Alternator or battery issue?

[Bill Jennings]

Porboynz,

My car thanks you for your concern about her cleanliness.


Before
After


Alternator now back in and charging at 13.58v so I'm feeling pretty lucky I didn't damage anything when I grounded the diode heatsink.

So job done and back to playing with the CIS and changing the tyres!

[wwest]

Originally Posted by Bill Jennings

Finally got around to pulling the alternator out and I believe it was removed recently.
I bought the car last april but I don't know it's recent history before then.

The fan just pulled from the shaft by hand no resistance at all and the alternator looks clean compared to the fan and shroud.

I also noticed that one of the female spade connectors (3 brown wires) was much wider than the male spade terminal it plugs onto and it was a little loose. Is this an original connector if so I can just squeeze it to tighten it or should I solder the 3 wires together and connect to a smaller connector with a single wire?

Another observation is that my external regulator's part number gives my alternator as a 55A Marchant but this alt is a Bosch 0120400 cant read the rest of the number. I guess it may be a remanufactured replacement?

Can anyone identify this alternator?

Cheers

Bill

The fact that the alternator output red wire changes color to "orange" near the spade lug, along with other obvious indication, indicates "local" overheating due to a marginal connection. Since the spade lug looks okay then the 2 wires are not crimmped solidly into the spade lug. I always crimp AND (then) solder.

Oh, those metal braid spark plug wire "shields" serve no purpose other than adversely impacting the CDI HV risetime.

They were intented to solve the airbox backfire blow-up but didn't. Later models used a fuel distribution assembly inside the intake as a FINAL solution.

[maui44]

wwest,

Thanks for the information regarding the red to orange wire color change. Love this site because you learn something new everyday.

Hard to beat a good soldered connection.

Thanks

[Porboynz]

Congrats on sorting the charging issue, must have been those slip ring brushes after all. Good to have the proper earth wire in place and everybody deserves a little luck sometimes and you certainly were lucky when you made sparks. With the current heatwave I see on the news each night in Australia, that 911 will run a little cooler with all that oily crud removed. It certainly looks way nicer. Things that look good often go good, so I am told.

[Bill Jennings]

Porboynz,

Slip rings were fine just needed brushes a $30 fix.

Your right about the weather here saw 48C on tuesday. I'm about to import from the states a genuine Carrera fender cooler with fan to replace the trombone and I'm also in the market for a decent 245 mm 11 blade fan to replace the original 5 blade I have now. Anyone have one PM me please.

Might be a bit late asking this but where is the oil coming from that I just cleaned off?
Is this from the infamous triangle of death or somewhere else?

wwest,

I did not notice the red to orange color change, thanks for pointing that out, do I need to pull the alternator for a 4th time (I am getting pretty good at it) and redo that connection. What are the other obvious (to you) signs of localised heat?

Cheers

Bill

[manbridge 74]

Lot of good info in this thread.

On grounding/earthing issues.... ever wonder why grounds on modern vehicles have that large star washer between stud/bolt and ring terminal? It's because multiple contact points are better than one large single point. I like to add these in whenever I can on older designs.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by Bill Jennings

Porboynz,

Slip rings were fine just needed brushes a $30 fix.

Your right about the weather here saw 48C on tuesday. I'm about to import from the states a genuine Carrera fender cooler with fan to replace the trombone and I'm also in the market for a decent 245 mm 11 blade fan to replace the original 5 blade I have now. Anyone have one PM me please.

If you have A/C, or even not, you might want to seriously consider adding two 12" radiator cooling fans to force more airflow downward through the engine/(condensor?) during low RPM idle or post a "HOT" run. My '78 is so equipped but it hadn't spent enough time in Olive Branch to qualify it as adequate there. Certainly no problem here in the US NW, A/C can freeze me out on a 90F day, easily, and no indication of engine overheating even after hours of 100 MPH plus operation, UT, WY, etc.

Might be a bit late asking this but where is the oil coming from that I just cleaned off?
Is this from the infamous triangle of death or somewhere else?

wwest,

I did not notice the red to orange color change, thanks for pointing that out,

do I need to pull the alternator for a 4th time (I am getting pretty good at it) and redo that connection.

Sorry, yes, but not with any real urgency.


What are the other obvious (to you) signs of localised heat?

Burned spade lug sleeve/insulation. B+ rubber boot seems to be melted/burned.

Cheers

Bill

Mounted under the rear spoiler in my '78, under the engine lid in my '88.

[Porboynz]

48C is 117F in US degrees which is just too hot, the finned cooler with fan should help keep her cool when stuck in slow traffic. When you remove the alternator again to check on that terminal have a good look for fresh oil, my bet is the breather cover gasket and or the breather hose join to the breather cover. The rubber in the breather hose goes hard and is near impossible to seal with a hose clip especially with the little dome protrusion on the breather cover. I think the little dome is supposed to help retain the hose but it causes dents in the breather hose and its easy to tighten the hose clamp on it, which is a recipe for a leak.

[Bill Jennings]

Porboynz,

Took the car out for a 100k drive today through the highlands and it has lost much of the burnt oil smell my wife complains about all the time!

Ive kind of known for a while that there is a full or partial engine drop in my near future as I want to get some track time at Wakefield and Sydney but know I will not pass scrutineering with my oil leaks.

Im assuming that breather is part of the triangle of death and needs at least a partial drop to reach?

I'm debating what gaskets and o rings etc to buy plus the oil return tubes and hoses as well while I'm at it as I would like a dry engine if at all possible.

The trouble is that old while your in there list that grows and grows. Then there is the new sound pad, freshen up engine bay, fuel lines, vacuum lines, fuel injector o rings, seals etc etc.
Cheers
Bill

[Porboynz]

Good luck with that Bill, I am not that familiar with the 3.0L engine but imagine it has the same breather in the so called triangle. (Breather, oil thermostat, oil pressure sender) You probably need to remove so much of that new fangled electronic injection that an engine drop is easier. Plenty of room to work on an MFI or carbed engine. Worst situation is if the case through bolts or cylinder bases are leaking significantly, all the rest are relatively easy and cheap: Breather cover gasket, breather hose, oil thermostat O ring, oil pressure sender crush washers, oil return tubes and seals, valve cover gaskets, timing cover gaskets. The rocker shafts can be another leak source.

[timmy2]

Well Bill....
Are you in for the long haul?
Read my thread as I have tackled everything you have described and more in my 1.5 years of ownership. It's a very slippery slope...
Finally, back in the game!

[Bill Jennings]

timmy2,

Just read your entire thread, very inspirational!

Am I in for the long haul? I would have to say yes as the more I dig into this car the more Things I find that cannot be left alone!

I'm envious of your scissor lift it looks like just the tool to get the height to drop the motor. Have to see how big the next commision check is.

Once again thanks for the inspiration, you make it all look so easy.

Cheers

Bill