348 alternator

The alternator is not too hard to remove. You should probably remove it and have it tested to be sure.

 

No external regulator...its internal.

Yank the thing and bring it to a reputable alternator shop. should be able to get it rebuilt for $150 or less unless they apply the Ferrari tax. If you prefer to rebuild it yourself there's a great thread with part numbers.

 

When I am trying to hunt down a replacement part for my 348, I do not use the "F" word until absolutely necessary.

 

Sounds like the voltage reg is ****ed.

Remove alt and overhaul mate.

 

+1 pretty simple and fairly cheap

Good Luck

 

Good idea Todd - using the "F" word will get you "F'd"

 

If it is the Nippon Denso alternator then check the fuse of the +15 to the regulator before rebuilding and taking it of and other things.

 

Are you talking about the alternator? It is on the bottom side of the engine hiding under a vented plate. It is mounted to the front lower left corner of the engine.

 

The first time you have to remove your 348 alt or a/c compressor, you think, this is impossible. But after you do it, you figure out how to get it done and it does not seem so bad. Make sure you turn off your battery disconnect first.

 

Are you going to take this advice before pulling it off?

 

Make sure you don't inadvertently load the belt adjustment jack screw. It doesn't do anything until the pulley center bolt is loosened. ...ask me how I know...

 

While you have it off, you should have it rewound for 150 amp current. I had mine done and it was a little over $100

 

What is wrong with the original Amperage?
150A sounds like 150A x 14V= 2100Watt= 3HP, with an efficiency of 80% the heat will rise to 420Watt... (original 90A alternator gives 250Watt) thats a lot of heat if you dont change cooling!!
And the cooling is the weakest point of the alternator, isn't it?
Do not buy an expensive battery with low internal resistance. Be sure to have a lead accid battery with normal internal resistance so your alternatorcurrent wont rise too high.

 

Sorry, checked my receipt and I had it re-wound to 120 amps, but have never had an overheating issue

 

???

Ok, what is it with replacing the battery and then the alternator giving you trouble???

Finally finished the GCK, added the new exhaust and drove 200 exhilerating miles.

But this Saturday, the battery light wouldn't go off.

I replaced the battery about a month ago, the old one was 6 years old and ouzing all the white stuff around the connectors so I replaced it with an Optima.

Remember the smell I talked about?

It was plastic insulation slightly melting on one of the positive cables attached to the main terminal...

So something was clearly up and now the battery light stays on...

Oh well, always something...

Kai

 

I'm no electrician but that sure sounds like a big strong short to ground. It takes a lot of current to melt insulation in a battery cable.

 

Doh.

That's it. Argh, so obvious.

The Optima battery is reverse so my negative is now on the outside and the positive towards the muffler.

I went and checked and just realized what happend.

The negative has quite a bit of slack (it's the one with the quick disconnect) and the cable was resting on top of the positive terminal...

That could not have been a good thing...

I wonder if that killed the alternator. Heck, I wonder if I killed the battery. Well, probably not the battery, it's on a tender and it looks like it charged normally.

Kai

 

Is your Optima a yellow top or red top? The yellow top can take much for abuse over the red top. Yes, that is a major deal to swap the battery cables. I certainly hope it did not do any damage to any of the electrical components. I am sure the alternator took a big hit. Maybe it survived. Good luck!

 

Red top.

No, no, I didn't incorrectly connect the cables to the battery.

But I routed the ground cable poorly (because it's so long) and it laid on top of the positive.

I drove over 200 miles like this. Where the ground cable and the positive cable touched (and I noticed that there was already some exposed wire on the positive) it began melting plastic (the smell I noticed).

I'll check out the alternator this coming weekend. Need to do an oil change any way...


Kai

 

Ok, I understand now. I thought you had reversed the cables! Glad you found it before something really bad happened.