Looks like my alternator bit the dust

[joebarthlow]

3 hours ago, mosman58 said:

If you don’t mind - what did they charge? I’m in Austin as well.

 

$91 for rebuild and regulator

[ray_]

3 hours ago, tech71 said:

yeah, that pretty much requires some kind of meter to quantify?

you can disconnect the neg battery terminal while at idle.. if it keeps running your alternator is producing some current.

Does your cigarette lighter work?

Plug one of these into it

https://www.amazon.com/Palumma-Charger-Adapter-Display-Battery/dp/B0773BYS6P/ref=sr_1_20?crid=FFVM1OBNN3RK&keywords=lighter%2Badapter%2Bplug%2Bfor%2Bcar%2Bwith%2Bvolt%2Bgauge&qid=1658955882&sprefix=lighter%2Badapter%2Bplug%2Bfor%2Bcar%2Bwith%2Bvolt%2Bgauge%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-20&th=1

 

 

And if the idjit light is off, he's likely okay.

 

;-)

Edited July 28, 2022 by ray_
typoo

[ray_]

3 hours ago, TobyB said:

 

13.6- 13.8v, ideally.

 

Sorry, could not resist...

 

t

You don't have the capacitance.

 

[tech71]

19 hours ago, joebarthlow said:

$91 for rebuild and regulator

Not bad.

[bmw_e30]

On 6/25/2022 at 1:52 PM, Tdh said:

Had one here up until last year. He finally gave up.  It was a sad day for the gear heads in Augusta...

 

 

 

here in LA we have dozens of rad shops still

[joebarthlow]

So far, so good. 12 trips, 14 starts, no sign of power loss. battery appears to be charging the only wonky thing going one is my temp gage acting up. prior to rebuilding the alternator and replacing the regulator, it was perfect and accurate. Currently, it's steady as it warms up, but shoots high when warm. The signals and headlights make it go higher and bouncy. At acceleration, it levels back out and rather steady. I checked the usual spots under the hood with a digital thermostat and the temps are fine.

 

Thinking maybe it's the new regulator? bad ground?

Edited July 29, 2022 by joebarthlow

[ray_]

The regulator grounds to the fender....

[joebarthlow]

11 hours ago, ray_ said:

The regulator grounds to the fender....

yes, I installed it in the same place as the old one

 

[ray_]

1 hour ago, joebarthlow said:

yes, I installed it in the same place as the old one

 

Good.

 

There's a cluster of ground wires on one of the mounting screws. Clean everything involved.

[joebarthlow]

I replaced my ground with BMW braided double ground, temp gage works perfectly now. The system seem to back to normal now. thanks for the input!

Edited August 12, 2022 by joebarthlow

[JohnS]

Did you include a ground wire on the alternator itself?  They usually have a little nut on one of the bolts on the alternator housing that you attach a ground wire back to the alternator mount where it bolts to the engine block or anywhere that's a solid ground.  That's because the alternator metal body isn't grounded very well because of the rubber bushings in the mount insulating it from the block.

 

Something like the brown wire in the pic.  I stole this pic from another thread on this forum...

From our good buddy Paul W (RIP)

 

EDIT:  Sorry, I reread the entire thread and see that the ground wire was already covered.  Sorry folks...

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by JohnS