Re: [DMCForum] Re: issues with non-stock alternators

["Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxx>]

> Walt, Can you use washers as spacers to move the alternator relative
> to the engine block?

Scott,

In order to make a GM alternator fit the PRV bracket, people either cut the
front housing of the alternator or cut the bracket. Most people cut the
bracket. If done right, this keeps the front of the housing equal to where
the front of the original alternator was. I did this at the expense of then
having the pulley too far toward the front of the car. How I fixed it at
the time was by making a custom hinge bracket to replace the OEM. The plate
I made that fit against the engine block had slotted holes to allow it to
adjust fore & aft. This allowed me to perfectly align the pulley, but that
consequently also moved the whole alternator housing toward the back of the
car. This was fine except then the belt tensioning bracket didn't line up
right. So I made a new one. These brackets for the Ducy vs. the Motorola
have different offsets. I'm suspicious that if the people who switched to
Motorola alternators didn't also get a new bracket, then the Ducy one will
fit the Motorola a little crooked (unless of course you space it out with
washers). To the casual eye this is all splitting hairs, but since I don't
want any accumulated fatigue causing cracks and I want the belt to last a
long time.

> I have an after-market GM Alternator and have not noticed any mis-
> alignment.

Take a real close look to see if the alternator belt is parallel relative to
the engine block and to the other belt. The difference is slight -- only
4mm (that's maybe close to 3/16th of an inch if you aren't into metric).

Walt