alternator brush check?

with the alternator cover removed, are the two black plastic things the brush assemblies? each black plastic piece is molded around a piece of metal i'm assuming is the brush. i'm asking this because i've never seen solid brushes like this...if that's what i'm looking at. so, if these are the brushes, how do you measure them to make sure they're in spec? they're only a few millimeters wide and about 10 long...just an estimate...i didn't measure yet. if these are the brushes i'm having trouble understanding how the rotor wears them down...since the rotor seems to touch them perpendicular to their longest side and would only seem to wear the brush in the middle...where the rotor strikes. i hope this is making a little bit of sense.

 

Molded Black Plastic???!
Rotor Strikes???!
It sounds like you are looking at the ignition coil pickups, not the alternator brushes. What size is the cover you removed, about 3" thick/deep or 1" thick/deep?
As you sit on the bike, the alternator is just below your left knee, right behind the cylinder banks (secured with three allen head screws IIRC).
The pickup coils (and accompanying reluctor) are under a cover with (4) #3 Phillips head screws. This cover is on the end of the crank out past your left shin.
Please confirm location and we'll chat.

 

I gotta go with Robert on this one. The alternator on the XJ series is located BEHIND the cylinders, NOT on the left end of the crank like other bikes of the era. Sounds to me like you're looking at the ignition pickups too.

When you get the alternator cover off, you'll know it. The brushes are located IN THE COVER, and will have wires leading to them. If the cover you took off is just a cover, it wasn't the alternator cover.

 

thanks for being patient with the uninformed guys! yes, you're both right. i was looking at the ignition pickup coils. i removed that to do a valve check/adjustment. while i'm in there, anything i should check out?

 

i thought that was a weird looking alternator!

 

Search worked this time. I thought the same thing.

No real info in manual, service manual or Haynes. Weird.