I did not need to open the alternator casing to make thicker copper bussbars spreading the 3 phase AC among the Diodes(12 total), or to flatten the bottoms of the rectifier plates and alternator casing for better thermal transfer.
I did all I could to insure great electrical contact between bussbars and Diode pairs, and thermal transfer from rectifier plates to alternator casing, and to eliminate any steel fasteners from transferring the DC output to my ring terminal feed to battery. I used some arctic silver thermal grease to reattach rectifier plates to the casing,buttoned everything up, and spun the rotor, only to hear something was lightly rubbing on the spinning rotor.
After the curse fest ended, I opened the alternator casing and removed the stator, and found one of the 6 wires, going to the 3 ring terminals was loose and able to hit the rotor. It had come unstuck when I gently pried the ring terminals back, in order to get the thicker copper busbars in place.
It was also obvious that this had occurred once before, before my ownership of it, and was glued back by whomever rebuilt the alternator pre 2015. The one wire was scratched from previous to my ownership contact, and there was a blackened receptacle in the varnish where it originally rode.
I though the stator was shorted as it read 3.5 M ohms between leads and stator casing, but on any other range read open circuit, as it should. The auto range of my multimeter is automatically chosen when it is turned on
So I need to reattach this wire so it cannot touch the rotor, and also prevent stresses from 2 other stator leads from doing the same. The gouges in this wire occurred previous to my ownership. I only spun the rotor about 10 full revolutions, hearing the contact, and opening it up.
Not sure how well the varnishes designed for electric motors act like glue, not that I have any, but the JB weld I do have, is supposedly di-electric(non conductive) and good to 550f and should bond to old varnish and fulfill my wishes. I've found a new stator for this alternator for 50$, but do not think it is necessary. I'm only into this repair for the 1.5mm thick copper bars I bought and the new rc-50 capacitor which was ~8.50 delivered.
I've learned a lot so far doing this.
Ideally the external fan next to dual V belt pulley, would not have much space between its blades and the front casing of the alternator, for maximum air movement through the alternator. My fan wobbles slightly and at its closest has a 5/32 inch gap, far from ideal.
I am not sure whether I am going to address that, at this time. I do ask alternators for everything they can make, often, so more efficient airflow through it is certainly desirable, but I don't really know how much more would move through it with less clearance, or how easy that lesser clearance would be to achieve, as I have not had to remove the pulley or fan at this point.
I want to see if it works properly first. it only takes me 10 minutes or so to R&R an alternator. If it works I might leave it or remove it address the fan issue.
I'd like to remove my useless AC compressor and put a second alternator in its place, which I will already have should my ministrations to this one prove successful. Making brackets to align it perfectly is something I am dreading though. My AC compressor has been a pulley only for 15 years on this Mopar LA-318 and nearly 100K miles. I expect its bearings could go all Murphy's law on me, and would much prefer to have a second , externally regulated alternator there instead. I already have a second adjustable voltage external regulator ready to control it and would wire the regulators to be either or, or both together at the flip of two rocker switches.
I am aware better, higher rated alternators exist. 6 phase hairpin wound models by Mechman make me drool, but I cannot justify that kind of expenditure.
I'd also rather have 2 120 amp alternators than one 240 amp one(400+$) and have to swap over all pulleys to a wide serpentine belt(?$$) , as dual V belts are only good for ~140 to 150 amps continuous, depending on how much wrapping of the pulley there is.