finished install of new alternator....finally...few questions..and my thoughts
01-03-2002, 02:11 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,835
finished install of new alternator....finally...few questions..and my thoughts
2am...7 freaking hours later....i've got a new alt /w new belts. everything went smoothly until i removed the power steering tensnior bolt and pulley, when i tried to put it back on, it was freaking hard...that took up most of the 7 hours...the rest of the belts were fine.
now, my voltmeter was reading 14 something insntead of the usual 12...and when i turned my lights on, the power didn't dip dramatically.
one part fixed..hopefully i can find out the source of my dead batteries...hopefully it is not a current draw and it was just a bad alt and battery. this install was a good deal, if you need a new alt, i encourage you to do it yourself..i was not sure i could, but i did it and saved 300$
a few questions:
-when do i need to check and retighten the belts
-what's the best way to make sure the belts are the reccomended "1/4th in of give when pushed on"
-is there a way to tell if the belts are too tight or too loose?
-my ac belt is REALLY close to my altenator...is that normal?
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!
now, my voltmeter was reading 14 something insntead of the usual 12...and when i turned my lights on, the power didn't dip dramatically.
one part fixed..hopefully i can find out the source of my dead batteries...hopefully it is not a current draw and it was just a bad alt and battery. this install was a good deal, if you need a new alt, i encourage you to do it yourself..i was not sure i could, but i did it and saved 300$
a few questions:
-when do i need to check and retighten the belts
-what's the best way to make sure the belts are the reccomended "1/4th in of give when pushed on"
-is there a way to tell if the belts are too tight or too loose?
-my ac belt is REALLY close to my altenator...is that normal?
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!
01-03-2002, 10:19 AM
#2
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 13
I just changed my alternator over the Holidays too. I know what you mean about the belts being close, but hey if they're tight and in alignment you don't have anything to worry about.
About knowing how tight (how much deflection) a belt should be - I have no real method, I've just done so many that I just go by "feel". I also go back a week or so later and just make sure they are still good and snug. It really takes a while for new belts "nowadays" to loosen up (with all the steel & nylon cords in them).
Oh yeah, with a good alternator and a fresh battery your voltmeter should read around 14.4 volts.
If your belts are too loose - especially your power steering belt you will here a squealing from it; because it is trying to drive a hydraulic pump. With your alternator belt being loose you would notice "over time" that you would loose charge to your battery - because what would happen is when engine rpm got up there the alternator would not be driven at the "optimum" speed it should be. With your AC belt being loose; when it kicked on you would hear it squeal (although not as much as your power steering belt) and your AC output would be considerably less.
Hope this helps,
Joe
About knowing how tight (how much deflection) a belt should be - I have no real method, I've just done so many that I just go by "feel". I also go back a week or so later and just make sure they are still good and snug. It really takes a while for new belts "nowadays" to loosen up (with all the steel & nylon cords in them).
Oh yeah, with a good alternator and a fresh battery your voltmeter should read around 14.4 volts.
If your belts are too loose - especially your power steering belt you will here a squealing from it; because it is trying to drive a hydraulic pump. With your alternator belt being loose you would notice "over time" that you would loose charge to your battery - because what would happen is when engine rpm got up there the alternator would not be driven at the "optimum" speed it should be. With your AC belt being loose; when it kicked on you would hear it squeal (although not as much as your power steering belt) and your AC output would be considerably less.
Hope this helps,
Joe
01-03-2002, 10:48 AM
#3
wow 7 hrs...damn
check the belts after a few hundred miles.
the belts shouldn't give more than a thumb nail length w/ moderate pressure pushed on it.
the belts are really close...normal..as long as all is straight.
check the belts after a few hundred miles.
the belts shouldn't give more than a thumb nail length w/ moderate pressure pushed on it.
the belts are really close...normal..as long as all is straight.
01-03-2002, 07:46 PM
#5
If the engine is running and only giving 12.1V then I would say that there is something wrong. I believe the vg engine has an external regulator and this is probably what was giving you trouble. Regulators are pretty inexpensive. I have no experience with them since my alternator (for the ve) is internally regulated. There are diodes in the regulator that fail, they are not usually servicable. Find out where other org members purchased there regulator from b/c I don't think it's necessary to buy the OEM part.
01-03-2002, 08:01 PM
#6
No. All Maxima alternators have an internal voltage regulator.
was that 12V measurement at idle, or 3000rpm?
Was it with a HUGE load on the system, or just the stereo turned on? (the stereo only pulls tons of current when you hear lots of noise.. i.e. in the quiet parts of the music, it's drawing almost no current).
and 7 HOURS to do the alternator? uhhhhhhh. It took me 20 minutes.. On the side of the highway. In the dark. It was snowing. I spent the first 5 minutes digging snow out of the engine bay just to get to the alternator.
oh well. fun stuff. never again will I treat my car like a snowplow.
was that 12V measurement at idle, or 3000rpm?
Was it with a HUGE load on the system, or just the stereo turned on? (the stereo only pulls tons of current when you hear lots of noise.. i.e. in the quiet parts of the music, it's drawing almost no current).
and 7 HOURS to do the alternator? uhhhhhhh. It took me 20 minutes.. On the side of the highway. In the dark. It was snowing. I spent the first 5 minutes digging snow out of the engine bay just to get to the alternator.
oh well. fun stuff. never again will I treat my car like a snowplow.
01-03-2002, 08:29 PM
#7
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Matt93SE
[B]No. All Maxima alternators have an internal voltage regulator.
Are you sure matt. My boy has a 91se and he put a 200amp alt. for his system and he had to get it with an external regulator. While I have a 210amp alt for competition and it's internally regulated.
Turn to page EL-23 of the FSM, see how model 701 has the regulator while model 711 doesn't in it's construction. I could be wrong
[B]No. All Maxima alternators have an internal voltage regulator.
Are you sure matt. My boy has a 91se and he put a 200amp alt. for his system and he had to get it with an external regulator. While I have a 210amp alt for competition and it's internally regulated.
Turn to page EL-23 of the FSM, see how model 701 has the regulator while model 711 doesn't in it's construction. I could be wrong
01-03-2002, 08:47 PM
#8
the OEM VG alternators ARE internally regulated. I've replaced a fair amount of them, and replaced the Vreg inside one myself one time.
The aftermarket one that "your boy" has probably requires it because a 200A alternator is a big ****, and the coils themselves wouldn't fit in the space allowed unless they made the regulator external.
The aftermarket one that "your boy" has probably requires it because a 200A alternator is a big ****, and the coils themselves wouldn't fit in the space allowed unless they made the regulator external.
01-04-2002, 12:17 AM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,835
Originally posted by Matt93SE
No. All Maxima alternators have an internal voltage regulator.
was that 12V measurement at idle, or 3000rpm?
Was it with a HUGE load on the system, or just the stereo turned on? (the stereo only pulls tons of current when you hear lots of noise.. i.e. in the quiet parts of the music, it's drawing almost no current).
and 7 HOURS to do the alternator? uhhhhhhh. It took me 20 minutes.. On the side of the highway. In the dark. It was snowing. I spent the first 5 minutes digging snow out of the engine bay just to get to the alternator.
oh well. fun stuff. never again will I treat my car like a snowplow.
No. All Maxima alternators have an internal voltage regulator.
was that 12V measurement at idle, or 3000rpm?
Was it with a HUGE load on the system, or just the stereo turned on? (the stereo only pulls tons of current when you hear lots of noise.. i.e. in the quiet parts of the music, it's drawing almost no current).
and 7 HOURS to do the alternator? uhhhhhhh. It took me 20 minutes.. On the side of the highway. In the dark. It was snowing. I spent the first 5 minutes digging snow out of the engine bay just to get to the alternator.
oh well. fun stuff. never again will I treat my car like a snowplow.
yeah...7 freakin hours...do know that tension pulley that touches the power steering belt? well, somehow i thought it'd be easier if i removed that bolt that djusts the tension, and i took forever getting back on, but, once that was back on, everythin went pretty fast. i could do it again now easily like you all orginally told me
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