So the XJ I have in the barn's alternator froze after sitting. Ended up taking it off to fix it no less than 4 times. Tried just disassemble and reinstall. Screeeeech! Belt not turning. Rats. Did that twice. Then ordered bearings and brushes, figuring for sure this time its fixed. In doing so it became apparent that the rotor was binding inside the stator. Finally giving up, I grabbed a junk yard alternator that looked like a rebuild that still spun silently. However I took it to Advanced and had it tested; said stator and rotor ok but 'energizing volts' (field) failed. Reasoning that the only thing that could be is the brushes not making contact, I took the new brush set out of my failed rebuild and installed. In so doing I found the little contact point where the set screws to the alternator case was burnt on the failing alternator. So cleaned that up and installed new brush set. Took it to AZ this time and he ran 2 tests and it passed both times. I think Im back in business and considering going into the jeep alternator rebuild business. I would add one more thing, I took it to a second Advance and it failed with no explanation and the guy got mad and said he was doing this for 20 years and the alternator was shot, kaput, nfg. Wrong.

 

This is one reason I don't trust AZ or Advance. They're looking at the bottom line and trying to sell you a new part. Always! Pep Boys should be added to that list. I once took a starter to an automotive electrical shop in Solvay (don't remember the name) and they put new bearings, brushes, and solenoid in it, tested it, and I was out the door in 20 minutes! The guy that worked on it was about 80 years old but he knew his stuff! (That's funny! I'm almost that old myself!)

In later years, I used to rebuilt GM alternators, but I've never had a Denso apart yet. It can't be much different. Good for you!

 

Yeah the Autozone guys in Camillus were recommended to me. The guy had problems with it, so this other guy comes over and pulls a new alt off the shelf, and gets the test setup working with that and then lets the other guy go back to testing it. The way I played it, was like, Im not sure if this alternator is bad ...Like I was having some electrical problem. That way the guy was delighted to tell me I pulled the alt off for no reason. LOL
Denso is simple, cause there is no regulator. I do think when it became jammed that it bent the rotor, or maybe it sat so long the belt tension just bent it that little extra bit. Either way they are fairly bullet proof as long as they can spin they're rebuildable. Unless there's a short in the windings or a bad diode or the copper slips rings are too far worn. (mine were but the junkyard one was perfect).
You must be talking about the place on Emerson ave, what was it...Ramsing Electric! they did all that stuff...would refurbish my power tools too...yeah that guy was real sharp and always had all the stuff right in stock.

 

Yes! That's the place! There were 3 generations working there at one time. The young kid, Bill, worked at Syroco with me for a short time. They had a lathe with an BIG electric motor on the second floor feeding a leather belt thru the floor to it. I was thinking Ramsey, but it was Ramsing. If they needed a brass bushing and didn't have it, they made it!

 

Yeah I was always amazed, I'd drop something off and ask when I could pick it up, and the guy would say ..Tomorrow morning. I'd be like ..What? OK! Sad to see a mom and pop like that go away. You call em on the phone and the wife answered> "Ramsing". And then she knew exactly what you were talking about and say Hold on Ill let you talk to Bill.

 

Installed.. and charges like never before lol.

 

Cool story but what does this have to do with Fabrication?

 

Nothing! It's in OEM Grand Cherokee Tech. Where are you?