i recently saw a pic on here where the rear of an alternator was visible. It was clocked 90° further clockwise than mine currently is. Hmmm...Which way is correct?

Here is mine:

 

I don't really know myself but yours has all the writing right-side-up so I would guess yours is right. But....I could be wrong.

 

Looks good to me..

 

yours is correct for a Corvette.

 

it doesnt matter, I had to clock mine to keep it away from the valve covers. I had it on my small block and sapped it to the big block and the interference as a hassle.

 

Can the 4 through bolts be removed, the housing split, the rear rotated 90° counterclockwise, and reassembled? Never done it with an alternator – so don't know the internal limitations of this – but easy to do with regular electric motors. If that were done, it'd match the orientation of my '72's alternator.

 

looks like it

 

Yes it can be re-clocked to a different position, and in fact was, depending on which model car it was in. No telling which way it will be clocked out of the box if buying a replacement.

Maybe the pic that spiked my curiosity was your car? Not sure but I saw one here somewhere that was different.

I was just curious which is correct for my car.

 

Yours is right. Was it my picture I posted with voltage readings? Mine is wrong but I guess there really isn't a wrong way just as long as the connections reach and it doesn't interfere with anything.

 

I prefer this method of clocking the alternator, no messing around with a paper clip or screwing up the brushes.

 

My first job ever at 16 years old was at Mazza Auto Parts in Clarkston, MI where I grew up....circa 1987. I drove the delivery truck and put up stock......after a year I was selling parts to customers at 17 years old......some ******** wouldn't let me help them because they assumed I knew jack and ****.....ah, tough guys...Lol! But I remember that we bought Alternators from the rebuilder and/or A1 Cardone. The GM 10SI Alt was a Lester # 7127. When you ordered the unit....you ordered it 7127- 3, 6, or 9 o,clock......with 7127 and no suffix was a 12 o'clock unit.....
But on Saturdays we would run out of at least one of the clockings......so my 17 yo *** would go into the "shop" and clock one to the spec for the car.....took about 5-10 minutes.......you use a piece of wire to hold the brushes in and pull it out when it is together.......
It was simply for good access to the 2 prong exciter plug.....depending on what GM turd you had then.....

Jebby

 

You guys are great.

1) I went to NAPA and they had a belt 1/2 shorter. It fits! Sometimes you just get lucky.

2) Darn, that was the way my alternator was mounted when I got it. I will relocate the J bar to the back, instead of the front. Although does it really make a difference?

3) I will have to reclock the alternator. I read this from the other post from 71 Green 454.

Originally Posted by Ironcross [img]file:///C:/Users/Guy/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/img]

Alternator clocking is viewed from the rear to determine the correct position for the location of the plug. Early alts have 4 positions, 12, 3, 6, and 9 and late model 1986 and later has 3 positions, 11, 3, and 7. Using the adjusting tension bolt hole on the front case as 12 if the plug is directly behind this bolt hole. A fairly simple procedure to change it. Don't pull the back case from the front, or you will lose the brushes. First remove the pulley and fan with a impact and the 4 bolts holding the cases together. Then just pull the front case up from the back separating the two housings but "holding or keeping the the rotor in the rear housing" and then rotate the front to the position you need. Most are at the 3 position. Push them back together and replace the 4 bolts and then put the pulley and fan back on and you're done. A 5 minute job. This way, the brushes don't pop out. [img]file:///C:/Users/Guy/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.gif[/img] We do it this way all the time.

Anyone try that? Does it work?

 

2) Darn, that was the way my alternator was mounted when I got it. I will relocate the J bar to the back, instead of the front. Although does it really make a difference?
i would say yes.. for alignment of belt pulleys, but take a straight edge and see.. someone may bugared it

 

You may also look at your assembly manual Generator Mounting.
On the 77 both L48 & L82 there is a 1/4" thick steel spacer between water pump and brace item #10.
This aligns brace to Alternator.

 

Your clocking is correct for a small block. But your wire harness is bent to sharply see photo for normal wire routing.

 

Yes, way safer and easier, IF you have an impact wrench to drive the nut on and off, and who doesn't now days

 

Both re-clocking methods work. Getting the front pulley nut off is pretty difficult without air tools. You need an Allen wrench, a vise and a big socket if you don't have access to an air gun. You can put the alternator on the ground and step on it with your sneaker to hold the fan still while you buzz off the pulley nut with an air tool. You still need to try not to let the brushes pop out. OR...

Second thought....just ignore the front pulley nut and deal with the brushes. NO BIGGIE. Pull the case halfs apart and push the brushes back into the holes in the brush holder. Insert the straightened paper clip to retain the brushes and reassemble the 4 case screws into the newly clocked case. Pull the paperclip out of the back of the case and bolt the alternator back on the car. Easy. No sweat or air tools required.

 

The easiest way i have found to re-clock the alternator is as described in post #10 but after you take the pulley and fan off you hold the alt upside down resting on the nose of the pulley shaft. when you take the 4 long screws out you let the front of the alternator drop to the bench then clock it where you want then install the long screws and put the fan and pulley back on. with the alt resting on its nose the brushes and springs can not fall out because the shaft is staying seated in the back of the case.

 

Most have the connector facing upward. Aftermarket units have the clocking all over the place.
As far as 'clocking' goes there is a lot of BS on the 'net' about how to do it....read below to see how easy it is!!! (10 minute job!) Including some guy from Slovakia POUNDING out the front bearing with a hammer!

1. Remove alternator
2. Carefully look and notice TWO tiny holes where the shaft bearing protrusion is. (Clever guys, those Chevy/Delco engineers!)
3. Those holes are the 'brush keeper retaining holes' (BKRH)
4. Separate alternator's halves SLOWLY....BOING! the brushes will pop out, don't loose them.
5, Notice which direction they are oriented in...you'll want to put them back the SAME WAY.
6. Take a red nozzle from (say) a WD-40 can and cut it in half.
7. Push the brushes and springs back into their respective keepers and insert the red nozzles into the BKRH holes to RETAIN the brushes for assembly.
8. SHOVE the nozzles hard into the BKRH holes..as far they'll go. this retains the alternator carbon brushes in their original positions.
9. Clock the alternator to your desired position. it can only go in 90 degree increments.
10. Reassemble/ torque.
11. REMOVE the red nozzles...BOING! the brushes snap back into place.
12. Re-install alternator.

Hope this helps.

Unkahal