<VV> alternator failure oddball question

[Mark Durham]

Or, you may have problems internally in the Alternator and it can't
keep up. You can tell if it is the alternator by sticking that
screwdriver to the case and sticking your ear to the end of the
screwdriver, the sound will be amplified and transmitted up to your
ear thru the screwdriver.

Regardless of the fact that it is only a couple of years old, take the
ting off and split the case. You might have problems with the brushes
and commutator that could cause low voltage and the subsequent other
problems.

If everything looks ok, all you have to do is to put the brushes back
in their holder, stich a toothpick thru the brushholder hole to keep
the brushes back, and slip it back together. Very simple, then pull
the toothpick out.  Its a half hour job, you could even do it on the
car after loosening the belt first , just pull the back half of the
case off and take a look.

Bearings and brushes are easily available at any FLAPS and are easy to
change. Its a bigger problem if the commutator rings are messed up.

Mark Durham

On Sat, May 21, 2011 at 8:42 PM, Ramon Rodriguez III
<corvairgrymm at gmail.com> wrote:
> So this evening we drove about a half hour to a car cruise in the 66' Corsa
> 140...  the car I had planned to take to the Corvair Ranch open house
> tomorrow (3 hours or a bit more each way).
>
> Note that the first 2/3's of this email are only to give you pertinent
> information, the question is near the end!
>
> After leaving the car cruise I noticed the car wanted to stall at stop signs
> and red lights.  I pulled into a parking lot and what I found was a noise
> kinda like a bunch of bolts rattling around in the bottom of a tin can...
> this noise appears to be coming from my alternator (a rebuilt unit less than
> 2 years old and less than 10K miles- NOT from a Corvair vendor).  The
> alternator is the OEM type, not internally regulated.  I tapped on it with a
> plastic screwdriver handle and the noise MAY have decreased a bit, the car
> idled fine from then till I got home though I didn't spend a lot of time at
> idle.
>
> When I got home I took the belt off and started the car, the noise seemed to
> be gone though I only ran it less than a minute since my fan was also
> disabled.   The alternator bearing feels fine and it makes no noticeable
> noise when spun by hand... this seems odd, but then I've never heard a noise
> anything like this from an alternator before.  I also checked the idler and
> fan bearings, they seem fine.. I'm 99% sure the source of the noise was the
> alternator.   I noticed the car cranked slow as well (and I think my
> headlights and dash lights may have been dimmer than usual but not sure), so
> it might not have been charging either (regulator is also new 2 years ago).
> It's late and I have to get up early in the morning to get to the ranch
> (sadly now without a Vair) for the open house, so I won't be doing any more
> troubleshooting tonight.
> *
> Now here is the really odd part, the real reason I'm writing to you guys:
> About 5 minutes before getting home I was climbing a decent size hill at
> about 40mph and lost power for a moment... felt like the ignition just
> completely went dead for maybe a half second or a little more... instant
> off, then instant on.. no stumbling or coughing about it.
>
> Could this be related to the alternator trouble?*  I'm not aware of any way
> the alternator could have caused this, so now I'm afraid I might be looking
> at a failing pertronix or something as well... though my dad taught me that
> when multiple problems appear at the same time there is usually a
> connection.
>
> I did give the engine a thorough washing this morning, cleaning it up in
> preparation for the Vair Ranch event.
>
> --
> Ray "Grymm" Rodriguez
> Lake Ariel, PA
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