The Rebirth

[BigMike]

Ah, I forgot to discuss what I'm doing about this alternator.

It's been fine since it stopped working after Bill's house because I've only been driving during the day and I've got a nice battery tender here at home I just plug into the car to revive the battery.

Also, regarding the minuscule reserve time of my little battery, remember that was with my parking and driving lights on. I've been driving it all around town in daylight without any trouble at all. It's just sucked driving it at night.

So I called 4 or 5 wrecking yards today and I can get two SC-specific alternators for $45 and the other for $55, plus shipping on either one. Then I called up Starr rebuilders and they want $45 just to install some brushes that only cost a couple bucks. So tomorrow (Friday) I am gonna pick up some new brushes, then after work get them installed :D

BigMike

[Sirdeuce]

Bring them up to my place and I can do that for you.

[BigMike]

Nah, I know how busy you are, I don't want to interrupt your tight schedule

[Sirdeuce]

Is that your way of saying, get busy on the Poupe'??

[BigMike]

^^ nice one


Tonight I got my car back on its alternating lifestyle

Pic 1: Had a tough time extracting the alternator. I had to remove the A/C compressor to access the lower bolt, and then the Toyota technician who rebuilt the engine before I got a hold of it, thought it would be a clever idea to insert this bolt towards the front of the engine. Therefore, to remove the bolt, I had to also remove the oil filter. Gosh. What an unnecessary and messy step.

Pic 2: Here is the alternator on the bench with its pants pulled down. You can clearly see that there is no voltage regulator here! wow! (empty area between 5:30 and 9 o'clock of the alternator).

Pic 3: The good news: The brushes were nearly dead. They were still in usable condition, but one was sticking and preventing it from contacting the commutator. This was a very fortunate discovery because it made for a very cheap repair (under $5). The two middle brushes are the worn ones. You can see that the one brush was worn more than the other.

Pic 4 & 5: Here is the alternator after I cleaned it up in the solvent tank.

Pic 6: The Toyota Part Number for a 1988 Supercharged 4A-GZE Alternator, if anyone is interested.

Pic 7: Everything cleaned and going back together. You can see the brushes assembled in what looks like a small rectangular brown box behind and just to the right of the alternator.

Pic 8: Installed, yea!

[BigMike]

I fired up the engine and it immediately began whistling :D Whew! What a cheap fix! I really lucked out


Then I verified if my engine really can rev up to 8,300 RPM.


Drum roll please!

[BigMike]

So as you can see at about 3,000 tachometer RPM, the engine is only at 2,690 RPM (10.3% error), and at about 4,000 tachometer RPM, the engine is only at 3,570 RPM (10.75% error)

Let's do some simple algebra

The trend lines show the equation RPM = 1000x+200 for the tachometer (virtual), and RPM = 880x+1810 for the timing gun (actual).

Plugging in 7,600 RPM into the timing gun equation (what my actual redline should be), and we get 7.4 for x. Plug this value into the tachometer equation, and we get [evil voice]dun dun dun[/evil voice], 8,322 RPM, which, you guessed it, is about where my tachometer redlines (as shown on the previous page).

Well, the lack of an explanation as to why my car is so quick still remains. I need to pull some valve covers and see what cams I've got in this bad mo-chine.

[Sirdeuce]

I've saved a LOT of money buying small parts at STARR rebuilders! Mostly had to fix starters. The little 'L' shaped contacts were about 3 bucks apiece and the plunger was 9. $120 for a rebuilt starter or $15 and a little more labor than just changing the starter. Alternators are a little more labor intensive than a starter, eh Mike? But well worth the time and effort. A used starter from a wrecker might be cheap, but how long 'til the same problem raises it's ugly head? Anyway, good to see you're back on the road!Have a good weekend and drive safe!

[BigMike]

Thanks man! I actually got my brushes (MADE IN JAPAN BABY!!!) from Decker (I refuse to call them "Smith's Auto"). They were like $4.80-something. Starr said they would replace the brushes for $45 (labor incld), so I figured I'd do it instead.

Yeah, a bit more involved than with a starter. When I installed my 3RZ, one of the last things I did before the engine went into the chassis was to inspect the starter brushes and replace if necessary. The stock ones were really wore out and it was a good thing I checked them. So after doing this, I think for sure I will always also check Alternator brushes before installing an unknown engine -- simple and cheap insurance. Had I checked em back in May I wouldn't have had this problem

As for my tachometer being off, the only guess I have is that I must have messed it up while using it with my twin coil AE92 setup. Bill, do you have a spare tachometer brain laying around I could buy from ya? Check your couch cousins!

[Sirdeuce]

Is it the same as an N/A tach brain?

[Sirdeuce]

Is there a tach trim on the back of the tach? The tach in my '81 Celica was able to be adjusted with a turn of a screw. I'll look at the units I have here tomorrow when there is light and get back to you on that one.

[BigMike]

Is it the same as an N/A tach brain?

Yes, which is what I am using.

Is there a tach trim on the back of the tach?

Negative Ghost Rider.

[BigMike]

I did the ABV mod yesterday afternoon to prevent boost in excess of 8 psi from being bleeded back in front of the blower. I haven't changed my pulleys yet, just wanted to disable this peak boost limiter.

Today I noticed I got about 8.1 or maybe 8.2 psi, so I've gained about the width of the needle on my boost gauge in boost :)

Of course I feel like it has 100 more hp so don't bother asking

Bill,

I want to throw in my SC header, larger crank pulley & smaller SC pulley either next weekend (the 30/31st) or the following (Nov 6/7). In order to run the larger crank pulley, I need to get a smaller idler pulley. In the past I used a timing belt tensioner pulley.

Do you have a good spare timing belt tensioner pulley? I'd like to buy one from you. Plz let me know, yo!

[Sirdeuce]

I'll look. Should I look for the other set of web cam 294 grind too? I know 1 is in the FX16. Get me a set of mounts and I might be able to do a set of upgraded mounts too.

[BigMike]

I'm interested in...

I have at my disposal 3 cams of a 264 duration and lifts of 7.9mm, 8.1mm, and 8.35mm.

Sell me a 264/8.1mm for my intake and a 264/8.35mm for my exhaust!