89 Carrera Alternator reinstall

[bcheney]

I just had my alternator rebuilt at a local rebutable Auto Electric shop. Everything went back together without issue. I started engine and it runs fine. I let it idle for about 5 minutes and all was normal. I then began to raise the RPM's gradually and all was normal. I let it idle a bit more and then blipped the throttle and started to here a very faint metallic noise. I was a little concerned so I shut her down. Let me know what I should be looking at an inspecting. It looks like a tiny bit of fan blade contact with the housing may have taken place. But, it is really looks negligible. I have grabbed the fan with both hands to see if there is any play whatsoever and there isn't. I torqued the fan housing strap to spec per the Bentley manual. When I installed the fan I made sure the spacer slid over the alt. shaft, then placed the woodruff key in the slot, slid the fan over the shaft, placed the shims over the fan, placed the belt in place over the fan, slid the pulley over the fan, placed the other shims on the outside of the pulley, slid the nut on the shaft at torqued everything down. Let me know your thoughts.

[Tippy]

Are you confident the alternator has seated into the fan housing squarely?

Mine was powder coated and added irregularities to where the alternator seats into.

[Flat6pac]

The Carrera alternator and hub allow the 3 nuts to be tightened, metal to metal and that should square the unit in the housing. The 3 that hold the hub extension need only be snug to hold the extension.
Done this way it should center the alternator and fan so it doesnt touch the housing.
Bruce

[bcheney]

When I installed the alt into the housing I really felt like to paid close attention to how they engaged...metal to metal and then tighted everything down. I know what you are saying about the airguide that mounts to the back of the alt..I remember not over tightening that assembly because I know that can crack at the mounting points if overtorqued. Maybe I should just take it all apart and reinspect...what a PITA to wiggle everything apart, remove the wiring and remove the fan from the alt. Or, is their a way to pull the fan off without doing all of that?

[redridge]

Spin the fan freely, does it hit the housing? If yes, then you have an alignment issue. If no noise, but when you put the belt on it makes noises, then you may need to tighten the alt and/or fan nut some more.

[vracer]

Have you checked and neutralized your battery compartment? Luckily my '89 Targa has a factory installed voltmeter, and when I was driving home after purchasing, I noticed intermittent high voltage. (Voltage reg. checked fine on PPI.) I found a little acid in battery compartment, but got it before it went through paint. Good luck on finding your gremlin.

[bcheney]

Ok I have disassembled everything. One question...which direction does the spacer that fits over the alternator shaft go on? See first pic...I think this is the correct way. The second pic shows what the spacer looks like if you flip it.

[bcheney]

Can anyone answer the orientation question about the spacer? Which photo depicts the correct fitment?

Thanks,

[bazar01]

it looks like the spacer has a small lip that should sit on the bearing inner race. The fisrt pic is the correct orientation.

[bcheney]

There is no inner race for the spacer to secure itself to. The spacer slides up against the blue seal that you see in the pic. I am thinking pic one is correct also...however, I want to be sure. If you flip it like in pic two the woodruff key runs up against the spacer when you are installing the outer pulley half and its a bit of a tustle to get everything back together. Anyone else ready to chime in?

[bazar01]

Originally Posted by bcheney

There is no inner race for the spacer to secure itself to. The spacer slides up against the blue seal that you see in the pic. I am thinking pic one is correct also...however, I want to be sure. If you flip it like in pic two the woodruff key runs up against the spacer when you are installing the outer pulley half and its a bit of a tustle to get everything back together. Anyone else ready to chime in?

The blue seal is the front ball bearing rubber seal. The ball bearing has an inner bearing race and the reason there is a lip on the spacer is to prevent the spacer from touching the blue rubber seal when the alternator shaft spins.

[bcheney]

So sliding the spacer over the shaft and having the flat side against the blue seal is correct...as depicted in pic 1 or am I not understanding your explanation. Thanks for chiming in.

[clarkd]

The 1st picture is correct.

Below is a picture of the old and replacement bearing for my alternator for a visual.



The step or raised surface on the spacer in your 2nd picture needs to mate against the inner metal ring of your bearing.

[bcheney]

Ok.. I was a little slow. I understand what Bazar01 was saying about the spacer mating against the inner race now. Thanks for the input everyone!

[bcheney]

Final check on the orientation question. Which is correct for the spacer...the first pic above or the second? Thanks everyone!