Alternator crap

[treed2@u.washington.edu]

(90a bosch, BTW)

Grr.. this is the last thing I expected to happen to me! I'm usually 
pretty good with electrical stuff...

I was cleaning up my alternator connections since they were so corroded 
and somehow when I put the little "clamp" back on the wires and tightened 
it down and it bit into my blue exciter wire and shorted it to ground 
without me noticing. I turned on the ignition and started the car then 
noticed that the battery light wasn't going out so I revved the engine a 
few times without success then went to investigate. Basically I discovered 
that there was continuity between the blue wire and ground and finally 
pinpointed the bastard clamp that was causing it. I fixed the short and 
started it again, hoping that no damage was done - but apparently I'm not 
that lucky.

This time the alternator light was off with just ignition, and it stayed 
off. Crap. I tested the instrument cluster circuit (grounded blue wire to 
cluster and it lit the light) and I tested the blue wire for good 
continuity but everything checked out. So I must have blown up my 
alternator. Most likely one little $1 diode.

So my question for the list is - what can I do? I'd be completely content 
to disassemble the alternator and replace the diode(s) myself but can I 
buy just the diodes? Where and for how much?

I don't really want to replace the whole alternator since my unit is in 
good shape and I just put in a new adjustable regulator a year ago 
(although I guess I could just swap that in). Also, this is a huge waste 
of money for a measly diode. Even remanufactured garbage (which I'd fight 
to avoid putting in my car.. especially the fairly important parts like 
the alternator) is too expensive. What can I do?

Thanks for any ideas or information..

-Toby

--
'87 16v

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