Re: IML: Alternator Question

[Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>]

Your car should run just fine without the battery
present.

Several things:

If you live near a large city, there is likely a place
that can rebuild your existing unit.  If you doubt
that the unit is correct for the car anyway, you can
get a correct core and have that rebuilt for you.

I have cores and have access to a rebuilder if you're
interested.

At the same time that you do the Alternator, it is a
good idea to redo the voltage regulator as a matter of
course.  They're relatively cheap, and certainly
cheaper than a tow later.  When one component in a
system gives up, it's trying to tell you something,
and I just like eliminating all possible problems in a
system, so....

Also, I strongly advise in favor of new battery
cables.  this will force the removal of the cables and
consequently the inspection of the bolt that is
anchoring the ground cable.  Clean it with a wire
wheel to enhance conductivity.  If it is particularly
rusty, chasing the threaded hole with a tap as far as
you can and blowing the crud out is also advisable. 

You now have eliminated potential cracks in the
cables, cleaned the ground bolt, redone the alternator
and regulator, and the terminal clamps are nice and
grippy because they are clean and new.

How old is that battery?  They do go bad and you're
there and all.


When dealing with old cars, it is the habit of some to
address the immediate symptom one item at a time. 
That makes the car particularly prone to repeated
failure due to on-the-road testing for failure of some
very old parts.  My philosophy is to knock systems out
one at a time or all at once so that I have complete
confidence in them.


The majors would include:

All belts/hoses - this is VERY important
Brakes
Charging system
Tune-up kit/spark items
Tires
Carb
Trans gasket/filter
Oil/filter
Starter
re-align dashboard idol/hula girl

The minors (that can wait) include:

Radiator core/water pump
U-joints (may not be needed)
rear-end oil change (may not be needed)
ball-joints/steering linkages (may not be needed)
Steering rag joint (may not be needed)
Power steering pump
AC pump/clutch (check pump oil prior to operating!!)
Trans output seal (more important the longer the car
sat unused)



If you got a new-to-you car and spent $1000 on those
major parts up front and put them on, I'd bet that
your chances of something going wrong would drop to
almost zero barring catastrophic failure somewhere.







--- JosephStil@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Evenin' all:
> 
> The '61 Crown is having alternator trouble.  Or, let
> me say, charging trouble.  I have looked over the
> archives regarding this topic -- including Mr.
> Benjamin's outstanding discussion in the archives)
> and I am still confused.  My understanding of car
> electrical components and the way they work, is
> close to zero but I am adding to that bucket every
> day.
> 
> Here's the dilema:  I don't think the alternator is
> putting out the proper amperage so I tried a trick
> my father used to do:  while the car was running
> (after proper warm up), I disconnected the positive
> battery cable and the car promptly died.  The
> trouble with that little trick was that I cannot
> remember if that meant the car has a bad alternator
> or a bad voltage regulator or what....all I remember
> is him cussing a blue streak when the car died each
> time.
> 
> So, I took the alternator off, took it down to NAPA
> and had them test it.  It was putting out about 21
> amperes when it was rated for 55 amperes.  This
> alternator does not appear to be original equipment
> unless Motorola was making alternators for MOPAR
> back in 60/61.  The FSM says I should have a 40
> ampere output alternator.
> 
> My trouble is this:  I can't seem to find a
> replacement alternator, primarily because I don't
> know what I am looking for.  The gal at NAPA said
> she could get one for a '74 Imperial with a 400 cid
> engine rated at I think she said, 65 amperes output,
> but her computer system showed zilch for a 413 cid
> engine.  She also was able to get one for the 440
> cid engine size, but again, zilch for a 413.  Any
> suggestions?
> 
> Also, could it be the regulator?  And is the
> regulator that box (used to be black, but this one
> is brown with rust) on the driver's side inside
> fender just above the starter relay.  The FSM shows
> these pictures, but only in exploded view and it
> doesn't show location in vehicle.
> 
> Any suggestions anyone?
> 
> Thanks, again, for your help, in advance.
> 
> Electrically challenged in Allen Texas....
> 
> 
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=====
Kenyon Wills
 
 






















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