*sings* Oh what fun it is to ride with a one-amp alternator, HEY!

Anyways.. My alternator died. The bearings came out the back end of it, and it locked up. When the belt couldn't turn the alternator anymore, the engine stopped. (Amazing how much friction that tiny little belt can put out.) Of course, it stopped in the middle of a busy intersection. Fortunately I was on a hill, so I coasted backwards and turned on a street. Fortunately I saw a coworker on his way into work and flagged him down. Well, later that day I get an alternator and put it on, crank the car up, and it's running barely over the red on the gauge. However, it's not dipping into the red ever.. so.. I ask my friend to follow me to advance auto (where I got the alternator from) and ask them to test it for me.. It's a good 7 mile drive and it didn't die, so.. I wasn't sure what was going on. THe battery was tested a little low, and the alternator was putting out .9 amps. I'm being honest here. I don't know how my car made it on .9 amps, 'specially when the amps rated at 105 peak amps.. so.. *shrug* Anyways, fortunately they have no qualms about replacing it for free.. and the second new one I get works fine. Now my question is...

What would cause an alternator to do that? I've never seen the bearings shoot out the back of it before. I know I know, I didn't need to state the entire story to ask that. hehe


On the plus side, with the new alternator spinning better, it's freed up some engine power and my car idles better. heh




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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

In 1987 (or thereabouts) GM got stupid (real surprise there) and designed the CS series alternator. In their infinite wisdom, they decided a tiny rear bearing with basically no cooling fins in a small case would work out just fine. HAH!

Curious... You say the bearing came out of the case, but how much? All of it? Theres a lip that would prevent the outer ring of the bearing from launching itself unless it broke in two, or the lip broke off.

In any case, the design leaves something to be desired. The rear bearing is the first to go when it does fail. They get hot, the grease comes out, the bearing is steel on steel, and it tears up the ball bearings until it locks up completely. Ive seen a few with the alternator shaft sticking out the back much more than it should.

 

Some of the ball bearings had come out of the alternator. A couple had lodged themselves between the shaft and the case of the alternator, which is what I'm thinking locked it up.

 

Look on the rear bearing it probably says korea or china on it thats why they fall apart.