spitfires
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: alternator diagnosis

To: "Peter S." <alfapete@pacbell.net>
Subject: Re: alternator diagnosis
From: Reed Mideke <rmideke@interbase.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 11:14:17 -0700


"Peter S." wrote:
> 
> That was me.  The bulb has 2 functions (at least).  Firstly its the exciter
> for the alternate to start putting out voltage.  Without it and the unit
> will spin happily without putting out power.  Second, it indicates when
> alternator power is less than battery voltage - your case.
> 
And thirdly, it indicates when alternator voltage is far over battery
voltage...

> Now if someone could help with my rebuilt carb questions.....
> Peter S
> 
Mmm, I've only really dealt with DGVs and manual choke SUs. So I
cant help with the water choke stuff.
You should be able to tell extreme rich from lean by smell,
and sooty smoke from the exhaust. Proper mix should barely smell at all.
(don't sniff it for too long ;-)

If you EGR vacuum diaphragm doesn't hold vacuum, it could be causing
a vacuum leak, which will mess up your idle.  If it's old/original,
its probably dead. Even if the diaphragm of the vacuum parts is ok,
the actual valve is probably clogged with soot. My datsun motor
was so clogged that I ran it for a week with the EGR stuff completly
removed (and no plate or anything) until it backfired out the
carb and blew out the blocks of soot that had been sealing it
up. Then it didn't run at all.

For diagnosis, you can try blocking off all the vacuum lines to
the EGR and then adjusting mixture and idle (well you want to block
off the intake side of them, of course. The EGR side shouldn't matter)
If that helps or fixes it, you need come up with the EGR stuff. Can't
help you there. I have heard of unscrupulous people replacing their EGR
gasket with a thin plate, and still passing smog. In california,
no less. YMMV.

Good luck.
-- 
Reed Mideke                                        rmideke@interbase.com

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>