TECH TIP FOR NOVEMBER, 1996

FIRST, LET ME ISSUE A CORRECTION. AS WAS SAID BY SOME FAMOUS PERSON " THE STORIES OF MY DEATH ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED." I AM INFORMED BY AN ACQUAINTANCE THAT GM HAS NOT ABANDONED THE CS130 IN FAVOUR OF THE CS130D, AT LEAST NOT YET. HE INDICATES THAT HIS COPY OF THE 1997 APPLICATION GUIDES SHOWS THAT THERE ARE A LOT MORE OF CS144 (WHICH IS A LARGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE ALTERNATOR), SOME CS121 AND CS130D, BUT MOSTLY THE CS130 ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY THESE ARE THE VERSION WITH LARGER FRONT AND REAR BEARINGS. THE BALANCE OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CS130D IS ACCURATE AND I'M SORRY IF I RAISED ANYONE'S HOPE TOO HIGH.

I HAVE BEEN ASKING CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY AND THE CONSENSUS SEEMS TO BE THAT VERY FEW HAVE GIVEN IT ANY THOUGHT. WELL I HAVE!  BRANTFORD STARTER WILL CLOSE AT 1:00pm ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 AND RE-OPEN AT 8:00am ON DECEMBER 30. WITH OUR KIDS SCATTERED AROUND THE GLOBE AND NO REASON TO STAY HOME, WE ARE GOING AWAY FOR THE A HOLIDAY (SOME PLACE WARM).

IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT ON THE 1990 LINCOLN AND CROWN VICS, THAT THERE IS A CONNECTOR IN THE ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS ABOUT 1 1/2 ft BEFORE THE HARNESS REACHES THE ALTERNATOR. IT SEEMS THAT THIS CONNECTION IS HIGHLY SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND THIS CAUSES INTERMITTENT "NO CHARGE", LIGHTS PULSING AND THE DASH INDICATOR TO COME ON.

A COLLEAGUE REPORTS HAVING A 1990 EXPLORER WITH THE SYMPTOM OF HEADLIGHT FLICKER AND VOLT GAUGE BOUNCE, BUT ONLY WHILE IDLING IN DRIVE. ALL OF THE APPROPRIATE WIRING CHECKS WERE DONE AND THE ALTERNATOR CHANGED TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THE BAREST INCREASE OF THE IDLE SPEED MADE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY. AFTER MUCH HEAD HURTING THE BATTERY WAS CHANGED AND THE PROBLEM WENT WITH IT.

JUST RECENTLY ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS HAD A CHRYSLER PRODUCT WITH THE OLDER EXTERNAL REGULATOR CHARGING SYSTEM WHERE THE ALTERNATOR WOULD FULL FIELD CONTINUOUSLY. THE ALTERNATOR WAS CHECKED AND PRONOUNCED OK, AS WERE THE 3 DIFFERENT REGULATORS HE HAD TRIED AND THE FINAL RESULT WAS THE PLUG AT THE REGULATOR ITSELF. A GUESS IS THAT THERE WAS A BAD CONNECTION IN THE BATTERY SENSE (IGNITION) CIRCUIT INSIDE THE PLUG, WHICH CAUSED THE REGULATOR TO OVER CHARGE TRYING TO COMPENSATE FOR IT.

IT SEEMS STRANGE, BUT ONE OF MY APPLICATION BOOKS IS LISTING A DIFFERENT STARTER FOR 1991-94 CHEVROLET "C" SERIES PICK UP TRUCK, WITH A 5.0L(305) ENGINE DEPENDING ON IF IT HAS A 100A ALTERNATOR OR THE 124A ALTERNATOR ???

THE SAME CATALOGUE INDICATES THAT ON THE STARTERS FOR FORD 7.5L ENGINES FROM 1992 ON, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT STARTERS WHICH LOOK IDENTICAL FROM THE OUTSIDE. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WHEN CALLING FOR A STARTER YOU HAVE THE OLD ONE OFF FIRST, AND HAVE IDENTIFIED THE FORD PART NUMBER CAST INTO TO FRONT OF THE DRIVE END HOUSING. SINCE THERE IS AN INTERNAL DIFFERENCE IN SHAFT TO CENTER HOUSING DISTANCE, I'D BET THAT IT'S AN RECIPE FOR RING GEAR DAMAGE TO PUT THE WRONG ONE IN THERE. MY INFORMATION ABOUT A YEAR AGO SHOWED THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 2 MORE OF THESE SETS OF HOUSINGS, BUT I DON'T YET KNOW THE APPLICATION. MAYBE THEY DECIDED NOT TO USE THEM!  YAH RIGHT.

AND FINALLY, I CAME ACROSS THE ATTACHED CARTOON WHICH I HAD SENT OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. AT THAT TIME IT SEEMED LIKE JUST AN AMUSING CARTOON, BUT NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD GUIDE FOR A SMALL BUSINESS MAN'S LIFE.