The good, the bad and the great.

LaserSVT

LaserSVT

Dedicated LVC Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
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Location
Waco
The bad:
So a couple weeks ago me and SVO installed a blower on my car as all of you know. During the installation we both joked about how much harder it will be to replace the IAC but figured since it was working then no need to replace it. Next day on the dyno its discovered the IAC is sticking so needs to be replaced. So that was gonna be nought today BUT we also joked how the alt will no longer be a 10 minute job cause if it cant be dropped down then the crossover tube needs to be pulled. We laugh about it and know the alt is solid and slap it all back together.
So Sapperfire and I go to lunch and on the way back I smell a weird sweet burning smell and tell Sapperfire "That dont smell like a car smell and if it is a car smell its something bad..... the beginning of the end.
On my way home from work I leave early so I can go cash my paycheck to pay the balence on my tune so I can fix my trans tune. For no reason the amp turns off. Its 101* out so I figure it hit thermal or something. Then I get a "Check Traction Controll" message and then the ABS light turns on. OK, must have just lost a wheel speed sensor. No biggie as I have spares.
Then comes the ass hat in a Hemi Ram and I want to show him who his daddy is and nail it........ followed by chugging and farting..... :(
Again, I figure heat soak and back off..... as the AC fan dies..... oh, I know that problem. My alt just fried. :mad:
I limp it to a lot and see voltage is at 9.98 volts and alt wont charge. Dang.
I call Sapperfire and man thats one good friend. He drove me out 50 miles to deposit my check then another 50 miles to go get an alt.... from Autozone.... I know.... its all their was. As we swear at it and remove the water pump pully to try and drop it out we discover it cant be done and the crossover tube had to go...... the blower makes it IMPOSSIABLE to remove the not for the bracket on the drivers side. :mad: Still manage to get it out and Sapperfire says "We need new o-rings" I say "They are only two weeks old" him "So we need new o-rings" I didnt believe him and get it back together then watch it spew coolant out the bad o-ring seal. :lol: So we get new rings and all is good again.

Thanks again Sapperfire! :)

The good:
Paid my bill and got my files for some trans adjustment.

The great:
ZOMFG! The car is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better now! Nail it from a stop and the tires go up in smoke then it goes to 2nd and up in smoke they go some more! :D Man she freakin just is screaming now! The best thing is now she shifts nice and smooth again at partial throttle. Goes into the next gear how I like and slips the TC when needed. No more bone jarring shifts at partial throttle. :) WOT is great now with just the right pressure. Just freakin love it now!


Overall I am very happy with her performance now. :)
 
Very nice... yeah centrifical makes a belt change a PITA! Both have their draw backs, you win in the part where you dont have to make a custom intake and screw with the radiator and fan.
 
So here is Sapperfire insisting to do the work. What a nec guy.

IMGP1516.jpg




This is around the time we discovered the alt aint gonna drop down.

IMGP1517.jpg




And my nice new POS ALT.

IMGP1519.jpg
 
Any time bro, it's what friends are for

and yeah, your car is fast now, too bad the pit stops are a bit lengthy...and you wanna be in NASCAR!!

I've come to learn from several years of mechanic work that anytime a seal is made then broken, seal must be replaced...one of these days you'll take my advice ...lol...but I won't hold my breath

have a good weekend...I'm gonna price some fiberglass and all that stuff next week so we can look into that custom hood you want
 
Laser, this is advanced warning. I bought the same alternator from AZ and without any system at all and with a brand new 850/1000 battery that was good, the alternator went bad. Too many WOT's with an AZ alternator will kill it. It just can't take being wound out like that. Mine lasted 3 months and I only had a few WOT's on it. I'm just waiting for mine to crap out again because when it does, it's going back and my money is coming back because I would have already replaced it with an Iraggi or maybe just the OEM.

Just be careful with the high speed windings on that alt. It will die! I know you don't want to go through another one of those changes again anytime soon. Sapp don't either. :p
 
Nice...Glad you enjoy it now. I just love the whine of the SC from your videos on youtube. BTW How much did it set you back by installing the blower?
 
You might get lucky with that Autozone alt, mine's been fine for about 3 years with multiple WOT runs per day. But then again you might not, the Mark VIII ones do seem a little hit-or-miss.
 
Ya, my car has an autozone alternator on it, after the 400 dollar OEM one died a month out of warranty. The AZ junk atleast has a lifetime warranty on it. First AZ alt was DOA, the second lasted a week, and this third has lasted about 3 years, and I frequently wind this thing out...
 
The higher underhood temps don't help anything either.
 
I can't tell from the picture, but couldn't you take the pulley off the water pump and drop the alt out once the bottom bolts are out completely, or is there no room?
 
Icarus said:
I can't tell from the picture, but couldn't you take the pulley off the water pump and drop the alt out once the bottom bolts are out completely, or is there no room?
Click to expand...

I did take the water pump pulley off, it still needed about 1/4 inch of clearance between the block and the cross over tube,
his is just one of those applications where, everytime he changes the alt, he has to get coolant o-rings...no big deal...
In the future I hope it near an air compressor so I can cut that one bolt a bit shorter on the driver side, lower plenum bolt that hold the bracket on...it's about 1/3 of an inch too long, so the nut won't come off the bolt stud under the snout of the blower....

The ONLY reason we had to opt for an AZ alternator was because it was the only place in town that had one ...everyone else was a next day ship
...and for some reason Laser is an AZ junkie...I haven't figured out why yet
 
Sapperfire said:
I've come to learn from several years of mechanic work that anytime a seal is made then broken, seal must be replaced...
Click to expand...

Especially "O"-rings!

NoLimit95 said:
Just be careful with the high speed windings on that alt. It will die!
Click to expand...

The autopsy from the last dead alternator I had showed it died from separated rotor windings which took out the stator as well. :(
 
NoLimit95 said:
Laser, this is advanced warning. I bought the same alternator from AZ and without any system at all and with a brand new 850/1000 battery that was good, the alternator went bad. Too many WOT's with an AZ alternator will kill it. It just can't take being wound out like that. Mine lasted 3 months and I only had a few WOT's on it. I'm just waiting for mine to crap out again because when it does, it's going back and my money is coming back because I would have already replaced it with an Iraggi or maybe just the OEM.

Just be careful with the high speed windings on that alt. It will die! I know you don't want to go through another one of those changes again anytime soon. Sapp don't either. :p
Click to expand...

Terry, you and I are friends and our paths through life have been too damn identical. That being said, everyone with the "Youve been warned" posts is getting nuts. You know I am a large contributor here and constantly state my hatered of Autozone and reccomend other places to n00bs here that dont know. Unfortunatly sometimes there is no chioce of place to go and when you are stuck on the road side you take what ya can get.
My plan is to get a OEM JY one and take itto this reputable reman shop up the road from me. Gonna have it built to 180 amp specs with their performance bearing and hi-temp reg upgrade. Gonna be about $200 but well worth the peace of mind. The AZ part is a temp part and then will be thrown on the shelf as a backup. :)

mark0101 said:
Nice...Glad you enjoy it now. I just love the whine of the SC from your videos on youtube. BTW How much did it set you back by installing the blower?
Click to expand...
Thanks. It was $1.50 :p
MediumD said:
You might get lucky with that Autozone alt, mine's been fine for about 3 years with multiple WOT runs per day. But then again you might not, the Mark VIII ones do seem a little hit-or-miss.
Click to expand...
See above.
lsc8 said:
The higher underhood temps don't help anything either.
Click to expand...
You're telling me brother! :lol: Just freakin nuts under there now. The ALT being sammiched between the water pump and the 2.2L heat pump is definatly no good. Also my blower was overfilled so it spits under high boost and I know some oil went in the alt. I need to drain some out but for the mean time there is a diaper (shop rag) wraped around its spout vent.
Icarus said:
I can't tell from the picture, but couldn't you take the pulley off the water pump and drop the alt out once the bottom bolts are out completely, or is there no room?
Click to expand...

What Sapperfire said.
 
you should prob be running it around 1/4 or better below the full line at 16psi. You should take the time to drain some before you get it hot and fry the seals.
 
I am waiting for it to cool down right now to do that and replace the other idler pulley. :)
 
LaserSVT said:
Terry, you and I are friends and our paths through life have been too damn identical. That being said, everyone with the "Youve been warned" posts is getting nuts. You know I am a large contributor here and constantly state my hatered of Autozone and reccomend other places to n00bs here that dont know. Unfortunatly sometimes there is no chioce of place to go and when you are stuck on the road side you take what ya can get.
My plan is to get a OEM JY one and take itto this reputable reman shop up the road from me. Gonna have it built to 180 amp specs with their performance bearing and hi-temp reg upgrade. Gonna be about $200 but well worth the peace of mind. The AZ part is a temp part and then will be thrown on the shelf as a backup. :)
Click to expand...

Bill, I think you may have taken my post a little too serious. I understand all too well about being stuck because of a bad alternator, that's why I have an AZ alt in mine because nothing else was close and they brought me a brand new battery. I was only stating that mine lasted 3 months without dogging on my car and without any kind of system. Now I see that they're hit and miss. Some are doing WOT's everyday and still going 3 years on the AZ alternator. I'm glad to see that some of you have been so lucky

As for considering you to be an AZ junkie, I know better! I was simply stating that mine was treated with respect and only lasted 3 months and the battery was bought the same day. Mine also is a temp part until I can get the one I want and then AZ alt is going in the trunk tub for "just in case purposes".
 
what heads/lower intake/ sc did you use? that is freaking awesome(the car not the alternator problems)
 
At least the alt makes the engine bay look nicer then before.

IMGP1520.jpg
 
lsc8 said:
you should prob be running it around 1/4 or better below the full line at 16psi. You should take the time to drain some before you get it hot and fry the seals.
Click to expand...
Seemed to stop it from spraying the engine too. :)
 
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