[V8] Voluptuousness, towing package, FLAPS V-8

[Mike Arman]

NIck Miller wrote:
> Well, I went on ahead and used my super sophisticated stethoscope and I 
> think it sounds like the alternator.  The alternator has the most 
> physical vibration as well.  The compressor sounds to me like a typical 
> ac compressor, somewhat loud and high pitched, but no grinding or 
> anything.  The alt sounds like a bit of  metal dragging/grinding that 
> isn't normal, a bit more than the brushes should make.
> 
> Anyone have experience rebuilding the alt?
> 
> The other thought is it could maybe maybe be the tensioner, or the fan 
> pulley.  I listened to the Fan pulley, but I don't think its the fan... 
> hard to say.  I listened but its hard to get close to it. 


Yeah, be careful getting close to it . . . 240 hp of rapidly rotating machinery, I'd keep clear of 
it while it is running, too.

Try doing this on an aircraft engine - play stethoscope with a long screwdriver and listen for a 
main bearing knock with the engine at idle, and a six foot diameter 200 hp meat cleaver spinning 
merrily around perhaps 18" away from your tender anatomy. This is what you pay someone *else* to do 
for you.


Take the serp belt off and try rotating each component by hand. The good ones will be smooth, the 
bad one will be crunchy-crunchy-crunchy.

If it is the alternator, some years back I wrote instructions for rebuilding it for the Audi list, 
the original is still on my hard drive (somewhere). It isn't difficult to do, and there isn't much 
in it - just some bearings and brushes. Only real trick is to mark the front cover, the armature 
(stator) and the rear cover for alignment before you take it apart. It will happily go back together 
three ways, but only one of those three possible ways will let you bolt it back onto the car ;-)


Keep us advised.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman