My alternator makes a noise... almost like a whine, but not quite... it's not the bearings (I can pick them out of this noise easily enough) and it's not the belt...

I also have a missfire, and will start to get bad as the noise changes toward the frantic side, the miss and bog is related to the alt noise...

Lately the noise has been more varied, and you can here when things are being really taxed because you can hear the noise change. (gets lower, frantic) When I start turning things on the noise gets really bad and it will stumble like it wants to die (but doesn't)...

When I have just about everything on (defogger, vent fan, highbeams, stereo, dome lights and maps lights, brakelights and back-up lights) and I gun the engine (or even tap the gas) I will get a hi-pitched squeel/squeek from my engine, I had the hood up one day when this happened and I noticed smoke puff out from where the alternator is.

So My question is, is it time for a new alternator? Or do I need to start searching for grounds/crossed leads? Do you think the missfire is related? Perhaps the coil is going, which is causing stress on the engine and causeing all these other problems? What else?

[UPDATE]

I tried measuring voltage at the battery but I couldn't really get accurate measurements because the terminals are -really- corroded on the outside... not just the white stuff, but rust as well... I cleaned off the bolt threads and inner nut on the battery but it didn't help

From the shaky measurements that I did manage to gather, the battery sitting with the motor off gives out about 12.3 volts, with it on, it's about 14, and with things on it's about 13... I'll go out and clean them in detail tomorrow afternoon, but I just wanted to give you those figures for now.

So is it the Alt dieing? Or could the coil be dying and the alt is compensating for it? I'm really hoping that my miss is related to this...

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

C'mon, spin 'em for papa...
http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

well that output is a little low. But then again I upped my alt output to a high performance one. The "screaming" you are hearing my be the belt tensioner. If it is sticking yes the engine will bog and such. The tensioner is right below the alt so they can sound very close togeather.
Another thing it could be is the brushes in the alt are making the noise. Maybe the brass bushing in the rear of the case even.

 

The Alternator will make a high pitch tone when they are under a load. They sound almost like a tuning fork. So it sounds like it is charging but something is drawing on it quite a bit. Not sure what it could be, maybe coil or even elec. fuel pump.

 

Camaro_hunter... I don't have a serpentine system, it's a multi-belt system. So there is no tensioner. nice try anyway... And the squeal is nothing like a tuning fork, I'm pretty sure it's due to belt slippage because of the heavy load the alt is putting on the system... When it starts getting bad, I have like everything in the car on (headlights + hi-beams, dome lights, map lights, brake lights, back-up lights, defogger, stereo, hazards...) then if I tap the gas it will make the squeal... Belt slippage...

Camaro-hunter, what amperage alternator do you have now? My car is basically stock except for a head unit (no amps or speakers or everything)... what amperage would you reccomend for me? I wanna be able to run everything without excessive load put on the engine, and I want it to last me... Price is kind of a problem... Right now I'm looking at a NAPA supreme alternator, it's 97 amp and costs 98 bucks, but you get 50 back if you bring the core back... Should I go higher or is this overkill already?

Also, my pick-your-part here is having a field day on the 20th. You pay 25 to get in and anything you can carry out is yours. Should I see if I can last that long and then pull some there? What models came with hi-output alts? (besides B4C models). Trans-ams and irocs with AC right?

I hope you can answer these questions, it's really appreciated...

 

i take that back, I misunderstood the whole core charge thing... it's 150 without the core, 97 with it... but 97 amps is too little for our cars... I found one for 108 that is 108 amps, I think I'm going to go with that...

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

C'mon, spin 'em for papa...
http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

well I have a 160 in mine now and am very happy with it. I can have everything electrical on at once at idle and still pull 14.6-7 Volts and have 159.87 amps. If you don't have anything really taxing I'd say 100-110-140 even. Oh and I paid 189 for mine outright. only thing used is the case so they know it will fit correctly.

 

Plus, our '85-'86 alternators were only used between '85-'86; the 82-84 and 87-up f-body alternators are smaller. You might not find much at pick-a-part that's larger than the stock alternator- unless you can make some kind of bracketry to take an 87-up alternator.

But you could get some alternators, spend $10 for a rebuild kit on 'em, rebuilt them, and sell 'em for $40...

Hey get me a gray headliner!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

Tom, I'll definatly keep my eyes open for one. My noise got a little better once I cleaned my battery and cables -real- well... I still have that miss though, but thats from my coil, I'm pretty sure of that...


13 from battery
(at idle)
14.5 with running and no acc...
13.5 with just about everything on.

How hard is it to rebuild these things? I'm also going to see if I can pick up a bunch of injectors intakes and heads my 2.8s. If i find any vacuum lines and plastic vaccum layout lines from these things I'm going to grab them as well... My friend is looking to strip an MR2 frame at the yard and take the entire body... we'll see how well that works... I'll keep you all updated.

------------------
1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

C'mon, spin 'em for papa...
http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg