My car is. U.S.-spec 1988.5 328GTB. I’ve noticed that my car is missing the flexible hose (“pipe #121190”) that comes off the back of the “air conveyor #121837”, which sits on the back of the alternator: Image Unavailable, Please Login I presume the only function of this air pipe is to send cool air to the alternator...is that correct? Do you foresee any problems running without one of these flexible pipes (as the car has probably been doing for years)? many thanks as always, Alan N.J.
I believe it is just SCAT tubing (used on aircraft). It allows cool air to be drawn into the alternator. Not expensive, unless you buy it from Ferrari. Is it needed? Ferrari thought so.
I would also vote yes as the exhaust is right below (out of the parts diagram....) Not on early cars of course, they were learning (and CATS added heat too)
FWIW, my '89 (US) 328 doesn't have that "air conveyor." Wonder if Ferrari dropped that at some point OR the conveyor on mine was removed by the original owner or the PO? In any case, the alternator doesn't seem to be any the worse for it in the 13 years I have owned the car despite cross-country trips and operation in 105F+ temps in stop/go traffic.
Can I ask whether this hose connects to anything, e.g. ducting to the side scoops, or does it just pick up cool / fresh air from below? Asking for my Mondial QV as it fell off mine when I moved the alternator during cam belt replacement. Thanks in advance!
It's about 12" or so, and points underneath the car (just like the diagram). It's not incorporated into the side scoops.
Based on the heavy oily film that coats my alternator shortly after I clean it, I consider this fresh air duct essential to limiting how much of that oily vapor gets sucked into the alternator. I sourced an exact replacement duct for my 1988.5 328 (correct red/orange color and identical spiral stripe, in high temperature polyester material) from an aircraft supplier. I have about 8 feet of it on hand, which I'd sell for $35/foot, if anyone is interested. My car used about 15", as I recall.
The 1988-89 328 SPC shows that you should have it: https://www.ferrariparts.co.uk/Diagram/ferrari/328-gtb-gts-(1988)/053-electric-generating-system?part=121190
I believe the fan (at the pulley) is pulling the air into the unit. IE, the rear of the unit is the air intake. (Based on my understanding of similar alternators on other cars.)
I can only say that in a lot of the 308/328 F documentation they give conflicting information. For example, in the overall 328 SPC figure, the alternator fan is shaped in a way that would draw air in the front and blow it out the back with the CW engine rotation: Image Unavailable, Please Login But, if you look at the actual 328 alternator fan part on that same SPC page, it is shaped the other way around such that it would draw air in the back and blow (fling) it out the front with CW engine rotation: Image Unavailable, Please Login In the TR documentation, they are more consistent, and show an alternator fan shape that would intake air at the back and blow it out the front. Still, since I think that there are engines that rotate is both directions so it might be real easy for this to get confused/messed up everywhere .
Here’s what it looks like from under my QV Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Even my early 308s had a stand off bracket and round Heat Shield, so they knew the location was an issue...
Thanks for the pics. I was puzzled about how the ducting avoided the exhaust, but see now that the lower bracket ensures that. I might have put 2 and 2 together eventually myself but this helps lots. Great community on here : )