Electrical

Alternator Replacement, 1982

On an '82 Automatic:
> While driving on the freeway, my radio lost power, and the headlights
> got very dim. Then all power was eventually drained, and I was forced to
> pull over and have the car towed to my house. I am fairly convinced that
> my alternator is shot. (Does anyone have a different idea?) If it is
> indeed my alternator, should I buy a new one or have the old one rebuilt???

I would recommend that you ditch the OEM Paris-Rhone alternator and buy a rebuilt Bosch. I'll bet that if you pull off the old alt and shake it around, you'll hear some rattling. That will be one or more small diodes that have broken off their perches. The diodes look like the wheels of a Hot Wheels car and they are precariously soldered to what looks like a spring from a check pen. BTDT. A rebuilt Bosch looks tough enough to see duty in an Army tank.

> Also, is it easy to remove, or do I need to have the car towed to where it
> will be worked on??? Any ideas on cost?

Swapping the old for a new is not difficult. There are only a few bolts and electrical connections to undo. If you buy the Bosch, you'll need to reuse the original alternator's fan and pulley and _may_ need a few washers to get those pieces back in alignment with the drive belt. I replaced
mine 3.5yrs ago for a cost of ~$200 and it has worked out perfectly.
--
Jim Stadter
'83 928 S 5-speed (U.S. spec)
Hill Country Region PCA (Austin)


#2
When I had my 78 928, I changed it over to a Bosch alternator...It required the reuse of the v-belt pulley and a different key which I purchased from a local auto parts store.

Rgds,
Bob East


I bought a rebuilt Parish-Rhone (original equipment) alternator with a lifetime warranty on a special order from Pep Boys for $220.00 over a year ago and it still works great.

There should be a plastic shroud bolted to your alternator with a forced air cooling hose going to it. If missing, then this indeed could be the root cause of your problem. The shroud and/or hose can be ordered from any of the "Big 3".

Randy Venier
San Diego, CA


There also needs to be a special foam-type gasket between the alternator and the plastic shroud. Without the gasket, there will be about a 1/8 inch gap all the way around. Just under $10 at the local P-dealership.

Wk