Re: [roccish][a bit long] Hello Ohio

[Kevin Stoddard <herephydeaux@juno.com>]

> Which raises the question...is it possible that the alternator
> died because I left the oil cap off of the valve cover and drove for
> about 5 mile, resulting in an oil covered engine bay earlier in the
> week?

Hey,... don't give up on your alternator yet.  If you're somewhat
mechanically competent Vdub alternators are pretty easy to tear apart and
check out, and if you can't fix it you just put it back together and
it'll be your core for the new one.  Here's what to do.
1.  Go buy a can of electrical cleaner stuff.  Most auto parts stores are
carrying this stuff now.  It will blow the gunk off without melting
anything important.  Pick up a sheet of very fine emery paper as well,
like 400 grit or finer.  Get a new belt while you're at it since the old
one got oily.
2.  Pull the alternator off of the car.  Be careful you don't ground the
hot lead and melt things.  It's really a good idea to yank the battery
cables first, but I understand that resetting your radio is a PITB.
3.  Remove the regulator/brushes.  Two screws that hold a little plastic
thing on the back of the alternator.  About an inch and a half wide and
an inch tall.  
4.  Remove the four long screws that hold it together.  They're on the
pulley side of the unit.
5.  Now, go to work on the stator and rotor with the cleaner.  Pay
special attention to the slip rings. (the copper rings on the end
opposite the pulley.)
6.  If I don't miss my guess the slip rings will be pretty cruddy.  Take
your ultra fine emery paper and gently sand your way down to the nice
shiny copper underneath.
7.  Hit everything with one last blast from the cleaner and let it dry.
8.  If you don't see anything major that is wrong (melted things, wires
sticking out that aren't connected, you get the idea) go ahead and put it
back together and slap it back on the car.  Don't forget to reinstall the
regulator.
9.  If it still doesn't work you might want to replace the regulator
before giving up,... they are pretty durable, but they're usually the
first thing to go.
10.  If it still doesn't work,... well,... it was a good learning
experience anyway.
Good luck!!
-kevin in Texas


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