%&&%!$#!...... Alternators.......!!%*&%*^

[Stanley Steamer]

Well.....Mike Marshall came over and we swapped my alternator out with a rebuilt one from M.A.R.S.....Mike did the heavy lifting and it came out without too much trouble....we didn't take the center cover off, just bent it out of the way for some clearance....

The problems started when we went to put it back.....took forever to get that nut started on the back threaded post....the one under the rubber boot.....that little %^&&*!!...is a major PIA!!!!....but Mike has the patience of Job and finally got it started and tightened back down...got the T-connector back in, and the condenser bolted back on(only the I/S's have them)....coated the  O-ring with some oil before we put the new alternator back in......the problem was we couldn't get the fins to go back in between the rubber dampners...the top one kept sliding down in the way..... tickedoff tickedoff tickedoff tickedoff....Mike dabbed just a tiny amount of grease onto that one to "glue" it up where it was supposed to be...we had tried bolting that wire on the threaded post one before trying to get the fins back in the engine....wouldn't let it slide back forwards, so he took it off again, and got the fins in this time.......

After that, we turned the alt. forward a little and he finally got the nut started back on the post with the rubber boot....hooked the other stuff back up and bolted everything back together...only thing we forgot to do was put the rubber cap back on that threaded part where the condenser wire goes.....but it popped back one without any trouble.....

hooked the negative cable back up to the battery and fired her up....I had my digital voltmeter in one of the 12V outlets in the fairing and it should it was charging between 14.1-14.7V ~1,000rpm.......the only thing that concerned us was there was a "whirring" sound that was pretty loud....that was before I put the alt. cover back on....put it on, tightened it down, and it wasn't nearly as loud as before......cut the engine off, crunk it back up and it didn't seem to be as loud as the first time....

Could it be "normal" for a newly rebuilt one to make a little more noise until all the new parts get seated in good???.......Anyone else notice that when they replaced their alt.??.....

Daylight left us about the time we had all the covers back one, I still have a few things to put back on tomorrow and I think I'll take it out for a ride around here to see if everything is going to hold together.....hope so, cause it was a major PIA to swap it out......

Oh yeah.......there was a small black hose with a "T" in it near the frame at the back of the Alternator that didn't have anything hooked up to the middle part....it had grease on it and looked like it had a little stuff in it.....we didn't notice if it were hooked up to anything originally.....I don't think there was anything on it....seems like I read somewhere that it was supposed to be like that.....looks like it was maybe on the vent hose for the tank?.....one of the 1/4" hoses......

We knocked the bigger hose off in the back at a T joint, but made sure it was back on good before we put the covers back...that may have been the "dragon juice" tube?....

Thanks Mike for hanging in there and making sure it all got put back together....I owe ya Buddy!..... cooldude

[shortleg]

  Don,t worry about that Tee you found.
It is a vent that goes down in front of the rear wheel.
The Tee is so if it gets plugged with water the Tee will
still have a way to supply air to it.
            Shortleg[Dave]

[N8171S]

The hose with the "T" is the fuel tank vent line.  The T is there to prevent siphoning.  Sometimes new bearings might whine a little when first run.  Good luck, hope everything works.

[Stanley Steamer]

The hose with the "T" is the fuel tank vent line.  The T is there to prevent siphoning.  Sometimes new bearings might whine a little when first run.  Good luck, hope everything works.

Thanks guys......I was pretty sure about the "T" being there for a vent of some sort.....just hope that the "whirring" is just the bearings seating in good..

[RLD]

8000 miles on my MARS rebuild. It is noisier, but has never been a problem. I keep expecting it to get quieter, but I'm starting to think it's "normal". I would be interested in their comments, but have not asked. He was very pleasant to deal with however.

[Valker]

Mine has been 'whirring' for 30K miles so far.....

[eric in md]

ken is a great guy but .. i had three yep 3 alternators in a month from him .. he did take great care of me but as you all know there a pain to keep changing..

[hubcapsc]

ken is a great guy but .. i had three yep 3 alternators in a month from him .. he did take great care of me but as you all know there a pain to keep changing..

It might be easier and save time to ride to Tennessee and get Mac to do it in 5 minutes...

WHAT'S THE SECRET??? 

-Mike

[Stanley Steamer]

ken is a great guy but .. i had three yep 3 alternators in a month from him .. he did take great care of me but as you all know there a pain to keep changing..

What was the problem?....the "whirring" noise?.....not charging?....the rebuilt one is charging, but making that "whirring" noise....I was hoping it is just all the new stuff "wearing" in?.....it definitely is a PIA to keep having to change that thing out.....Mike said he wasn't going to do his until the original actually gives up the ghost.....

[Stanley Steamer]

ken is a great guy but .. i had three yep 3 alternators in a month from him .. he did take great care of me but as you all know there a pain to keep changing..

It might be easier and save time to ride to Tennessee and get Mac to do it in 5 minutes...

WHAT'S THE SECRET??? 

-Mike

I was thinking the same thing Mike.......

[Ricky-D]

The alternator is not normally a preventive maintenance item.

***

[fudgie]

I took mine out to have it gone threw. It did seem louder after putting it back in. Been fine for 2 yrs now.

[Stanley Steamer]

I took mine out to have it gone threw. It did seem louder after putting it back in. Been fine for 2 yrs now.

I emailed Ken at M.A.R.S. and here's the reply I got back....

"Sometimes the air diverter inside bends a little, it is very close tolerance and it makes contact with the cooling fan blades, it will wear down. No serious problem."