TECH TIP FOR JANUARY, 1993

SOME CHRYSLER CARS AND TRUCKS FROM ABOUT 1987 ON, ARE EQUIPPED WITH NIPPONDENSO ALTERNATORS (90 & 120 AMP).

THESE ALTERNATORS HAVE A TENDENCY TO BURN THEIR GROUND POSTS OFF. ON THE BACK OF THE ALTERNATOR YOU WILL SEE 3 8mm NUTS, WHICH APPEAR TO BE HOLDING A COVER ON. IN FACT, THESE NUTS ARE HOLDING THE RECTIFIER BRIDGE IN CONTACT WITH THE ALTERNATOR'S S.R.E. FRAME, THEREBY PROVIDING THE GROUND.

THESE NUTS REGULARITY COME LOOSE CAUSING ARCING AND THE EVENTUAL BREAKDOWN OF THE ALTERNATOR.

IT IS SUGGESTED THAT AS YOU SERVICE THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, THAT YOU TIGHTEN THESE NUTS, AND LOOK FOR ANY SIGN OF DARKNESS OR BURNING AROUND THEM.

IF YOU FIND SIGNS OF DARKNESS OR BURNING, EVEN IF THEALTERNATOR IS STILL WORKING, IT IS GOING  TO  FAIL, !!! AND SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FOR REPAIRS.

MANY STARTERS, IN USE TODAY, DO NOT HAVE THE VISIBLE SCREW HEADS SHOWING WHERE THE FIELDS ARE.  WHILE SOME OF THESE STARTERS STILL USE WIRE©WOUND FIELDS WHICH ARE PRESSED IN PLACE, AN INCREASING NUMBER HAVE CERAMIC PERMANENT MAGNETS FOR FIELDS.

THESE PERMANENT MAGNETS ARE GLUED TO THE INSIDE OF THE BARREL, AND IF THEY COME LOOSE THE STARTER IS "JUNK". HITTING THE OUTSIDE OF THE STARTER WITH A HAMMER TO SEE IF YOU CAN " FREE IT UP ", IS NOT A WISE PRACTISE, AS THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL FROM THE OUTSIDE WHICH STYLE OF FIELDS ARE ON THE INSIDE.

IF IT IS A PERMANENT MAGNET STYLE STARTER, YOU WILL PROBABLY KNOCK ONE OR MORE OF THE MAGNETS LOOSE, RENDERING THE STARTER USELESS, AND SINCE PERMANENT MAGNET STARTERS WITH LOOSE MAGNETS AND HAMMER MARKS ON THE OUTSIDE, ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AS EXCHANGES, IT COULD CAUSE SOME PROBLEM EXPLAINING TO THE CUSTOMER WHY HE HAS TO PAY THE VERY LARGE CORE CHARGE.

BEGINNING IN THE 1993 MODEL YEAR, CADILLAC WILL BE USING ITSNEW 4.6 LITRE, 32 VALVE, DOC/BANK, NORTHSTAR V8 ENGINE ASSTANDARD EQUIPMENT IN THE SEVILLE TOURING SEDAN AND THE ELDORADO TOURING COUPE. THE "GENERAL" IS BILLING THIS AS THE WORLDS MOST POWERFUL FRONT WHEEL DRIVE ENGINE, PRODUCING 295 HP. @ 6000 RPM.

THE ENGINE IS MORE COMPUTERIZED THAN EVER; FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS REPORTED THAT GM. DROVE THIS ENGINE FOR 150 MILES, WITHOUT A DROP OF COOLANT AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE.THE COMPUTER MONITORS EACH CYLINDER'S TEMPERATURE AND WILL NOT FIRE A CYLINDER THAT IS OVERHEATED.

THE STARTER IS FITTED RIGHT IN THE "V" OF THE BLOCK, AND IS TOTALLY ENCLOSED BY THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. RE & RE OF THIS STARTER IS ESTIMATED AT 6-8 HOURS. WHICH MEANS YOUR DIAGNOSIS AND MY REBUILT STARTER BETTER BE " RIGHT THE FIRST TIME".

" IS THE STARTER REALLY BAD?", & "WHY DID IT FAIL IN THEFIRST PLACE? " BECOME 2 VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT MUST BEASKED AND FULLY ANSWERED, EACH AND EVERY TIME, TO AVOID DOING A JOB UNNECESSARILY OR REDOING ONE AT HUGE EXPENSE.

THINGS YOU ALMOST NEVER SEE:
ANY DRIVER OF A SMALL PICKUP TRUCK WITH TINTED WINDOWS AND A CUSTOM SOUND SYSTEM, WHO PLAYS HEAVY METAL TAPES SO QUIETLY AT STOPLIGHTS, THAT OTHER DRIVERS ARE FORCED TO SHOUT, "HEY! TURN THAT UP".
                             OR
16 YEAR OLD, WITH A DIESEL CAR, ON HIS OR HER BIRTHDAYWISH LIST.
ROAD & TRACK JULY/92