[s-cars] alternator woes?

[Tom Green]

  I would invest in a can of spray electrical cleaner to clean things  
up just to be sure the brake cleaner did not have a solvent that  
would react
with any parts.  Either should leave no residue.  That alternator is  
in a location where it gets every possible leak with the thermostat  
housing
and hydraulic pump right above and road spray coming through the  
front, but seems to tolerate abuse for 200K or so.   Your call on just
replacing the  regulator, depending on what cleanup is needed.  You  
should have some noise or be able to detect wobble if the bearings need
replacement.   Removal is a PITA you can confirm by looking at the  
location of the mounting bolts/nuts.  The front bearing rarely needs  
replacement
so you shouldn't need to remove the pulley.  An impact wrench to  
remove the nut should allow the pulley to come off without a puller  
unless it is
rusted in place.

I like the rebuilt route if you need to go much beyond a voltage  
regulator.  SJM also carries the ultranator.

http://home.pacbell.net/avim/index.html

Tom

> Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:34:18 -0500
> From: djdawson2 at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] alternator wohs
> To: skippertgore at msn.com, s-car-list at audifans.com
> Message-ID: <8C9092D40982875-3E0-5A51 at MBLK-R07.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Test for a short on the armature... the procedure is in the  
> Bentley.  If there isn't a short, replace the regulator/brush  
> assembly, and you'll be good to go.
>
> Dave
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: skippertgore at msn.com
> To: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Sent: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 7:56 AM
> Subject: [s-cars] alternator wohs
>
>
> Patient is a 92 s4, with (I believe) above failure.  Battery is new
> (October) and charged beautifully last night.  The only plus side of
> this situation is how nicely Autochek warns you when the volts are  
> low!
>   All cars should have this feature! (this is the first one i've owned
> with it...)
>
> Anyway, does anyone have a way to determine if the voltage  
> regulator is
> the culprit, vs the whole hoot, nanny, shebang alternator?  I checked
> Bentley, where much space is dedicated to battery, and not too much to
> GEN.  Once I get to work I can get a voltage reading at the battery
> with car running, but i'm guessing that will be battery voltage.
>
> 2nd, is it possible to clean this thing with brake cleaner (with  
> engine
> off) or will this cause a massive (if not already) failure?  Reason  
> is,
> I have a weepy rack hose which appears to have inserted spare  
> hydraulic
> fluid on the back of the alternator, including the V.regulator and
> brush area.  It appears my procrastination of one repair (new hoses on
> the shelf) may have created another (just as expensive) one.  I was
> thinking maybe this one would begin to produce some voltage once
> cleaned and get me through until new part arrival.  Or i may still be
> in la-la-land.
>
> 3rd - any feelings on remanned Bosch units? SJM lists one for around
> 229, as does Blau.  Oh, and do i need as special tool (listed in
> Bentley) to remove the pulley assy?
>
> thanks for any input.
>
> -Matt, CO
> 92 s4, getting dimmer, and dimmer, and dimmer, and...