how hard is it to swap cases on an alt?

[ttocs]

After painting my dist cap/coil last week I would like to paint/powder coat an alternator case black but keep the guts from my 200A alt. Anyone ever swapped cases to know how hard it is? If its too big of a deal there is an alternator rebuild place not far away I can take it too but was hoping someone had done it to know how hard it is.

Anyone have an alt that isn't working that will fit a 94 they want to sell?

 

[Slykin]

Subscribed.

 

[lutter94]

Just paint the alternator.....Its pretty easy, kind of tedious, but I stuck pieces of shop rags in all the cracks, had to get them all out with a pick, but it turned out sweet.....

 

[Slykin]

What's the flathead 4 banger for? Nice job btw.

 

[lutter94]

Thanks! The yellow '48 Willys behind it....

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.504703908326.2052240.116501675&type=3&l=8cdc1b5e7d

 

[Slykin]

Aaahahaha, awesome. I love it.

Ok, we're done, back to the original topic!

 

[ivan12]

It's easy to take them apart and put back together. The only problem I've come across is getting the front case off sometimes because the shaft likes to stick to the inside of a bearing, nothing some pb blaster and a wooden mallet can't fix. Just try not to get paint on the inside, at least not where the 2 housings meet

 

[joekd]

Iit is a pain to seat the brushes. I did it twice though successfully. If just spraying and not powder coating I would consider masking and spraying like mentioned above.

 

[SVTurbo 98]

I had my front case powder coated while I was getting everything else done. It was easy to take it apart. It was a tight fit putting it back together, mostly around where the shaft went through the case. I just had to clean up some of the excess coating but otherwise it was an easy task. I'd recommend powder coating it though. Alternators put off a good amount of dust and a powder coated cover makes for a real easy clean up.

 

[ttocs]

alternators produce dust? What is rubbing other then the bearings that would produce dust?

 

[SVTurbo 98]

I don't really know...maybe it's the belt? All I know is I have to clean mine often...it's a black dusk fwiw

 

[ttocs]

yea maybe from the belt but inside other the the bearings is just some magnets spinning around a coil that should not make anything.

 

[Paul]

It's pretty straightforward, but if you have an expensive 200 amp alternator, I'd probably have the alternator shop do it. I've done a few. Basically, you knock the pulley off with an impact, unbolt the three 6mm bolts, and gently pry the case halve apart. The shaft is seated in the cast center section in the back and through the bearing on the front. I've screwed one up when I was taking it apart because it didn't want to come apart evenly, and damaged some of the electronics. I've also had one where the new case was not quite the same size (probably chalk it up to machining differences) and it didn't want to go on.

I took apart and powdercoated the case on the alternator on my current motor, but since I've not fired the car yet, I don't know if I screwed it up.

Paul.

 

[Paul]

Oh, and I carefully masked the whole inside of the case with hi-temp tape before I powdercoated/baked it. You don't want to change any of the dimensions or it won't fit together right again.

To get the brushes back in, you just press them in really far into the stator (I think?) then hold them in place with the end of a paper clip. Re-install the stator to the assembled alternator, and pull the paper clip.

Paul.

 

[SVTurbo 98]

either way it still gets dirty. the powder coat will be easy to clean and last longer than paint but both will give you the results you're looking for.

 

[ivan12]

I messed mine up when I had all my parts powdercoated, completely my fault though. There was some thick powdercoat on the inside of the housing where one goes on top of the other and I thought I had gotten off most of it off. When I tried putting everything back together the housings wouldn't close back up so I tried tightening the 3 small bolts to force them to close, I over torqued them and snapped one of the cases. I then painted the one from the ranger with high temp spray and made sure I sanded everything clean, went back together without a hitch.

 

[ttocs]

sounds good folks thanks for all the info. As you said I will just have the shop take it apart and mask off everything inside. Being on top of the motor and away from most fluids I am really not too afraid to use a high-temp enamel. Wish I had the powder set up like paul but oh well.

 

[Paul]

One more thing, spend some time sanding the case down smooth before you powdercoat it. I did everything myself. The disassembly, prep, coating, and reassembly. I replaced the case bolts with ARP 12 points, and the pulley with the smallest overdrive alternator pulley evar.

Paul.

 

[ttocs]

I will certainly scuff it prior to paint but I am going to put a rough textured finish on it like I did my cap/coil so it isn't too important to me to get it smooth or else I would polish it like I am the intake.

Can't wait to get the new intake finished and installed. Spent a couple more hours on it last night and its nice to see it getting close now. I will get some pics tonight and update the other post.