[s-cars] Alternator Musings

[Keith Maddock]

Sounds like the problems I'm having on my S6 right now. Starts right
up and voltmeter shows nearly 14V, then slowly as the car heats up the
voltmeter starts dropping, all the way down to 12V, sometimes a hair
under.

This might be to blame for some odd behaviour I'm seeing with the AC,
as well as the EGT gauge that only sometimes works.

Though that's the least of my worries at the moment, as last night I
had to have the car towed back to the shop, DOH!

Seems that something in the realm of crank/bearings/rods/bearings
didn't quote go back together properly :-(

Hopefully there will be a prognosis tonight, and hopefully I stopped
driving soon enough that it will just be a quick bearing redo - though
will really want to start looking for blockages if it's the #2 again.

Odd thing with this one is that the clatter at idle (only when warm)
goes away when you press in the clutch (though returns at higher RPMs,
regardless of clutch), so might have something to do with one of the
thrust bearings...

My Avant has a new theme song courtesy of Mr. Bob Dylan / Guns 'n
Roses / and whoever else has redone it...

"Rod knock knockin' on heaven's door...."

Cheers,
Keith

 Bill Mahoney <wmahoney at disk.com> wrote:
> Per the electrical engineer wannabe part of my brain.
> These symptoms are indicative of a poor ground.
> A few years ago, my 911 didn't like generating electricity but would start
> and run fine UNTIL it heated up (raises resistance?) and would die.  
(snip)
> After two weeks of on and off internet research I stumbled upon the
> problem.. a gunked up ground wire, transmission to chassis.
> Cleaned it, reattached, voila!
> Hey it's usually something stupid right?
> Sorry, I don't know all the ground points to check on the urS.