----- Original Message -----
From: Graziano, Michael <michael.graziano@csfb.com>
To: 'Spridgets' <spridgets@autox.team.net>; <mgs@autox.team.net>
Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 10:41 PM
Subject: Odd assortment of things....
> 3. Alternator: The GM unit has me a little worried. When I start the
car for the 1st time at night, the alternator doesn't charge past 12Volts.
The ignition light isn't on, so it's charging, but not at the 14V I've
become used to. This has happened 3 times in two weeks, out of 10 different
times I've started the car. Letting it sit for an hour didn't help.
Running the new electric fan brings the voltage down to 11.5Volts. I didn't
have my multimeter handy, so I don't have exact #'s. Any ideas? This
occurrence coincides with the engine idle being considerably lower. From
1,200 (normally) to about 800 when this occurs. I'm thinking moisture? But
it should work itself out when the engine gets hot. It doesn't.
Sounds to me like it *isn't* charging. Does the warning light come on when
you turn on the ignition but before you start the engine? It should. When
you start the engine do you have to rev it past about 900 rpm before it goes
out? You should. Does it only come back on again if you slow the revs down
below about 600rpm? It should. If it does all those things then it *is*
charging (after a fashion) as you say but either some diodes have gone open
circuit or the regulator is limiting the current to much too low a figure.
Either way a replacement alternator is called for.
> 4. Peculiar smell: After driving the car, I get a peculiar smell coming
from the engine compartment. Kinda sweet and pungent. No, there's no
Chinese food stuck anywhere. Doesn't smell exactly electrical, but could be
related to the alternator problem above. It's not oil, that for sure. And
my oil pressure is pretty steady at 25-35psi hot, and 90psi cold (both at
idle).
Leaking coolant containing anti-freeze, particularly from the heater area,
can smell sickly-sweet. Are you losing coolant?
> 5. The whine: I have a whine in the engine bay. It varied with engine
speed, not gearbox or wheel speed. Depressing the clutch has no effect.
Besides belts, any ideas what might whine with engine speed. It's not the
dizzy. Alternator bearings possibly linked to above?
Excessive noise and heat from the alternator is one of many symptoms of
diode failure.
> Another thought that JUST occurred to me. Would I get symptoms 3-5 if the
belt wasn't seating perfectly in either the alternator, or one of the other
pulleys? I'm not getting a loud belts whine. In fact, you can hardly hear
it.
Difficult to see how the belt would not be seating properly unless one of
the alternator mounting brackets has given way and it is twisted or
otherwise out of alignment with the water pump and cranck pulleys.
PaulH.
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