RJT> RJT> I know that the alternator was replaced once before I got the 
RJT> RJT> car,  so it's not factory original or anything,  OTOH I do have
RJT> RJT> over 160,000 miles on the car (about 30,000 of those since I got
RJT> RJT> it).  There's also something in that area that's making a bit of
RJT> RJT> bearing noise,  I'm not sure just what yet

RJT> JB> if it's the altenator replace it before the beearings fail... I had
RJT> JB> that happen to me it ruined the altenator's rotor and stator...

RJT>I figure that it won't be *real* long before I end up having to change that
RJT>belt,  and when I do,  I'll be able to spin each thing by itself and feel for
RJT>roughness,  etc.

Roy, most cars with serpentine belts have a square hole in
the tension pulley bracket that will allow you to easily
use a 1/2" drive flex handle or ratchet to remove the
tension on the belt so as to remove the belt so you can
spin the alternator pulley to check for noise. When done the
belt can easiely be reinstalled in just a few seconds.

Those that do not have this feature are placed in such a
manner that the pulley tension cam be removed by using a pry
bar.

Jay

RJT> RJT> How did you figure that the regulator was your problem?

RJT> JB> The altenator stopped charging the battery, but when I took the
RJT> JB> regulator out of the circuit and applied 12V to the field terminal
RJT> JB> (here there's an external link) it stareted charging again.

RJT>Another issue I need to deal with is the regulator in my truck.  The one that
RJT>was in there went bad,  and cooked the battery a bit -- I had to add some
RJT>nontrivial amount of water and when I get around to it I need to yank that
RJT>battery out and re-paint the tray.  The regulator there is also where a ground
RJT>strap from the engine block is connected,  but the bolts there are
not grabbing
RJT>the sheet metal behind the unit as tightly as I'd like,  so I may need to step
RJT>up a size,  or go to some other arrangement.

RJT>---

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