Was: Re: quattro Digest, Vol 51, Issue 44, but we're talking about "lock carriers"

[Mark R]

AFAIK, all GMs use an internal voltage regulator.  As with most alternator
failures, it's really the VR that fails, not the stator.

Which cars would have the ECU control the voltage for the entire vehicle?
That's dumb!  Often ECUs do have a a VR maintaining 12V (or 5V in some
occasions) to the electronics,  but not the entire chassis!!

My Escalade EXT is a "gussied up" Avalanche.  It's on the Suburban chassis
(HD 1500), but with the AWD drivetrain and air suspension.
Great vehicle for my use.  I can take 3-4 passengers out to lunch in suits,
haul parts for work or dirty track tires in the pickup bed, and tow with
alacrity.  Either the S4 or the Z06 look really good being towed to the
track.   =)

Yeah, the BMW water-cooled alternators with high failure rates....  WTF were
they thinking?

Mark Rosenkrantz

On Jan 29, 2008 5:37 PM, John Larson <westcoast at mypowerpipe.com> wrote:

> You said, in part:
>
> "FWIW, my Cadillac Escalade looks like it might need an alternator soon
> (at
> only 85,000 miles since I purchased it new).  Starting to drop voltage
> occasionally at low RPM.  The beauty?  Right on top of the engine.
>  Probably
> a 10 minute job, including getting the tools.  Special tensioner tool?
>  1/2"
> breaker bar (or ratchet).  Sometimes (and I hate to admit this), I really
> admire American engineering."
>
> You mean like the "American engineering" that uses the engine ECU as the
> voltage regulator?
> That engineering?  I dunno if GM does this, but you'd better be real sure
> the alternator's the problem before you spend the bucks ............
>
> On the flip side, there's the big BMWs with the alternator right out there
> where you can get to it.  Of course it's water cooled and costs more than
> your house (and it has an abysmal failure rate ............
>
> John
>
>