944 Alternator Replacement (photos)

[..P]

Yeah, it's down there under the air box, and yes, you must remove the belly pan. Porsche..........the literal German translation is "take half the car apart to fix anything" lol











More photos can be found here
http://www.network54.com/Forum/426130/message/1149997469

[SoCal Driver]

As most of the blind nuts in the air box are stripped it's much easier to remove the three nuts on the other end of the bracket.

[Panzer909]

What prompted you to swap out the alternator?

[..P]

I've had charging problems with this car for a while, battery didn't seem to do too well. Had the clutch replaced and was anxious to drive again and on the way home the darn battery died on me.

There was a cop on my tail too, lol. I coasted and tried to restart, but no battery. I coasted over a hill, and down a grade, worried to death I'd get a ticket with expired tags. I had enough battery power left to do a good turn signal right into an Autozone, coasted right up to the parking spot, parked perfectly.

I checked out the battery and everything I could tell, dressed in a business suit, was the darn battery was dead. Therefore, weighing the cost of a tow job and a new battery, and being in a BAD part of town near dusk, I decided to buy a new battery. I put it in, the car started up and I drove home. I thought I had it fixed. Next time I drove the car the darn thing started to die on me, and I had to turn off the headlights to get home, near dusk. I made it.

I put a charger on the battery, got it hot, tried again,and it was obvious the alternator was not working. I then bought a voltage regulator, as the next cheapest way out. Put it in, and no difference in charging was noted at the battery, from static versus having the car running.

I just went to NAPA, they got me a Beck Arnley unit for something like $225 the next day, picked it up and popped it in during the weekend. It worked.

Now checking the battery with a meter, I have something like 11 volts or so, and when running I have something like 14 or 15. The car is back in action, yippay!

Regards, P

[WizPorsche944]

How long did it take you ? I have to do mine this week.

[..P]

Well as you may see, I made a morning out of it. I set up a fan because it was HOT in Tennessee, got out the bench, put down a nice sheet of plywood, a nice cigar my wife bought me, and yeah, a glass of wine, well I'll admit to just one glass.

The cigar had to be tossed when the work started, so I sorta just enjoyed the morning for a little while, lol.



The job is really pretty straight forward. You have to get the air box off, don't rush anything.

Top bolt on the alternator is pretty straight forward, one side was held with a visegrip and the other one was loosened. Bottom bolt is only accessible after removal of the belly pan, but that's not a bad job.

Be sure to get the car high enough for you to get under it okay, be safe, be safe, be safe.

The big tensioning bolt assy underneath is loosened until you can slide off the belt, just remove everything, take out the old, replace the new. I don't know if you looked at my reference thread or not, but there was a gizmo on the back of the old alternator that didn't appear on the new one. Yes the new one came with a voltage regulator, but that other thing was just transferred to the new (rebuilt) alternator. Thankfully it worked.

Good luck, take your time.

[WizPorsche944]

Thanks I will need it.

[Jmasters]

if you find that your batt is still not charging, make sure that when you turn the key on the battery symbol lights up, if it does not the alt will not charge.

[Brando]

Another thing to try if you get funky voltage readings and such (suggested to me by SoCal) is to run another grounding from the exposed nut (not the blind one) behind the alternator to the body or battery. You can never have too many good grounds.

[Eldorado]

Originally posted by Brando
Another thing to try if you get funky voltage readings and such (suggested to me by SoCal) is to run another grounding from the exposed nut (not the blind one) behind the alternator to the body or battery. You can never have too many good grounds.

seconded..

[Panzer909]

...P, I love the pic - I dunno about the rest of you guys, but taking a sunny afternoon with your refreshing adult beverage of choice to wrench is time well spent. BTW, is your car the imfamous Copenhagen Blue? I saw one up close locally once and fell in love with the color. What a classic look!

[..P]

Thanks for the note, I see you're from Pittsburgh. I'm originally from up around Meadville, went to Penn State, but have been in Tennessee for quite some time. I see you have a 72 TR-6 too. I imported a 73, French Blue with hardtop, a real sweet car. I ended up bending it in half when a kid pulled in front of me and I t-boned him, nobody got hurt but the TR was totaled. I still have the engine (now in a 74 TVR) and tranny, and a few assorted items I salvaged that were common to the TVR of the day.

I used to think the TVR was an awesome handling car, and it is up to a point. The 944 actually will hold it's own with a TVR on anything short of an autocross course. The 944 is a lot more stable at high speed, and a heck of a lot better engineered all the way around, like night versus day.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/426130/message/1123441270

Not sure about the color. Here's a link to several other photos of the car. I tried to sell it one time, couldn't get what I thought I should, some contractor claimed he could tell I had a new front clip welded n the car (which is pure BS, by the way) and he said he smelled antifreeze, yada yada. I kept it, and now 25,000 miles later I'm still loving it. I actually liked it so much I bought two more wasserpumpers. We have a couple Volvos for the schneemobile duty!

Regards, P

[WizPorsche944]

Hey looking at the pictures did you have to tkae off the air meter too ??

[callmethewander]

P, i noticed those others in the background, very nice stable you have there, congrats and enjoy!

[Panzer909]

...P, Meadville, eh? The birthplace of Sharon Stone. I'm originally from Erie. Yeah, the TR6 is a rugged little car, contrary to the bad rap British sports cars get. Love how the TVR shares the same tailights as the TR6, as a later TVR shares the same rear lights ( upside-down) as a '80s Lotus Esprit.

[..P]

Erie, eh? I spent a lot of time at the Erie Yacht Club, back in the mid 70's, used to hang out with John Schaal, Mike Preston, David Haller, just to drop a few names.

As for the air meter comment in the other post, yes it was just folded back on top of the motor with the rest of the air box.

As for the TR-6, if you have an OD transmission, note the top of it has plugs for three MORE OD switches. Wire em up and you will have an 8-speed transmission, as I do in my TVR with hot cam and three sidedraft Webers.

Regards, so many cars, so little time!

P

[..P]

I remembered I had photos of the voltage regulator change out, and they have some more shots of the disassembly process in case they are of use to anyone.

Here they are.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/426130/message/1132531553/

This was an unsuccsssful attempt on my part, to avoid buying an alternator, by the way!

had to give it a try. Now I have a spare voltage regulator.

Regards, P

[bryanthompson]

on this same topic... I have a spare adjustable voltage regulator that I got with my headlight kit. How can I check to make sure it is adjusted correctly? I don't see any markings on it or anything.

[Techno Duck]

Bryan, look at the regulator face on, the black piece (if its a Transpo type)..you should see a small hole with a screw in it.



I still have a brand new one that Iceshark sent me with the headlight kit. I broke the brushes on the first one accidentally putting it into my alternator (which was still installed on the car). Ive had this one on my shelf for probably two years now and never put it in. Im just not looking foward to removing the cooling shroud on the back of the alternator (i just remember this being a royal pain in the ass)...i plan to just pull the alternator out to avoid breaking another one of these things.

[todd84944]

You might want to check all of you connections and your grounds. You should have a little over 12V at idle. If you only have 11, you will drain the battery in about 4 hrs run time.