Al from RI took my alternator to Ace Armature in Pawtucket, RI to get it checked out, same place he took his.
http://acearmature.com/They said the brushes were worn and needed to be replaced for a total price of $51. I was fine with that, because it was one less thing I had to screw around with.
When Al picked it up he asked how can it be that my alternator with 96K on it needed the brushes replaced, but his with 83K on it did not need any service? They responded saying that there are many variables that can affect the brushes, so it's hard to pin it down. But they did say the alternator works harder charging an old battery and that can affect brush wear. I've got the second battery in my 2000 Tourer and it's about 10 years old. I guess it qualifies as an old battery. I'm getting a new one at the Honda dealer in Auburn, MA tomorrow. Not sure I'll still be riding the Valkyrie in six years, but if I am, I'll replace the battery. In the meantime, the battery is on the charger for the ride to Auburn tomorrow morning. If any of you guys are riding around with an old battery and a high mileage alternator that's never been serviced, you may wish to consider replacing the battery.
Regarding the alternator installation, I'd love to say it slipped in nice and easy
but I can't. I disconnected the coolant overflow hose and of course the negative battery cable in moved them out of the way to help with installation. But it was still a bitch for me to even get it in to line it up. Then adjusting the four fins to slip into the engine housing was tricky. I was moving it around it around and in finally it went in, yahoo! Took me over an hour. On the bright side, that's one job I don't think I'll ever have to do again. Connected the battery, started the bike and my Kuryakyn volt meter glowed green. I was quite happy about that!
A big thank you to Al from RI for recommending Ace Armature and then dropping it off and picking it up for service. Much appreciated!
I'm back on two wheels!
