Does that shield on the back of the alternator really need to be there?

esy,sye,what I meant to say is yes

 

+1. I doubt that they would have added unneeded shielding.

 

fred,you know how hot it gets in that little compartment? very hot, thats like asking should I check my hoses on the fuel tanks becuase they don't last forever do they?

 

I heard that every warning sign on a Navy ship represents a death from some incident. They don't put them up arbitrarily either.

 

Car manufacturers spend more time and money figuring out what they can leave off and save money on than they do figuring out what they have to put on.

Was this really a serious question?

 

I suppose it depends on what decade. For example, take a bone-stock 1975 Trans Am and see how much you can take off for it to actually run better. Then try the same thing with an 05 model.

 

Did you misread my reply? I was agreeing that the heat shield should remain. After 30+ years in engineering, at one of the (used to be) "Big Three", I believe that I do know how hot engine compartments can become.

 

I suppose you could run a test and leave it off for a while to see if it has any affect, but I don't think you'll be happy with the results for the PITA it takes to put it back on.

 

I wasn't saying that you were wrong I was agreeing with you and just stating that it gets hot under there and that you and I know this but there are those who don't. sorry if you miss understood what I was trying to say

 

I acquired my car with the sheilds on the alternator and starter missing... The starter was missing a big chunk of its plastic body section and the rear area of the alternator was cooked along with the wires. I put new ones on and bought shields for both on eBay. No problems since. IMHO they are even more necessary if you have the heat sheilds and packing removed from your exhaust pipes.

Rick

 

Looks like I misread your reply. Sorry.

 

That disc shield was superceded in the mid 1980s by a cast aluminum cap with a high temp red air intake hose that extended down flush with the sump bottom. That change put a stop to sucking oil drops coming down from the heads getting sucked into the alternator. It also provides much cooler air to the alternator.

I strongly reccommend getting one of those caps & pickup hoses & retrofitting your alternator.

I retrofitted one to my '82 QV's alternator.

 

Now THATs a good suggestion, Verell ....the alternator is indeed in a great location to get oil soaked...........IF you have oil leaks....

Put it back on only using two opposing studs for bolts, not all four, then you have two extra nuts and washers...LOLOLOL!

If you leave it off I'll take it, some slacker left one of mine off......

 

The BOSCH part number isn't a common unit, around here, no one stocked it....I had mine rebuilt...

 

can someone post a picture of this part from a parts catalog?

 

Of course Verell is right, shield it and vent it. Frankly, you can use any good alt shield and then secure a proper hose.

 

You've got it, the shield is #35, the vent is #39. #40 is a support that attaches to an engine mount. IIRC, to use it with my alternator I had to make up longer bolts, altho #18 should be long enough.

It wasn't a tight fit on my QV's alternator, so I used silicone to seal the joint.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Dat's 'da bomb', brudda!

I've never seen that part, 'Ferrari only' or other Euro beater applications, I could look for???

 

Looks like #38 would be a forward facing snorkel?

It'll work until you go thru standing water anyway, streets get DEEP here in Hurricane Season!

That also shows the lower bolt from the "back"...where it hits the dipstick, on removal.....

 

Somehow I think my 308 doesn't have that part anymore. I hope I am wrong.

 

Diode (rectifier) failure on the alternator is the major mode of failure. Heat hastens the process.