Alternator woes...

[Eric VerValin]

Ok.. so right after my tire fiasco... my battery light comes on... I assume I need an alternator because it died awfully quick when I turned the lights on... like within a few blocks..

So I get a replacement alternator... pull the pulley off, and put the UDP on... and when I start it up.. it runs ok, then suddenly starts shreeking and carrying on, so I shut her down.

I noticed the battery light was still on.. kinda odd, but maybe that pulley was dragging a little bit, and causing a low voltage thing.. so I didnt think much of it. I loosened up the tensioner a bit, to see if that was the culprit. Now when I start it up again, it feels like there is more of a load, and it sounds like a bearing is froze, but I checked everything and everything appears normal.

The pulley on the alternator was nice and hot after only 15 seconds of running.. so maybe I tightened up that nut a little too much? Or maybe there should be a spacer between the pulley and the alternator? Seems like I missed something. Plus it was dark when I did it, and without a flashlight too..

Another thing that screws me here... I left my meter at work, so I cant check anything that route, and now it seems like my battery dosent have the juice to turn it over... sounds like the motor has been bound up or something... Im going to charge it overnight and see what I can visually see in the morning if anything...


Now if say my problem is a wiring issue... where should I be looking? The 2 pin connector, or the single one on the alternator? Which one sends the voltage back to the battery? And can a person buy such a pigtail somewhere? How far down the harness does that single one go? Would it be worth it to make a new one? It seemed awful corroded.. the wire anyway, not the ring terminal so much..

I bent the tabs on the 2 pin connector so they seat a little tighter, and I alwso blasted them with some MAF cleaner, and brake cleaner, and tried to get a little sand paper in there to rough them up a little, but not sure if it did anything. Seems I have a pulley or belt too tight to diagnose first..

Any thoughts? I have 2 days to get this fixed... Im 2/3 of the way thru my probationary period at work, and would really really really like to not screw it up over this damn car.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

I had a pretty corroded single on on the alternator....actually replaced the end as it broke off during my cleaning. I would clean all contact on the battery and alternator. THe single one especially. If its broke, yhou can get another one from AZ and solder it onto the end of the cable, or replace the whole thing. I used a pipe torch to solder it back on as its pretty big. I'm not saying thats your problem but if you replaced the alternator already and the light is still on, then its a wiring issue.

 

[Eric VerValin]

I had a pretty corroded single on on the alternator....actually replaced the end as it broke off during my cleaning. I would clean all contact on the battery and alternator. THe single one especially. If its broke, yhou can get another one from AZ and solder it onto the end of the cable, or replace the whole thing. I used a pipe torch to solder it back on as its pretty big. I'm not saying thats your problem but if you replaced the alternator already and the light is still on, then its a wiring issue.

Yea thats kinda what I was leaning on.... I guess I wonder how far back that wire goes... I wouldnt have a problem making up a new one.. I just figured I would replace the whole thing if I could figure out where the other end goes... I just know how corrosion likes to follow the wire sometimes...

What gets me, is that it did this while running, nothing strange happend ,no bump, no puddle.. lol grr @ these cars sometimes..

 

[rubydist]

iirc, the large wire from the alternator goes around to the input on the fuse block under the hood at the left rear of the engine compartment.

also look at the 2 large cables from the battery to the starter - make sure they have not rubbed insulation off and started shorting - this will cause a high load on the alternator and I believe is what caused the engine fire in my 94.

 

[luigisho]

Put the correct pulley on and see if there is a difference with noise and heat. I forget if there was a washer there or not with my alt UDP when I had my GenI many moons ago.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Put the correct pulley on and see if there is a difference with noise and heat. I forget if there was a washer there or not with my alt UDP when I had my GenI many moons ago.

Yep.. that's what its looking like to me.. the snout is longer on the stock pulley... so... Im looking around now to see what I can cut up for a spacer... I'm thinking a 3/8 locknut will work.. possibly a 1/2" rigid coupling... or... a reducing bushing... Im going to have to get my electrical goodie box out.. see what I got.. AZ was a bust.. everything else is closed today..

 

[Eric VerValin]

Or... my epiphany of the day.... since I have 2 of these.. and the washers happen to fit, and two stacked up are right about .15 inches thick... then double up the nut on the pulley and be done with it?

Anyone think I should locktite it too? Blue? or red? I figure with 2 nuts it should be fine.. I dunno tho?

Edit : Test fit's ok... looks like it has a hair of a wobble tho... I'll see if I can't get the washers to sit opposite of each other or maybe bend them back straight. I suppose the alternator shop in town will have a spacer for something like this? I don't plan on running this long.. a few hours at best, but I figure it'll get me down the road, and right now thats all thats important.

 

[rubydist]

blue loctite, not red, in case you ever want it apart again.

good luck!

 

[Phoenix]

Interesting , is this an ASP ATX pulley?

 

[Eric VerValin]

Negative, close.... ASP 4 peice MTX set.. circa 2001ish..

 

[jmpSHO2nd]

Negative, close.... ASP 4 peice MTX set.. circa 2001ish..

I have an UDP if you want it, I believe it has the longer snout that you're looking for. I stopped using it on my SHO when I started having charging problems. I'm going to try and find a pic of it now.
Do lot nam hang hieu ao lot nam goi cam Khan ta so sinh cho be http://roses.vn/studio/chup-anh-studio/chup-anh-ky-niem/ Do lot nam sieu mong ao so mi ao so mi
Here is a pic but it's not of the snout, I can take that tomorrow if you want.