| [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331396] |
Wed, 25 April 2018 21:20  |
Emery Stora
Messages: 959
Registered: January 2011
Karma: 4
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We were returning home from Phoenix and were driving along on I-40 just west of the NM border and our voltmeter suddenly showed 18 volts.
Apparently the voltage regulator went bad in the alternator.
Fortunately I carry a spare so I pulled off the highway into a closed truck weigh station.
I removed the alternator and was about to try pushing the new one up from the bottom when Hal St Clair walked up to my motorhome.
He offered to help and so I pushed it up from the bottom and he pulled it from the top. Hal got the mounting pin mounted into it and I felt I could take care of it from there.
The new alternator worked fine.
Thank you, Hal for your assistance. You seem to be helping a lot of GMCers lately. Bob Dunahugh especially with his water pump problem.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331397 is a reply to message #331396] |
Wed, 25 April 2018 23:09  |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
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The GMC community is a very helpful group.
At our age, when there is another hand to help makes for efforts to be easy
to accomplish.
On Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 7:20 PM, Emery Stora wrote:
> We were returning home from Phoenix and were driving along on I-40 just
> west of the NM border and our voltmeter suddenly showed 18 volts.
> Apparently the voltage regulator went bad in the alternator.
>
> Fortunately I carry a spare so I pulled off the highway into a closed
> truck weigh station.
> I removed the alternator and was about to try pushing the new one up from
> the bottom when Hal St Clair walked up to my motorhome.
> He offered to help and so I pushed it up from the bottom and he pulled it
> from the top. Hal got the mounting pin mounted into it and I felt I could
> take care of it from there.
>
> The new alternator worked fine.
>
> Thank you, Hal for your assistance. You seem to be helping a lot of
> GMCers lately. Bob Dunahugh especially with his water pump problem.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Frederick, CO
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331401 is a reply to message #331396] |
Thu, 26 April 2018 05:47 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Emery,
I had the same thing happen going to I believe it was Dothan. The only indication that I had was a way over voltage reading. I kept the voltage down to normal ranges by running with the headlights, heater fan, and some running lights on.
After arriving I pulled the alternator and Colonel Ken me to Autozone for a free exchange. Upon installing the new one it worked for a while and the new one went over voltage too. Upon further diagnosis I discovered the APC connector what plugged into the alternator had lost it's tension over many years of driving. A simple tightening (squeezing it with pliers) fixed the problem. I mention this just in case yours was the same problem and re-plugging the new alternator cleared the problem. Should the problem reappear, pull the APC plugs and tighten them before declaring the new alternator bad.
I wish I had done that first. It would have saved me a lot of work and Colonel Ken from running me to AutoZone twice. Ken is always bailing me out. Last year it was a bad fuel pump at BS. He and Manny towed me in to the rally. He and you have done that many times. Remember the radiator at Harrington?
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331410 is a reply to message #331396] |
Thu, 26 April 2018 07:55 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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Senior Member |
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When I did a bench refresh on my 80A I used the bearings and brushes in the kit but opted to leave the old working GM reg and diodes in place. I trusted them more than the new offshore replacements. Plus they are well "burned in" and less likely to fail during that period. So far so good.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331411 is a reply to message #331396] |
Thu, 26 April 2018 07:56 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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I pulled the one out of my 23' from th top with some gyrations. It's doable.
That being said, a high volrtage is almost ale=ways a loss of reference voltage due to a poor connection of the plug on the side of the alternator. These alternators run fairly hot, which eventualkly kills the 'spring' in the contacts. Bend them and go another 20 years or so.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331416 is a reply to message #331411] |
Thu, 26 April 2018 09:50 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Johnny Bridges wrote on Thu, 26 April 2018 07:56I pulled the one out of my 23' from th top with some gyrations. It's doable.
That being said, a high volrtage is almost ale=ways a loss of reference voltage due to a poor connection of the plug on the side of the alternator. These alternators run fairly hot, which eventualkly kills the 'spring' in the contacts. Bend them and go another 20 years or so.
--johnny
That is the exact problem that I had. Unfortunately I did not do thorough diagnosis before replacing mine and replaced the alternator needlessly.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331425 is a reply to message #331419] |
Thu, 26 April 2018 11:17 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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It was no mistake. The auto parts store tested it and confirmed that the voltage regulator went bad and gave me a replacement.
It may be possible for some to remove it from the top of a 455 but in my case I would have had to remove duct work going from my remote filter to the carb filter so it was easier for me to move it down
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
> On Apr 26, 2018, at 10:01 AM, Johnny Bridges via Gmclist wrote:
>
> Me either, the first time, Ken :) Maybeso this will help someone else from making the same mistake.
>
> --johnny
> --
> 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> "I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
>
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331434 is a reply to message #331429] |
Thu, 26 April 2018 16:53 |
Bruce Hart
Messages: 1501
Registered: October 2011
Location: La Grange, Wyoming
Karma: 5
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I also had a 6 month old NAPA alternator that was putting out 18 volts.
Had it tested at NAPA and it tripped out the test equipment twice.
Got a new alternator on warranty.
My plug from the APC would could go on either way. I replaced with new
connector cover so it fits only in the correct position.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHVRC148
On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 11:53 AM, Hal Kading wrote:
> No Billy, Emery had the right NM Hal. The other Hal (from Rio Rancho) also
> helped me get out of Tucson after the rally. SOB jack wouldn't retract and
> I managed to dislodge the base plate. Bright and early Thursday morning
> Hal was at the door with a hand full of tools. A few minutes later he had
> the
> base plate back in place and the jack retracted far enough to travel.
> Thanks again Hal!
>
> Hal Kading 78 Buskirk Stretch (and SOB) Las Cruces NM
>
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--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
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Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
1977 28' Kingsley
La Grange, Wyoming
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331457 is a reply to message #331425] |
Fri, 27 April 2018 12:58 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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emerystora wrote on Thu, 26 April 2018 11:17It was no mistake. The auto parts store tested it and confirmed that the voltage regulator went bad and gave me a replacement.
It may be possible for some to remove it from the top of a 455 but in my case I would have had to remove duct work going from my remote filter to the carb filter so it was easier for me to move it down
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
Sorry Emery,
but most of those people testing alternator in stores do not know what they are doing when testing. The standard cable they use does not have any voltage feed back on the voltage sense line. There is a special adapter that they need to use on the end of that cable that wires the +12 volt out the the voltage sense line. I watched two different AutoZones do that on mine. I also watched one NAPA store do the same thing. At AZ I wanted a new one at the time so I did not say anything when it failed at 2 different stores. After I later discovered the real problem, I was tempted to go get my original back. I did not because they gave me a hassle about changing my double pulley over. I figured it was not worth the effort. The first one said there was absolutely no problem changing the pulley, but they did not have one in stock. They sent us to a second store who had it. That store refused to change the pulley and we did not have any tools with us.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331462 is a reply to message #331429] |
Fri, 27 April 2018 16:19 |
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Richard RV
Messages: 631
Registered: July 2012
Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
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hal kading wrote on Thu, 26 April 2018 13:53No Billy, Emery had the right NM Hal. The other Hal (from Rio Rancho) also helped me get out of Tucson after the rally. SOB jack wouldn't retract and I managed to dislodge the base plate. Bright and early Thursday morning Hal was at the door with a hand full of tools. A few minutes later he had the base plate back in place and the jack retracted far enough to travel. Thanks again Hal!
Hal Kading 78 Buskirk Stretch (and SOB) Las Cruces NM
I'm thinking of starting a GoFundMe page to solicit money to clone Hal St. Clair. Anybody know how much that costs?
He's a huge asset to the community and whatever it costs it would be worth it!
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
[Updated on: Fri, 27 April 2018 16:20] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331493 is a reply to message #331462] |
Sat, 28 April 2018 12:13 |
Hal StClair
Messages: 971
Registered: March 2013
Location: Rio Rancho NM
Karma: -12
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Gee guys, I'm really flattered but there are many, many here more deserving. I was just blessed to be at the right place at the right time.
As for the 'cloning' Richard, I think my wonderful wife might have an issue with that.Blush. She's been trying to train me for 46+ years with at best mixed results. Adding more to her work load might not go over too well.
Hal
"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane."
1977 Royale 101348,
1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,
1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,
Rio Rancho, NM
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331613 is a reply to message #331396] |
Tue, 01 May 2018 21:56 |
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My "Mens mall" special went out after 7 years, so managed to get another from pepboys on special for a hundred bux and a lifetime guarantee. do you guys still run a stock alt or did anyone upgrade to the 140 amp out of a 95 caddy? I run the latter to make sure I got extra juice and since I used electric fans to coll the radiator...
73 Canyon Lands, (a.k.a. The Yellow Submarine) West Los Angeles CA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Alternator went Bad [message #331621 is a reply to message #331613] |
Tue, 01 May 2018 22:45 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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In 1978 (and maybe previous years) GMC offered a 145 amp alternator. The only one I ever saw was on an transmode people mover. That one was a one wire alternator without remote sensing. So it would only work on a single battery non-isolator system. If one was to use one of these they could also buy an aftermarket combiner to get multi-battery systems to work.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Maybeso this will help someone else from making the same mistake.
