So, in an effort to convert my Dad's Lincoln Mark VIII back from being a "low rider" - entirely undesired, I realized we needed to rebuild the alternator.
The system wasn't pumping up the air, and we did have a leak at one rear bag solenoid. Anyway, this was NOT what we wanted:
Scouring Lincoln/Ford forums, someone mentioned it didn't get proper pump action if under 13.5V. I tested the battery at idle and the alternator was making 13.4V. Not ideal at any rate. Probably not our problem, but a need to address anyway. We pulled the alternator and found one brush retracted and not contacting (and the corresponding split ring to the retracted one was grooved, and pitted badly). The brushes in the regulator/holder assembly looked like this when we removed them ( I am replicating it with my thumb since we had freed it at this point):
I did some searching and the replacement assembly was $40, steep for a pair of brushes IMO. I tested it while running with a multimeter for AC voltage to make sure the VR was good, no traces. Really, it came down to brushes (bearings where whisper quiet).
While I was searching that on the computer, dad blasted the whole thing with ether (he got a case of starting fluid for $.99/can, so it flows like water with him...). Then the brush popped out and I realized it was just stuck with dust and carbon. We cleaned up the regulator/brush holder, polished the split rings - (this kinda takes three hands):
Popped it back in and 14V vs. the 13.4 before. 14V at idle is not ideal, but it will work. I know in this situation people would drop $200 to $350 for a new alternator, but if you'll just take it apart and service it, it's an easy way to save some money.
The alternator on this 1997 car is original, 126k on the car in total. Cleaning carbon dust out was all it took, not slapping in new inferior parts (and most rebuilt LAPS alternators are way less reliable).
The system wasn't pumping up the air, and we did have a leak at one rear bag solenoid. Anyway, this was NOT what we wanted:
Scouring Lincoln/Ford forums, someone mentioned it didn't get proper pump action if under 13.5V. I tested the battery at idle and the alternator was making 13.4V. Not ideal at any rate. Probably not our problem, but a need to address anyway. We pulled the alternator and found one brush retracted and not contacting (and the corresponding split ring to the retracted one was grooved, and pitted badly). The brushes in the regulator/holder assembly looked like this when we removed them ( I am replicating it with my thumb since we had freed it at this point):
I did some searching and the replacement assembly was $40, steep for a pair of brushes IMO. I tested it while running with a multimeter for AC voltage to make sure the VR was good, no traces. Really, it came down to brushes (bearings where whisper quiet).
While I was searching that on the computer, dad blasted the whole thing with ether (he got a case of starting fluid for $.99/can, so it flows like water with him...). Then the brush popped out and I realized it was just stuck with dust and carbon. We cleaned up the regulator/brush holder, polished the split rings - (this kinda takes three hands):
Popped it back in and 14V vs. the 13.4 before. 14V at idle is not ideal, but it will work. I know in this situation people would drop $200 to $350 for a new alternator, but if you'll just take it apart and service it, it's an easy way to save some money.
The alternator on this 1997 car is original, 126k on the car in total. Cleaning carbon dust out was all it took, not slapping in new inferior parts (and most rebuilt LAPS alternators are way less reliable).
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