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Check your alternator cable...


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#1 banditsc

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 02:34 PM

Still tinkering with the warm running and keeping along the mindset that it's electrical. Today while driving in the heat with the fans at full blast I noticed my voltage gauge was right on the bottom side of the 12 mark, on it but slightly to the bottom of the mark. So I went to look at the cables again and the alternator, I noticed the alternator has a Porsche remanufactured sticker on it so that's a plus. Then I saw the cable, a positive cable with shiny copper staring at me. The heat from that area apparently left whatever covering was on there brittle, what was left crumbled off. So check the positive cable on the backside of your alternator and make sure it's not brittle and cracking off or completely gone. Should that have touched metal it could have been a nice engine fire...

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#2 kwikt

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 03:02 PM

I'm having the same issues. My wire looks exactly the same. Have you changed it yet and did it make a difference.

Kevin

#3 banditsc

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 04:05 PM

I'm having the same issues. My wire looks exactly the same. Have you changed it yet and did it make a difference.

Kevin


I didn't change it, but I pulled it off, cleaned up the connections and then taped up the cable. It didn't look like a simple replacment and a quick search on PET didn't turn up anything.

I just got back from Autozone and had them check the battery and charging system, the battery checks out, but not the alternator. It was only pushing about 12 volts when it should be about 13 to 14. So I think maybe I'm not crazy when I thought my car was running warmer when I had a electrical load on it like the lights on. So I have to pull the Porsche reman alternator out and have it rebuilt. There is a Bosch dealer in the area that rebuilds them.

#4 flash

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 05:01 PM

have you tried changing the regulator yet? these wear out and are easy to replace, and a whole lot cheaper than an alternator

#5 banditsc

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 05:04 PM

have you tried changing the regulator yet? these wear out and are easy to replace, and a whole lot cheaper than an alternator


I haven't I could give it a shot.

#6 kwikt

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 05:54 PM

My voltage runs around 12.4 and the battery is at 11.75 when not running. I'm installing a new regulator tomorrow. I hope this works!

#7 Anchorman

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Posted 14 August 2007 - 06:26 PM

There is a cable that runs down to the starter that also deteriorates in a similar manner. A section of mine was without insulation, with the conductor shredding. Luckily, I'd purchased a set of power cables from IceShark and replaced everything before I suffered a failure. If you don't know IceShark, don't bother trying to find out. He passed away shortly after I made the purchase and, to the best of my knowledge, no one has attempted to step into the very large void that was left.

#8 banditsc

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 04:22 AM

There is a cable that runs down to the starter that also deteriorates in a similar manner. A section of mine was without insulation, with the conductor shredding. Luckily, I'd purchased a set of power cables from IceShark and replaced everything before I suffered a failure. If you don't know IceShark, don't bother trying to find out. He passed away shortly after I made the purchase and, to the best of my knowledge, no one has attempted to step into the very large void that was left.


Yep, I had gotten the ground cable kit from Dan Wray for my 944S, I wish I kept that cable when I sold it. He did leave a big void in the market. There really isn't a place to get good ground and positive cable replacements anymore. The ground cable was a nice 1 gauge cable with military grade connectors.

Hint Hint for the entrepreneurs out there. There is a large market for people needing quality ground and positive cable replacements. The cables are the same on the 944 and 968 so the market is large.

For those that have never seen them, I attached some pics.

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#9 banditsc

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 05:08 AM

I pulled the voltage regulator and the pic is below, not sure if it's suppose to be this way or not but one the the contacts is lower then the other. I'm going to get a new one. All the talk of the Dan Wray (Ice Shark) made me remember that he included a new VReg in his headlight kit it's a adjustable model that has a cap on the regulator for cutting down the high frequency noise. The part is Transpo IB373A I'm going to see if I can get a hold of one, apparently most local alternator shops carry Transpo parts.

Attached File  VReg.jpg   74.47KB   34 downloads

#10 Vaino

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 05:54 AM

I pulled the voltage regulator and the pic is below, not sure if it's suppose to be this way or not but one the the contacts is lower then the other. I'm going to get a new one. All the talk of the Dan Wray (Ice Shark) made me remember that he included a new VReg in his headlight kit it's a adjustable model that has a cap on the regulator for cutting down the high frequency noise. The part is Transpo IB373A I'm going to see if I can get a hold of one, apparently most local alternator shops carry Transpo parts.

Attached File  VReg.jpg   74.47KB   34 downloads

Found the part via Google.

Part No. IB373A

I'll likely upgrade mine as part of normal maintenance. Cheap insurance.

#11 flash

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 06:22 AM

looks like it will fit, but i don't see where that one is adjustable - sure wish it was - i'd like to bump things up a half volt

#12 banditsc

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 07:20 AM

looks like it will fit, but i don't see where that one is adjustable - sure wish it was - i'd like to bump things up a half volt

That pic is a pic of my old one. I found a local shop that had the part in stock and just picked it up. I'll attach a photo of the comparison of the old to new and for Flash a pic of the front with the voltage adjustment. The part is a made in the USA part with a picture of a American eagle in the logo, nice to still see something like that today. I found the local shop by contacting by regional distributor, http://www.transpo-u...m/distr_us.html.

One of the pics thumbnails isn't working but if you click on it, it works.
Attached File  comparison.jpg   14.03KB   12 downloads
Attached File  VREGAdjust.jpg   14.38KB   25 downloads

#13 banditsc

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 07:55 AM

I got the new one in now, I turned the regulator all the way up and then backed off a smidge. I'm showing 13 or so volts at the gauge now. When I turn on the headlights, A/C, Radio and fan to full it drops down to right at the 12 mark maybe a smidge higher. This seems like a improvment to me, and the battery still probably needs to charge.

I think if I could get a positive and negatative battery cable kit like Icesharks it would be even better. He also has a supplemental cable to replace the positive feed cable to the fuse panel which might help out some other things. Getting the cable would be the easy part, I think the hard part was finding the quality connectors he used. Guess I will add that to me project list to research.

#14 flash

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 08:05 AM

that's the one i want, but the part number listed does not pull that one up on the link

on the subject of cables and such, i changed out my main cables and connectors to some nice gold stuff, and saw a very nice improvment - pricey though - the OEM stuff is junk

#15 banditsc

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 08:11 AM

that's the one i want, but the part number listed does not pull that one up on the link

on the subject of cables and such, i changed out my main cables and connectors to some nice gold stuff, and saw a very nice improvment - pricey though - the OEM stuff is junk

The link I posted was there distributors page if you want to find a local shop. I think someone posted a place to buy it online. This link is the actual part, http://195.125.241.1...duct.exe?IB373A.

I just tried cranking it all the way and I think I will leave it that way unless someone thinks it's to high. With the regulator turned all the way up I'm showing 14.4 volts at the battery (12.2 with car off) and with the headlights, radio, A/C and fan on full it dropped to 13.3 volts, which is higher then what my gauge shows.

The specs of the part on the site says 14.4 voltage set point, so I guess I'm not doing to bad.

#16 flash

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 08:22 AM

SWEET! thanks - i'll order it today

#17 Ryan

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Posted 15 August 2007 - 11:36 AM

Check your battery water level now and in a week as overcharging will boil out the water fast. If your setting is fine there will be no drop in level.



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