obscure problem?
 

Here's one I never came across before. It's a long story, so I'll just describe the problem.

While putting the fan/alternator back into the fan housing on my '78 engine, the back of the alternator protrudes about 1/8" beyond the back of the housing. The light gray plastic "cone" that attaches to the back of the housing and covers the alternator wiring does not fit flush onto the back of the fan housing because the alternator gets in the way.

My solution was to bolt on the alternator/fan to the housing without the "cone", then bolt on the "cone" with a second set of 6 nuts on the same 6 studs. This way, the "cone" sits snugly on the first set of nuts. Now there is an open gap, about 1/8" wide between the housing and the "cone", where there should be no gap. Is this a problem?

It doesn't seem like the slight alteration in air flow would be a problem, but you never know. NASA didn't think a little piece of foam was a problem, either. And I'm not even a rocket scientist.

Charlie
Montara, CA
1970 911E

Charlie, I can't imagine that it's a problem. I think the cone is there to direct the airflow across the cylinders. An 1/8" gap shouldn't mess up the desired airflow. Just watch out for chunks of foam spewing out of there. ;)

typical when replacing the alternator. you have to trim the cutout a bit wider and deeper to clear the larger regulator.

You need to rotate the alternator in order for the regulator (the square thing) to fit in the allowed space.