my life sucks, help?

Boostedpimp · Nov 6, 2008

1991notchbackLX said:
thanks for the help and good wishes guys, my life doesn't really suck i was just angry and disappointed haha

if i order this March Performance 1465 - March Performance Alternator Brackets - summitracing.com will i need to order anything else to delete the smog, do i NEED to buy that smog eliminator pulley or block off plate??

and what the hell is a thermactor plug? etc.

If you have a stock h pipe then deleting the smog pump will eventually cause the stock h pipe to over heat and either clog or catch on fire... if you don't have it then simply unbolt that pos smog pump pulley, there's two lines that go from it to the back of each head.. that's where you need the "thermactor plug" just take those lines with you to a hardware store and get plugs the same size. Plug each head, install your new march bracket which is cake and new shorter belt and your done.

Smog pump was dyno proven to rob either 3 or 4 rwhp.. it was in one of my old mmff mags

and no you don't need one of those stupid smog pump eliminator pulleys if you just use a shorter belt. Use a piece of string and wrap it around the remaining pulleys in the direction you'll be installing the belt.. mark it and bring the string with you and have autozone or whoever find you the same size or close to then put it on and adjust it tight by moving the march adjustment rod out more.

it's cake

SVT32VDOHC · Nov 6, 2008

PM SENT!

1991notchbackLX · Nov 6, 2008

thanks so much for the input guys, everyone on here is so damn helpful!!

luckily i picked up a used bracket off a 5.0L from a junkyard about 15 miles from my house, and he only charged me 30 bucks (which i think is still about three times what it's actually worth ) and it was better than waiting for the one i found o ebay to come in the mail... but now i have a question

i installed the PA performance kit tonight and did everything that the instrructions advised, the lights are much brighter on the dash, as are the headlights, and the voltmeter never moves from 14... but my battery light on the dash is flickering continuously

anyone have any idea what's causing this?? thanks

Chris

Ozz · Nov 6, 2008

Bad ground?

FWIW those sell often between $15-20 apiece, so you didn't spend TOO much more. $30 is about right from a boneyard.

1991notchbackLX · Nov 6, 2008

where do i add a ground?? i'm guessing since i added a 4ga power wire i need a 4ga ground wire

LaserSVT · Nov 7, 2008

The alt casing is its ground. Make sure that where the bracket touches the block is clean and where th bracket touches the alt is clean. And yes, a 4 awg wire from the block to chasis is reccomended. Running a couple of them is not a bad idea eaither
When I did mine I also put in new chasis grounds from the battery to the chasis as well as from the battery - to the block

1991notchbackLX · Nov 7, 2008

if the alternator case is contacting the bracket at all would this make for a bad ground?? i clearanced the bracket but ground it down only enough to let the top bolt slide in...

i also put my new ground wire from the common chassic ground in front of the battery to the A/C bracket... is this a suitable location?

thanks!

Chris

LaserSVT · Nov 7, 2008

No, thats a good ground and its ok for the alt to touch the bracket.

1991notchbackLX · Nov 7, 2008

ahhh okay something's not right here... i have to call PA-performance tomorrow and ask them what could be causing it because for some reason this battery light won't go off, the interior light is now flickering as well, in unison with the battery light

apologies to the mods for this turning into a tech thread in the talk section, and thanks to Laser and everyone else for the help

LaserSVT · Nov 7, 2008

Bad half wave rectifier. Sounds like the diode blew. See if she gets hot (the alt) when just idling.
Also, did you modify and hook up the exciter wire correctly? Its the wire that has 12v positive on it when the key is in the on position. You have to cut it out of the factory harness and put a spade terminal on it to plug in the back of the 3g

1991notchbackLX · Nov 7, 2008

i heard this wire referred to as the stator wire... i cut the wire before the plug and connected it to the stator plug provided in the kit from PA

what's a half wave rectifier? could the alt be defective out of the box? i don't understand because the lights and everything are very bright and the voltmeter is much higher now at 14 volts

LaserSVT · Nov 7, 2008

Stator/excitor same smell. Yes the alt could be bad right out of the box. I have seen it happen all to often. Is the alt a reman or a new one or junkyard? If you have a good multimeter you can see quick - spikes on the + terminal. In some cases you could also read AC voltage as well. You can take the alt off and bring it to Autozone and they can bench test it but it really sounds like the diode blew and the alt is just running wide open. I bet it gets real hot if you let the car run a couple minutes. You should hear it whine too.

1991notchbackLX · Nov 7, 2008

the alt is a brand new 130A 3G... and it came with a sheet of it's output when they benchtested it for quality assurance stuff at the factory

here's what i ordered

PA-Performance is dedicated to offering high quality products to every consumer utilizing the Internet. - PA Performance - You Only Buy Quality Once ! 1.877.471.8010

LaserSVT · Nov 7, 2008

Uh-hu, still yet the problem you have is indicative of a bad alt. The light only comes on when there is no voltage to it or if the alt is putting out AC voltage. If you have the equipment then run the tests I indicated. Also feel it to see if it heats up after a couple minutes of running. Barring that you could bring it to Autozone for a bench test.
Diodes go bad, it happens. As I have said before, you install enough alts (I have done 100 or so) and you will find one that is bad when its brand new.

1991notchbackLX · Nov 7, 2008

okay, thanks Laser... i'm gonna get up early tomorrow and tackle this issue, $244 for the alt kit plus $30 for the new bracket and a 4 hour install because of it, this "simple" upgrade cost a lot more than i thought it would, just my luck haha

Chris

LaserSVT · Nov 7, 2008

$244
I bought my 3G on eBay for $60 and bought some power wires from the stereo shop for $10 Good grief! For that much I would expect some fance wireing or a pre ground bracket

1991notchbackLX · Nov 7, 2008

LaserSVT said:
$244
I bought my 3G on eBay for $60 and bought some power wires from the stereo shop for $10 Good grief! For that much I would expect some fance wireing or a pre ground bracket

or you might expect the alternator to actually work

you live and learn i guess

1991notchbackLX · Nov 9, 2008

okay, so i moved the grounds to spots that read as 0 ohms on my multimeter, and i re-spliced the stator wire

the flickering of the battery light went away but it is still on... and the battery is reading 15 volts while the car is idling

would 15 volts make the battery light stay on? i know the battery should have 12 when the car is off and about 14 at idle

does this sound like a bad regulator?

5.0Droptop · Nov 9, 2008

Yes 15 volts will make it stay on. It sounds like the regulator is not working right.

1991notchbackLX · Nov 9, 2008

am i right in assuming the alternator has an internal voltage regulator?

(i know it's a stupid question, but i used to drive late 60s GM A-bodys that all had external voltage regulators mounted somewhere on the firewall or fender)

my life sucks, help?

waiting for the next hack atta

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