[Bulk] [Gmecm] voltage regulators

[Jason M.]

Early 80's would be an SI style alternator.  Haven't had one apart before. 
To know what's different.

Could be poor maintance, I got that camaro, maybe a month later the 
alternator went.  Previous owner is the owner operator of a dragstrip and 
races jet cars... maintance was horrible on it.  Oil filter was rusted 
through and leaking when I got it.  In retrospect it was a bad car to buy 
but I was young and really wanted a 3rd gen camaro.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bcroe at juno.com>
To: <gmecm at diy-efi.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2006 2:36 PM
Subject: [Bulk] [Gmecm] voltage regulators


> 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.
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