Alternator Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Brake & Front End
Memory Lane: Reverse Technology: Engineering the 6-Volt Alternator

Not having an engineering degree does have its advantages – your thought process is wide open with no restrictions and no rules. However, my final working 6-volt alternator design proved to be a lot more expensive than I could have imagined.

Book Report: Automotive Electrical Performance Projects

For the automotive professional with electrical experience, Automotive Electrical Performance Projects by Tony Candela is a great edition to their technical library as it details a variety of popular performance project upgrades. In this “Performance Projects Series” title from CarTech books, brilliant color photos and explanatory step-by-step captions detail the installation of the most functional and beneficial upgrades for enthusiasts of varying skill levels.

Tech Spec: Retro Work – Service Tips for the PT Cruiser

Although classified as a truck in the U.S. by the NHTSA for CAFE fuel economy reasons, The PT Cruiser was considered to be more like a car by most other standards.

Tech Tip: Honda Engine Won’t Start? Check for Loose Alternator Bolts

If the alternator bolts are loose, tighten them and try restarting the engine. If the engine still won’t start, then check the ECM/PCM connector for battery voltage and ground. If you’re reading battery voltage and ground at the connector, then replace the ECM/PCM.

Tool Tip: Honda Revises Alternator Testing Procedures

American Honda is developing new equipment and procedures for testing alternators and starters. Until this equipment is released, use the following information.

Tech Feature: Why Aftermarket Belts are Lasting Longer

Serpentine belts made of EPDM may last up to 100,000 miles or more before they have to be replaced. But that doesn’t mean they will last forever. A serpentine belt that’s aging or slipping may develop a hard glazed surface that makes the belt noisy. Aerosol belt treatments may quiet the noise for a while, but sooner or later you’ll have to replace your customer’s belt.

Tech Feature: Winter Starting and Charging System Maintenance

Mid-winter is usually the coldest time of the year and, although modern vehicle technology has reduced many of the cold-weather starting problems that we faced just a short decade ago, it’s still important to keep your customers’ import vehicles in top shape for winter starting.

DENSO Sales California Releases New 2011 Starter and Alternator Catalog

DENSO Sales California recently announced the availability of the new 2011 Starter and Alternator catalog for its First Time Fit Remanufactured Starter and Alternator line. The expanded catalog includes 51 new part numbers and 92 new applications, covering more than 4 million additional units in operation (UIO), with most representing late-model coverage.

Service Solutions: Electrical Problems – Invisible Targets

To correctly diagnose invisible electrical challenges, sometimes, it literally takes all we know plus patience, suggestions from others and maybe a little luck. This story began innocently enough with an overheating complaint on the first vehicle. The second had intermittent flickering headlights and instrument cluster gauge fluctuations, so it was an obvious challenge. We will attempt to convey what was learned in locating the target causes of these electrical challenges.

Jimmie Johnson Becomes First-Ever 5-Time Consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Driving Bosch-Powered Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

In the closest contest in NASCAR “Race for the Chase” history, Jimmie Johnson became the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year, driving his Bosch-powered Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Tech Tip: Demystifying Honda ELDs

Even though Honda has used the Electronic Load Detection (ELD) System since 1988 on the Civic and 1990 on the Accord, there is still a lot of confusion on how this system operates and controls the charging system.

Diagnostic Dilemmas: Harnessing in a Wiring Fault

During the summer, the speedometer on the Taurus would quit on an intermittent basis. Of course, when the speedometer would quit, the automatic transmission would default into an intermediate gear and fail to shift into the higher ranges. Although a local transmission shop installed a new VSS and performed other repairs as well, the Taurus ran only a few days before the problem resurfaced.