yello620 Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Hmmmmm, I'm wanting to take it apart now. Not for powder-coating but paint, for no reason other than I can :) Adam, Maybe you should go spend two bucks and go to the pick-n-pull and take one apart in the yard. Just scatter it into pieces and leave it there. Let's you see what is inside before taking yours apart. Might just take the fear out of it for you. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Paint does not stick well to aluminum. This is a lot of bother, just power wash and forget it. Quote Link to comment
reese Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 I blasted the greasy one on my L16 with purple cleaner and car wash pressure nozzle and it looks great and still works fine. 1 Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Hmmmmm, I'm wanting to take it apart now. Not for powder-coating but paint, for no reason other than I can :) Adam, Maybe you should go spend two bucks and go to the pick-n-pull and take one apart in the yard. Just scatter it into pieces and leave it there. Let's you see what is inside before taking yours apart. Might just take the fear out of it for you. That's been brought up! And I like it but I work the next coupla days so maybe this weekend Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Paint does not stick well to aluminum. This is a lot of bother, just power wash and forget it. Lol. Ur probably right but I'm the king of not leaving well enough alone..... Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 There are ways to paint aluminium. The lower unit of almost every outboard engine for a boat is made of aluminium, and they are painted. Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Lol. Ur probably right but I'm the king of not leaving well enough alone..... Ya don't say............... 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Lol. Ur probably right but I'm the king of not leaving well enough alone..... It's ok. I'm closer to the other end of the spectrum. Used to be way worse. Took me a long time to learn to do things right or you would find yourself out with friends and the 8 track would quit. Using a Bic lighter under the dash... twisting wires together in the dark. A little attention to detail would have cured this. There are ways to paint aluminium. The lower unit of almost every outboard engine for a boat is made of aluminium, and they are painted. I believe they would acid etch or sand blast the surface, on top of a special primer. It's just more difficult than most other metals. Anodizing is another method of covering/coloring. Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 What about taking it to an alternator rebuilding shop, and explaining to them what your situation is? You could have them take it apart, and give you the case for cleaning/powder/whatever, then you could bring the pieces back and they would reassemble. Maybe cost you $10 for 5min of their time? 1 Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 What about taking it to an alternator rebuilding shop, and explaining to them what your situation is? You could have them take it apart, and give you the case for cleaning/powder/whatever, then you could bring the pieces back and they would reassemble. Maybe cost you $10 for 5min of their time? not a bad idea either, i just like to do things myself and i dont trust shops..... none the less i like it Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 I totally understand not trusting shops. Being in a small town, though, I'm friends with a machinist, an electrician, a handful of top notch welders, and have access to a dyno.. it's nice being able to barter skills with these guys :) 1 Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 There is a place where one could "practice" taking alternators apart, and see if you can get it back together in a outdoor learning environment for a small fee of $2.00,,,, they even provide hand stamps in case you need to leave and get additional tools or what-have-you.. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Hmmmmm, I'm wanting to take it apart now. Not for powder-coating but paint, for no reason other than I can :) Adam, Maybe you should go spend two bucks and go to the pick-n-pull and take one apart in the yard. Just scatter it into pieces and leave it there. Let's you see what is inside before taking yours apart. Might just take the fear out of it for you. There is a place where one could "practice" taking alternators apart, and see if you can get it back together in a outdoor learning environment for a small fee of $2.00,,,, they even provide hand stamps in case you need to leave and get additional tools or what-have-you.. Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 :blush: 1 Quote Link to comment
tdaaj Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Start the engine up and pee into the fan, should work fine. 2 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 "Start the engine up and pee into the fan, should work fine" Just do not confuse the alternator with the distributor, or the ignition coil. 2 Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Start the engine up and pee into the fan, should work fine. Just do not confuse the alternator with the distributor, or the ignition coil. Yeah, this is much more fun. 2 Quote Link to comment
Sin720 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 I work in a salvage yard we just use a high pressure heated washer. They are designed to be able to get wet. Clean it however you like. Just make sure you blow it out with air as at my work they tend to rust if ya dont............. :blush: Quote Link to comment
MikeRL411 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Just don't take it apart to clean it! You are bound to loose some small parts and then have to go buy a new alternator. Also, if you do take it apart and don't loose small parts, resist the temptation to "clean up" that grungy looking "chocolate color" commutator! They are supposed to look that way if they are operating properly. What you see is an intermetalic compound of carbon and copper which provides the ideal brush to commutator interface. Buff it clean and it will take time before your alternator is really operating at full efficiency. Quote Link to comment
Ratwagon1600 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Methalayted spirits and compressed air. The metho will loosen all the gungy bits (like degreaser) and compressed air obviously will blow all the crap out of the alternator. Metho also evaporates and wont leave any residue unlike degreaser. 1 Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 well, i got sidelined by the flu for a week but I'm back at it! might just have to finally clean my dirty alt this weekend Quote Link to comment
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