alternator - any special issues
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Joined: Sep 2001
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From: McKinney TX
alternator - any special issues
I think that the alternator in my 1981 C3 died last night, and I plan to have the car towed to a shop today for examination. Are there any special issues with regard to this alternator of which I should be aware?
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Joined: Sep 2001
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From: McKinney TX
Originally Posted by texaswilkins
Don't have it towed just for the alternator. The alternator is an easy job (2 bolts) and I'll come over to help if you want me to.
Bill
Bill
As you can tell, I am as mechanically inept as there is. I therefore appreciate the offer. If I go to one of the local parts stores, are they likely to have the alternator that I need?
If you really don't mind helping me with this task, shoot me a PM or e-mail me. Thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Dayton Area Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by texaswilkins
Don't have it towed just for the alternator. The alternator is an easy job (2 bolts) and I'll come over to help if you want me to.
Bill
Bill
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Leander Texas
Originally Posted by texaswilkins
Don't have it towed just for the alternator. The alternator is an easy job (2 bolts) and I'll come over to help if you want me to.
Bill
Bill
Good luck, let us all know how it goes.
DR. Jay
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
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From: Moon Township PA
Originally Posted by texaswilkins
Don't have it towed just for the alternator. The alternator is an easy job (2 bolts) and I'll come over to help if you want me to.
Bill
Bill
There is a local shop in the Pittsburgh area that you can walk, drive, or scooter your alternator to. With a set of multiple connectors he can hook up any brand of alternator to his testor and tell you what is/is not going on there. You should be able to find one in your yellow pages.
Gary
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Brett Foote
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
I 'upgradded' my alternator on my 1980. I got one from a 1986 Corvette. It puts out about 100 amp instead of the stock 63 amp. This is good if you have extra radio equipment or electric radiator fans. All I had to do was pull the pulley from the original alt and put it on the new 1986 alt.
There are 2 bolts that hold the alternator in. Then you have 1 bolt on the back for the ground wires, 1 nut that holds the positive wires and 1 two wire connector on the top. Make sure to disconnect the ground from the battery before you start anywork. Get a Haynes manual and they should have the removal / install instructions in there.
There are 2 bolts that hold the alternator in. Then you have 1 bolt on the back for the ground wires, 1 nut that holds the positive wires and 1 two wire connector on the top. Make sure to disconnect the ground from the battery before you start anywork. Get a Haynes manual and they should have the removal / install instructions in there.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by carguy4sure
Hey comp... this is getting pretty old. 28,156 posts of this amounts to nothing. It does not help anyone. Why don't you ever say something?
amounts to nothing. It does not help anyone. Why don't you ever say something? Guys that just drop in to run their count up and say nothing tick me off too That said I picked up a truck 150 amp alternator and had no trouble bolting it in. I made the mistake of going for the single wire and it doesn't work that well. If you draw power from under the dash the single wire alternators can't compensate for the added draw and increase their output. They sense output from the alternator itself and any draw further down the road doesn't alow the alternator to increase it's output.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
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From: San Antonio TX
Originally Posted by carguy4sure
Hey comp... this is getting pretty old. 28,156 posts of this amounts to nothing. It does not help anyone. Why don't you ever say something?
amounts to nothing. It does not help anyone. Why don't you ever say something? He weighs in frequently with
and Now if those three don't advance anyone's understanding of a complex techical issue, then I don't know what does.
7th Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
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Old Trick from an old man
A quick and cheap check for an alternator is to take a long steel screwdriver and hold it loosly near the alternaor while the engine is running. If the screwdriver is attracted magnetically to the alternator then you probably have another problem like the battery.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 3
From: Moon Twp. PA USA
Originally Posted by carguy4sure
Hey comp... this is getting pretty old. 28,156 posts of this amounts to nothing. It does not help anyone. Why don't you ever say something?
amounts to nothing. It does not help anyone. Why don't you ever say something?Why doesn't a moderator or someone warn these guys, that if they keep posting BS and those smilies in a tech or general forum instead of the OT forum, they will be booted out. Takes up Forum bandwidth, and I hate seeing all those smilies as the only thing in a message.
Last edited by glen242; Dec 7, 2005 at 12:38 AM.
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Joined: Sep 2001
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From: McKinney TX
texaswilkins was of great assistance to me, and my '81 now has a new alternator and is up and running once again . . . just in time to get it indoors before the bad weather hits. Thanks to Bill and the board in general for the help. It was greatly appreciated.
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From: Smalltownville Michigan
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St. Jude Donor '09
make sure that the pulley is the same size! when i swapped mine out, i had to change the pulley from the old one over to the new one.