General Chat
Q:
So I'm making my 55 mile commute to school over Sherman Pass this morning (highest point on I80) and notice an odd grumbling sound coming from one of the wheels. That's odd.
I get into Laramie and decide to check all the wheel bearing temps for the heck of it. Fronts are cold. Right rear is cold. But the left rear is hot enough I can't keep my hand on it. Dammit! And at the beginning of the week with bad weather coming in. So later on I call around for parts and start the car back up. I always do a gauge check and notice the ammeter is a hair below middle. WTF! Don't tell me the alternator is getting an attitude too. Turn the headlights on to check output and notice that with them on and the car running the system is discharging. So it's only putting out enough juice to run the engine. Great.
So to make a long story short I did get back home with one hot wheel bearing and an alternator that might fail in a little bit. Sure hope it doesn't snow tomorrow. Because I'll have to ride the Ural over the mountain since the car is OOC till this weekend. Oh yeah and the Ural has developed a slow leak out the final drive.
On the bright side I'm willing to bet that the bearings are the originals which says something for Japanese quality.
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up
Post Edited (Oct 16, 5:04pm)
A:
Check that all the connections are good, and secure on the back of the alternator, and the battery connections are clean. I had the same problem until I figured out that wiggling one of the alt wires instantly brought the alternator back to life.....I replaced the connector.
Black, bumperless, 78 Z with MSA superturbo system, K/N cone filter, ported intake, and exhaust manifolds.....15.9 @87 mph.
A:
My drivers rear bearings started getting warm and making noise. I pulled them cleaned them, they were still tight, just dry. I regreased and installed and everything is great now.
______________________________________________________________________________
77 280Z - TEC3 Engine Management, Coil Packs, 3.1 Stroker, 550CC injectors, tripple throttle body FI intake, MSA Stage II Cam, etc...etc...
79 Fairlady - Rusty
81 280ZX - DD
A:
Winter is fight every year in Minn having to make sure you aren't out
mechanic-ing in frigid temps. I feel for ya...
In short, I guess an alternator + attitude = no altitude?
'73 240z, sitting 16 years in garaged storage...Spring 2005 endeavor...
Twin Cities, Mn