spikes — not for actually running the car's electronics on its own.
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Vauxhall Viva Alternator: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Alternator Guide for symptoms to watch for (plus a genuinely useful two-minute test to confirm it's not the battery instead), confirming the right amperage and fitment against your VIN, and which brands are worth trusting.
More Vauxhall Alternator
The same part, covered across other Vauxhall models.