Charging system/Alternator Removal.....

Driving home, lights suddenly got overly bright, then battery light came on and now its not charging. Found that out when she left me on the side of the road. Looking underneath, I found the screw that holds the ground strap came off the alternator. I figure the alternator is bad, so I can either replace components or send it for a rebuild. Question, is it just the long pivot bolt, and the tension bolt to remove it? Is there something else I need to remove to get to the alternator out?

David
Miami, FL
www.goodmans.net

 

You undo the bolt for the tensioner to take the belt off. Then there is the long bolt and another bolt on the top to remove.

Before you do this why not fasten the ground strap on again before removing the alternator??

The alternator more than likely if faulty needs a new regulator and you can actualy replace this without removing the alternator.

I will post some pics for you.

 

+1. Just replace the regulator and rectifier

Regitar brand #VRH2005-4A regulator

Regitar brand #RN-10 rectifier

Available from http://www.holcombedirect.com/browse.cfm/2,55.html
Or possibly from a local alternator rebuilder. Do not use Transpo parts, they have been found to be faulty out of the box, and can fail early. Same with the factory ND parts...the factory rectifier uses steel for the heatsink, the Regitar is made from copper, which should transfer heat much faster and efficiently.

Here is the "how to"....though a 348, it is almost an identical alternator, same Nippondenso brand.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142329

 

Can I do this without removal? Help! Want to heave her for the weekend, ordering parts next day air!

David
Miami, FL

 

According to the threads I have read, yes. Will take you 30 minutes or so...

 

The rectifier screws are in a supoer tight spot. Hat's off to whoever did this in 30 mins. I think I already rounded the last remaining phillips screw closest to the engine. Now the whole things gotta come out.


David

 

I don't know how anyone can work on the alternator itself in situ. I find it very impressive that anyone can get the alternator out while the car is on jack stands as well. The space around it is pretty tight, and you need to get some good leverage on those bolts.

BT

 

Please forgive what may be a seemingly stupid question....or maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but the factory "gold-plated-stick-it-to-ya" alternator is rated at 140 amps but the rectifier part number you have listed is for a 70 amp rectifier. How's that working out for you? Lights a little dim when the A/C is blowing?

My 355 chews up alternators like candy. Guaranteed one per year and all the current load tests are correct, no drains anywhere, all connections clean and tight, ground strap installed.....the whole nine yards. All I can narrow it down to is the alternator sub-standard components. Italian engineers using Japanese parts seems like a combination for trouble. No forethought from Ferrari but rather a specify it and stick it on attitude. Seems they believe that if we can afford the car then we can afford the spares generated by their lack of engineering forethought.

But anyway.....why the 70 amps vs 140 amps? Thanks.

 

Oh and please ignore my "Rookie" "Not subscribed" moniker with only 1 post. I am far from a rookie having owned Ferrari machinery all my life and I take them a part with my eyes closed......much to the horror of my astonished neighbors and then readily put them back together with more reliable parts sourced from 100's of hours on Google and various forums. I'd post more but the Maranello Mafia would put a price on my head and the R & D people would drown themselves in Trevi fountain to escape the blistering verbal lashes over the lack of ACTUAL research and development. (it's an oxymoron in Maranello you know) Nice paint and nice drive trains.......and that's where it all stops. Ferrari is a culture, not a reliability issue. Want reliability then buy a Toyota. Wanna go fast and look good while you are doing it, or better put, while your Rosso steed is worthy, then you buy a Ferrari. Life is full of compromises. I just find it hard to compromise on the speed issue while strapped into something that makes its maximum horsepower at nearly 10,000 screaming rpm. Yum!

 

Doc,

Welcome to F-Chat... what car(s) do you have now?

Pictures would be great... and don't forget to fill out your profile...!

Mike in Kuwait

 

Not sure Bob, but it is the correct part for this specific ND alternator. They guy who came up with these parts did a bunch of testing with various ones to come up with this combination, and bench tested it at an alternator shop. His final set up (with the above mentioned parts) gave an output of 160 amps, over the oem 140 amps, so not to worry.

As you already know, the regulator and rectifier are substandard, these parts will correct the early failure issue, AND raise the output.

 

+10000 on Doc Bob's legitimacy. I think we might have sent a box or two to him.


(If that alternator has sucked up or isn't correct Bob, please let me know and send it back.... don't keep something if it ain't right!)

 

Welcome aboard Doc Bob.

The more guys we have on this board that swing a wrench, and SHARE the info the better!!!

 

OK, I know this seems stupid, but if the ground strap had come off, are you sure it is bad? I guess what I am asking is did you put it back on, recharge the battery, and see if it works? Or did the unit get fried when the strap came off? Just an electrical novice here.

 

Never a flicker, under any condition.

Mine used to......

Well, to start with, unfortunately the "70" is not correct. The correct number is "50", for the same reason that a 2x4 measures 1-1/2 by 3-1/2.

The current rating is PER DIODE. There are 8 diodes. Aaaaah but wouldn't that be simple? Of course not. Only six of the diodes are used to convert AC to DC, and the remaining two (identical) are used to "run" the fourth alternator winding. the last two are rated at 10% of the labeled rating.

So....50 times 6= 150, plus 2 more at 7.5 = 165 amp capacity for the rectifier.

As near as I can tell from the stock alternator, with its mysterious part numbers, is that they are a true rating of 40 amps per diode, for a total of 132 amp capability. They might even be 35 amps each on a 1995 era alternator, if there are any around anymore.

The biggest difference however is the construction. The technology in alternators now is being driven by the aftermarket (according to my conversation with an engineer at Regitar), and the components are being built now with methods that were simply not available 10 years ago. The welded vs. soldered diodes is the most pronounced new technology.

It will cost you $50, and 2 hours of time to test this out. It is completely reversible project, so you can go back to stock replacement intervals anytime you want.


Jay

 

Yeah Baby!!! There's the answer I was looking for. I was doing the diode math the other night.....until the Simpsons came on.....and never got back to it. (I'm easily distracted at times)

Yes, I will fill out my profile, upload pics and every now and then rant or possibly inject some useful information. I'm currently living in the United Arab Emirates. Me and my 355 are a pair of transplants from St. Petersburg Florida. Currently 2 Maranello orphans in my livery; 355 and 575....one for spirited kick-ass-radar-box moments and the other for daily driving in supercar fashion with flair! I also have many other nonFerrari project cars of the non-exotic flavor but all include mountains of horsepower and thousands of hours or research and wrench cranking. My favorite at the moment (bear in mind the previous statement of easily distracted) is an 850 HP Nissan Patrol. (which we don't have in the U.S.) A monster stump pulling 598 cu.in. big block Chevy hand-crafted in Speed City U.S.A. (Indianapolis) by Steve Schmit Racing. The Desert Rat is near completion and it will be interesting to see how Ferrari and Lambo owners alike feel with that monster stuck to their tail. There is NO substitute for power and NO replacement for displacement!

 

When a part comes half way around the world to someone akin to a child on Christmas day with an engineering attitude, chances are it ain't going back! Broke or not. If a man built it a man can fix it and probably less time and expense than the return. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but in my garage desperation for the sensation of speed is the driving force of creativity and EVERYTHING broken gets fixed and refitted....new or used.

But I do know Daniel that you would correct the situation. No doubts there. But you and FedEx just still aren't fast enough to offset my need for speed. Thanks though. I know your intentions are genuine and never in question.

 

And one more thing.......thanks to all that chimed in on this thread. This is exactly why forums help everyone at some point in time and usually when you expect it least. Kudos!

 

Glad to have you here Bob.

 

Gentlemen and otherwise Happy 355 owners / enthusiasts. I have completed an alternator re-build using the parts listed below. Now completed for 2 weeks and the re-build is perfect!!!

When completed and re-installed the once wayward-to-the-garbage-bin Nippo alternator put out 14.3 - 14.6V constant at 2000 RPM with all accessories turned on and cooling fans running. As well the stereo (1350 watts) was dialed to "blood from the ear canal" level. When fully loaded the alternator drew down to 148 amps.

After 2 weeks of constant running (daily driver this 355.....not a parking lot pansy) at an ambient of 45 - 50 degree C (113 - 122 F) the initial tested values remain identical. In other words it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! An inexpensive rebuild that's far better than ordering a gold-plated Ferrari alternator to replace a thought-to-be landfill orphan.

Total cost of parts: $28.60

Shipping from the Mothership (good ol' U.S. of A.) to the kitty litter box of the world (United Arab Emirates) $38.50 via UPS Air.

Celebratory beer: $25.00 (country club), $10.00 (local pub), $2.99 (7-11), $0.50 (garage fridge); monetary expense your option.

Total time of project: jacking of car, alternator removal, scratched knuckles, bout of swearing and tantrum, disassembly, reassembly, re-install, more scratched knuckles and second round of swearing and slight tantrum, voltage output testing, load testing, rubber back onto the ground, furious road test aka thrashing.....3.5 hours.

Cost of Ferrari stick-it-to-you, gold-plated (on the inside somewhere I'm sure, but not visibly) alternator part number 158047: $1,040.00

Cost Variance: deciding between buying the Ferrari alternator or rebuilding your existing alternator is roughly a savings of $1,000.00 (less any shop / labor costs) and face it, the steelership will probably have your car down for 2 days or a local mechanic you trust will have it down for 1 day.

Project Satisfaction Level because you did it yourself: 10 / 10.

Happy Factor: Priceless

Synopsis: If you have a few basic tools (or can drive yourself to Home Depot to get them), a little time on your hands, access to the on-line supplier at http://www.holcombedirect.com/, your Wife's credit card (role reversal is like sweet revenge....but do it on a little scale or she will kick your ass into the doghouse......HRE 3 piece wheels = DIVORCE), then your project will be a stellar success and a won battle chalked up for the supposed underdog.

Thanks to those in this thread and inter-connected threads who turn the wrench, post their part numbers and suppliers and project experience and end results. Things like this make the Ferrari experience phenomenal. Fix the thing, drive at +180mph and smile like crazy!!! Beats the hell out of driving a Detroit Dinosaur any day.

 

SWEETNESS!!!

Thanks for the update Bob!

 

+100
That's exactly why I posted http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=209629
The way I did.

But some further musings on those pesky actuators.
A little Googling led to the manufacturer, a company, Techniku (http://techniku.com/home.htm) whose primary business is window shade controls.
It makes sense that they would use an existing gear train in as many products as possible so there may be window shade actuators out there that could be used as parts donors for our actuators.

I wished I lived in Colorado (not really ) I would drive over there and take an engineer to lunch, show him the broken gears, and see if they are used in any other products.

$1400. plus per actuator is going to be really hard to swallow.

 

Hey Dave are you talking actuators for the soft top?

I'm quickly finding ways around many Ferrarisms these days. A lot of free time on my hands at this time of year. My parts list of aftermarket & OEM parts that I no longer have to purchase in a Ferrari box is getting much longer.....thank God!

 

I have been sitting on the Regitar replacement/upgrade parts for several months, and finally got around to installing then, as I am also due for an oil/filter change. With the oil change completed, I set about installing the new parts. I was fortunate to be doing this at a buddy's house and used his four post lift. This CAN be accomplished with the alternator "in car". All you need beyond a 1/4" rachet set, is a right angle #2 Phillips screw driver and a short standard #2 Phillips screwdriver. It is a tight fit, and you must be extremely careful not to strip the Phillips screw heads. A better tool, I wish I had with me was my Chapman ratcheting screwdriver set, which I had left at home. I was lucky, no problems, but it would have been easier with that set.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/chapman/chalarge.html The tiny ratchet allows you to install various bits in it, include the Phillips screw bit.

You have to remove the brush holder/brushes when you replace the parts, I inspected mine, and with over 50K miles, they were only about 25% worn, so I simply cleaned them up, and reinstalled. You can use Ernie's great thread for instructions and photos of the parts swap, it is really quite simple and straight forward. The hard part is simply reaching the two of four Phillips screws holding down the rectifier, that are very hard to get to, and require a right angle screwdriver....and if you are not careful, could strip the heads. If you do, then you will have to remove the alternator to complete the parts swap. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142329&highlight=355+alternator (note that his is the 348 alternator, but it is identical, except the 355 uses the Regitar RN-10 rectifier, rather than the one he lists.

I was not having any alternator issues, so this was more preventive maintenance rather than repairing any fault. Other threads claim a 20 amp boost in output, which is not a bad thing. I recall the original person to start this project (jm3) bench tested his at 140 amps originally, it then put out 160 amps with the upgrade. Someone else posted his was putting out around 130amps (so down a bit) and was putting out 150 amps after installing the new parts.

It would be nice to figure out what the correct part number is for the brushes, if only to replace them to make the job more "complete". I have been unable to figure out the part number or match it up....yet. But will keep trying and post if/when I do.

 

BTW, big thanks to Ernie and jm3 for their respective threads and help in posting part numbers and pictures of the parts swap.

Thanks!