broke down in auburn, 40 minutes from home

[mbouse]

lost the alternator pulley.

will a pulley from an external regulated alternator fit on an internally regulated alternator?

[rlux4]

Your car should be treating you better than that Mike, after all the pampering you've been giving her lately.
Ron

[racydave]

Mike, is it possible that there is something wrong with that alternator for the pulley to come off. Did it ruin your new radiator???

[mdrburchette]

Sorry, I offered you a Marelli external alt in the email. What year did the Bosch come out? I've got a few other cars in the yard I can try.

[mbouse]

the answer to my question is an emphatic NO. the two pulleys are not interchangable.

Wellness is in the works, thanks to some good friends. maintaining friendships is what Fiating is all about. i recall recently reading a post from a newbie suggesting our group establish an "emergency list" ... well, let me tell you that frequent communication with true friends beats any "emergency list" any day. Folks you can literally call at midnight are those you wanna have around...much more than mere names on a list. folks that goo-goo over your baby pictures are swell.

Yeah, the exploding pulley severely damaged a great radiator. no time to repair this rad before FFO; but, long term i think the rad is salvagable.

Dave, i am not postive that the alternator is perfect, or even well. What would cause a two-part sheave to explode? i have my suspicions that a piece of debris bounced into the sheave, and shattered the inner half of the pulley....but that is mere speculation.

As important as why the pulley destructed, i need to determine two other things:
1. will the untested replacement rad hold up to pressure? it holds unpressurized coolant without leaking.
2. did the exploding pulley or antifreeze bath kill the alternator? is the alternator well enough to make the trip?

i am resisting all urges to abandon hope on my '80, and perform marathon brake surgery on my wife's '78. i've just spent too much time on this head, the stereo, the CB and the door panels to swap cars at this late date. Changing vehicles now would be cause for a grown man to cry.

BUT, i will not miss the FIAT FREAK OUT, even if it means drivin' the Ford.

[manoa matt]

Mike take the alternator to the local parts place or a rebuilder and have them test it for free.

This is how I pressure tested my rad after soldering a joint: Get two old rad hoses clamp them on. Install the upper hose backwards and sideways, so it comes out of the rad makes a 90 deg bend and goes straight up. Buy some 1" or 1.25" PVC pipe caps, whichever fit inside the hoses. Push them into the ends of the hoses and clamp them. On the upper hose drill a 1/4" hole in the cap. Turn on your air compressor and regulate the pressure to 11psi. Fill the rad with water and with an air nozzle presurize the system to 11 psi. You will have to hold the air nozzle to the hole like a cheap compression tester. Works best if the air nozzle has a rubber tip. Look for any leaks in the fins/tubes. You can also test the cap by slowly turning up the pressure till the cap spring releases and water comes out the overflow nozzle.

[racydave]

Mike, I think some of thoes nasty-ass gremlins infiltrated up from the Carolinas. Could you replace the Alt, or borrow Misseys? If it spins freely, I would check the shaft to see if it is bent. Not that it couldnt happen, I have never seen a pulley grenade under normal conditions.

[kristoj]

Mike,

Look at the bright side: You have a full week to sort it out and at least it didn't happen ON the trip to FFO!

[rlux4]

Mike, wouldn't it be easier than carrying on this preposterous cherade to just repaint the cam covers differently?
Ron

[mbouse]

Ron - are you insinuating that i am making all this up, just to keep from letting everyone see my work of art? perposterous!!

Matt - that is interesting testing. if the stinking car was here at home, i just might consider that. sitting on my butt during a rain storm 40 minutes away from the darn car because i have no parts...is no fun.

Dave - Yes, we are including Missy's alternator as a backup plan...Ditto to john. That it did not happen next week thursday is a blessing. I am hoping the local alternator rebuilder is open on saturday...or i will definitely be leaving early from work next monday to have it tested.

the last thing we want is yet another shrapnel bomb going off in the engine bay. however, i am hedging my bet on that little bolt as the culprit

[rlux4]

Moi? Heaven forfend.
Ron