That Smell

Well ,replaced my battery with a new Optima, including adapter tray $140+40 to rid my 88-911 coupe of that acrid smell and slight acidic discharge in the Batt. area. We then measured the output at the terminals and it was above 14. Seems that the alternator is not functioning well or too well(overcharging). The Porsche mechanic says replace the alternator immediately to the tune of about$600.Not within my scope to add an external regulator.
Any and all feedback in this arena appreciated.
Thanks


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Wild Willie 88-911

I bought a rebuilt one at an auto electric shop for about $150.00 so you might want to check around first.

Going from memory but I don't think that the alt. that I had originally was built in Germany anyway (I think that it was france or italy built). I'm not sure that P. builds there alt. but buys them instead. Does anyone know the answer to that?

You might also want to see if an auto electric shop can rebuild yours if they don't have one on the shelf already.

It is not a tough job (R&R an alt) you might want to try to do it yourself.

Good Luck!

s

By all means pull the alternator yourself! Remove fan belt, loosen the 'band clamp' holding the fan housing to the block, then carefully take out fan assembly to the rear with attentionn to wiring harness. A digital camera would be very useful to show orientation of wiring to housing and air shroud.

Once the fan assembly is detached from the engine, removal of fan is usually easy with a couple of taps from a plastic mallet. Removal of alternator from housing is very easy, and may also require the aid of plastic mallet.

The Motorola/Marchal alternators may be made in France. The local alternator shop should have no trouble rebuilding either Bosch or Marchal alternator, though parts may have to be ordered.

You may want to check the price of an exchange rebuilt unit, but I suspect the locally rebuilt unit won't be more than $100-$150.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I just pulled my alternator and replaced the internal voltage regulator on Friday. Like you, I was experiencing a bad acidic smell in the car. My tach was aslo all over the dial.

I would suggest that you probably don't need a new alternator, just a voltage regulator.

I agree with Warren, this is a relatively easy job. The voltage regulator costs about $60 bucks and the job took me less than two hours-start to finish.

The only additional information that I would offer you is that before you separate the fan, alternator, and "vaned cone" behind the alternator, scribe a mark across the three parts to make sure that they all go back together in the same relation to each other. With this done, it is a very straight forward job.

The problem with rebuilding an alt for just the regulator is finding someone that is willing to just sell you the part that you need and not stick you for the whole rebuild.

If you can find a source do it.
Case in point: I once found that my starter soloid brass terminals had gone bad (not a P. car) the dealer wanted $302.00 for a new starter. The local rebuild house wanted $150+ exchange. After a day of calling around I found a guy that sold me a pair that he pulled out of a half full ziplock freezer bag (maybe 500+ in it that he buys in bulk) and said $5.00 I said thanks(10 years ago) with no problems since.

I also bought a rebuild kit for sanden compressor for about 10.00 ( try getting one of thoughs now).

Repair can be a scam, you just sometimes have to learn to get around it.

good luck!

s

[This message has been edited by H2O911 (edited 05-15-2000).]