[Gmecm] voltage regulators

[bcroe at juno.com]

OK, I'm wondering if my early 80s is quite different.  No problem 
getting the brushes out, you need a 1/16" drill to put 
them back in.  

Running 200,000 on brushes I would not describe as a 
failure, but poor maintenance.  Usually they work with an 
open diode, but output is way down and the GEN light may 
glow some.  At least you can get home.  

Regulators are pretty good, but I may have a bad one not 
yet checked on bench.

The problem with a front bearing on mine was the shaft 
wouldn't slide out.  I finally bent some cheap wrenches 
to reach inside the air vent, unscrew the bearing retainer, 
and slide shaft/bearing/retainer all out of the case.  Then 
I could grind the bearing off.  

Bruce Roe

14 May 2006  "Jason M." <galaxiecustom500 at sbcglobal.net> writes:
> Any tips for taking it apart with out breaking the brushes?  I've had 
> a 
> couple of the smaller CS alternators apart before to fix little 
> problems, 
> like the charging post coming loose.  They would just slide apart.  
> What 
> actually broke the brushes on this one was a plastic bearing 
> retainer.
> 
> Both of the bearings were stuck on this one (rust).  Cut some 
> notches in the 
> outer race of the rear bearing to get a puller on it then cranked 
> hard with 
> a 1/2'' rachet.  Felt about the same as an over tightened lug nut.  
> The 
> Front bearing I tried the same thing on but eneded up cutting it 
> off.  On 
> the inner race I ground it 3/4 the way through then cracked it with 
> a 
> chisel.
> 
> So far I've had 3 alternator failures on different GM products.  1st 
> was 
> brushes/contacts worn down to nothing on a camaro with 200,000 
> miles.  2nd 
> was a voltage regulator, don't know the complete history of the car 
> but 
> appeared the alternator was on there for a while, car had 220,000 
> and the 
> junkyard 1973 olds engine was put in ~1984 when the car had ~10,000 
> miles. 
> 3rd, the diodes on the one I'm messing with now.
> 
> Jason.