Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon
... I'll bookmark this for the inevitable day when mine goes out.
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OK, that was stupid.
I should have
bought a regulator for the inevitable day when mine goes out, not just bookmarked it.
Here's what I learned trying to drive to work this morning:
1) My car's not very good at telling me that the alternator failed. It was idling funny, switching abruptly between 870 and 700 rpm, but fine otherwise.
Was at least 1/2 hour later that I caught the red batt indicator flash on and off once on the dash.
2) An on-board voltmeter is a good thing to have. I was running DashCommand to see if fuel trims or O2 voltages changed with the intermittent idle.
When I saw the batt indicator flash, switched over to the screen with volts, and I was at 11.7. When I revved the engine, it dropped to 11.6.
Cut all non-essential power!! Abort mission!! Return to base!!
Down to 10.9 by the time I got home. I can't believe it was still running.
Here's what I learned while fixing it:
1) The bottom of the air filter box is held on with plastic pins through big grommets. The plastic pins don't want to come out. Easier to stretch the grommets over them. I things that's how it's supposed to work.
2) No one stocks rebuilt alternators, not even the major chains or a local dealer. Turns out this was a good thing. Took it to a local rebuilder that does nice work. $200 and 4 hour turnaround. Could have been worse.
3) Getting the thing in and out is more of a PITA than it needs to be. The bottom bracket straddles the bracket on the block too tightly. Filed the alternator bracket before putting it back in to open it up a little, but it was still a pain to get the bolts holes lined up.
4) I need new idlers. Tensioner one is really floppy. Oh, well. It was on my list anyways. Now it's gone to the top.