Absolutely!
Oops !!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Oops !!
My upper alternator bolt to head broke...and the lower one...I'm guessing due to heat/cooling of Alum head the upper bolt bolt loosened over time...then tension/load broke it....
I can get easy out and fix,but any ZZ502 guys here experience this ???
This took 8900 miles/over 2 years,btw...
Thanx,
Rich
I can get easy out and fix,but any ZZ502 guys here experience this ???
This took 8900 miles/over 2 years,btw...
Thanx,
Rich
Last edited by rihwoods; Feb 7, 2008 at 04:14 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 2
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the World
I've had a couple of the same bolts break as well. It's become part of the maintenance procedure to lean on the alternator to see if it flexes.
Haven't had a problem getting the broken piece out, thank goodness.
Haven't had a problem getting the broken piece out, thank goodness.
Thread Starter
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Thanks...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 752
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Australia
I've had a few break....so i fabricated an additional support to prevent the alternator flexing up and down which eventually fatigues these bolts. I have not had a problem since.
The extra support runs from the upper alternator bracket down to the water pump stud. This stiffens the assembly up dramatically.
Ignore the little bracket, that stops the bolt from being shot into the radiator by the fan if it does break. (Already happened once
)
Joe
The extra support runs from the upper alternator bracket down to the water pump stud. This stiffens the assembly up dramatically.
Ignore the little bracket, that stops the bolt from being shot into the radiator by the fan if it does break. (Already happened once
) Joe
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
I've had a few break....so i fabricated an additional support to prevent the alternator flexing up and down which eventually fatigues these bolts. I have not had a problem since.
The extra support runs from the upper alternator bracket down to the water pump stud. This stiffens the assembly up dramatically.
Ignore the little bracket, that stops the bolt from being shot into the radiator by the fan if it does break. (Already happened once )
Joe
The extra support runs from the upper alternator bracket down to the water pump stud. This stiffens the assembly up dramatically.
Ignore the little bracket, that stops the bolt from being shot into the radiator by the fan if it does break. (Already happened once
) Joe
Rich
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
I found there were a couple of spacers missing from between the outer part of that bracket where the p/s and alt bracket mounts to the head. 1/8" hardened spacer in there and no more mis-alignment. Both there and the one on the header bolt were gone. Bit of a PITA to get the alt adjuster bolt in, but all the belts line up straight and the brackets are both solid.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 752
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Australia
Possibly later 69 or later years were different, but mine is stock and was regularly snapping the bolt in question until i modified it. It seems that Rich's configuration is the same as mine.
Joe
Thread Starter
Race Director
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I'm sure there's some variations here....my early 69 427 has the factory z-shaped bracket but there is no way it can reach the water pump stud from the alternator bolt. As you can see in my photo the z-shaped bracket will reach the bolt in the head but not the water pump stud.
Possibly later 69 or later years were different, but mine is stock and was regularly snapping the bolt in question until i modified it. It seems that Rich's configuration is the same as mine.
Joe
Possibly later 69 or later years were different, but mine is stock and was regularly snapping the bolt in question until i modified it. It seems that Rich's configuration is the same as mine.
Joe
Rich
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 10
From: Big Pine Key FL
I heilcoiled in the next size bigger and used grade 8 bolt...
it's on my list of fasteners to safety wire.... I just check it for torque once per year now...
