When I let Nix have her head last night she strained something. There was a rude noise coming from under the hood and as I rounded the corner to the driveway, and a belt squalling, and I noticed the headlights were strangely yellow. Odd, I thought, they were fine a couple miles ago. When I got into the house husband mentioned they seemed a little yellow to him too.

I think Nix herniated that 1986 alternator (I'm sure it's original with the conversion)! It's OK though, husband is says he has another one stashed somewhere. It will doubtless be changed over the weekend.

While we're at it, I'll track down that brake fluid leak and fix the speedo cable.
(';')

 

Nix got you home.........good girl!

 

Perhaps a bit of diagnostics before swapping out what might be a perfectly good alternator.


1. What else does the belt drive? AC pump, Ps pump, water pump, air pump?
If one or more of those are going tight, rpm for the alternator will drop and
so will out put.


2. Bad belt/s?


3. Test the alternator in situ. A stethoscope or rough substitute for noise
indicating mechanical failure.


4. The VOM to test for out put. I'd use my patch cord if it were my car doing that.


5. Rough test. Lights on. Dark is best. Rev the engine. Lights stay yellow or get brighter?


6. Not the alternator at all, a failing battery....


But, that is what shake down cruises are for.


Looking good, running good, not bad at all.


Carl

 

Wonderful cartoon, Jim!

Yes, Carl, much diagnosing today as that alternator will Not be easy to replace. Electrics are husband's domain though, so I'll just crawl under and find that brake fluid leak while he bashes the alternator.
(';')

 

The alternator problem turns out to be merely a loose belt!
I'm aware that new belts loosen up in time, but this was ridiculous! We must not have got it tight enough to begin with! For such a short run it was *Very* loose!

That will be fixed tomorrow!
(';')

 

Elinor ya gotta luv the easy ones!

 

Thank you, Jim,
Yes, that almost makes up for some of the Nasty surprises over the past year!
(';')