TR4 Alternator question

[pfenlon]

Has anyone fitted an alternator to the Left hand side of the engine?

Just a thought.

[ianc]

Although the alternator is mounted on the left of the 6-pot TR5/250/6 engine, why would one do so on the TR2/3/4 engine, where the distributor is in the way, and modern alternators are a lot smaller than the dynamo.

Even the comparatively old-fashioned alternator which I fitted in 1993 (same type as then was fitted to TR7) is not large and can produce 34 amps at very modest engine speed, which is ideal nowadays because I tend to drive on dipped headlights, as do most motorists.

See my article in Section J4 of the Technicalities CD, and a later article which James Christie and I wrote in March 2011 (TR Action 248) describing fitment of the Moss alternator kit.

Ian Cornish

 

[pfenlon]

1 hour ago, ianc said:

Although the alternator is mounted on the left of the 6-pot TR5/250/6 engine, why would one do so on the TR2/3/4 engine, where the distributor is in the way, and modern alternators are a lot smaller than the dynamo.

Even the comparatively old-fashioned alternator which I fitted in 1993 (same type as then was fitted to TR7) is not large and can produce 34 amps at very modest engine speed, which is ideal nowadays because I tend to drive on dipped headlights, as do most motorists.

See my article in Section J4 of the Technicalities CD, and a later article which James Christie and I wrote in March 2011 (TR Action 248) describing fitment of the Moss alternator kit.

Ian Cornish

 

I was thinking of 1, not cooking the Alternator under the Exhaust manifold, and 2 ease of access, small alternators I doubt would get in the way of the distributor pedestal . I was interested if anyone had done such a modification, but I don't have the CD Ian.

[ianc]

Send me a PM with your email address and I can provide MS Word versions of both articles.

A simple heat shield between back end of alternator and exhaust manifold will ensure that the alternator will survive even if the manifold is a 4-branch steel type (as in my car).

The old fan belt is a monster and not helpful with high engine speeds - and a b***er to replace when it breaks!  Change to narrow belt - it makes access easier, and the spare can be folded!

Ian Cornish 

[PaulAnderson]

If you use the Bastuck alternator conversion it uses a small Japanese unit which does not have diodes in the end so does not need heat shielding.  See this post for a link 

https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/52123-tr4-swapping-dynamo-for-alternator/

I have one along with a thin belt conversion, electric fan and think it’s a great conversion

Paul

[ianc]

The heat shield was fitted originally to the four Works' TR4 Rally cars to protect the back end of the high output dynamo against the heat of the SAH 4-branch exhaust.  The cars were fitted with RB340 regulator/cut-out in place of the standard unit.

The shield protected the wiring to the dynamo and its rear bearing - no electronics in there, of course, but a lot of heat generated when rallying and using the full output of the dynamo.

I had an alternator fitted to 4VC when the car was re-built in the early 1990s, and kept the original heat shield in place.  When they came back to the UK in the mid-1990s,  6VC and 3VC each had alternators fitted - again with heat shield.   I imagine that Tony Sheach will be doing the same on 5VC.

Were I fitting a "small Japanese unit which does not have diodes in the end", I would still fit a heat shield if the car has a 4-branch exhaust.  Heat shield cheap and easily made by bending a thin sheet of steel or aluminium, much cheaper than replacing a cooked alternator.  Incidentally, when first he used 6VC, Neil fitted a smaller alternator than the type I have on 4VC, but failed to fit the heat shield - and, guess what, he cooked the alternator!  Whoops!

Ian Cornish

[PaulAnderson]

I bought my small 40 Amp Denso alternator from Tony Scheach himself after hearing him promote the benefits of greater resistance to heat effect, only later realising that it was the Bastuck unit.  I'd thought about fitting a heat shield but was persuaded it was not necessary in this old  post .  I did fit heat resisting tape to the loom and around electrical connector just in case (intending stopping the plastic sleeve on connector from going brittle) and would fit a heat shield if I went for a Phoenix extractor manifold.

Paul

[Nigel C]

I've found a great supply of heat shield material in scrapyards (especially the ones you can still walk round!)

Under most euro boxes, usually around silencers and catalytic's they have a type of aluminium panel which has a indented pattern. this allows you bend and create compound curves easily and usually it doesn't cost as much as buying flat ali sheet either 

[Lebro]

5 hours ago, Nigel C said:

I've found a great supply of heat shield material in scrapyards (especially the ones you can still walk round!)

Under most euro boxes, usually around silencers and catalytic's they have a type of aluminium panel which has a indented pattern. this allows you bend and create compound curves easily and usually it doesn't cost as much as buying flat ali sheet either 

+1

Bob