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Post by seventyonehemicuda on Mar 7, 2015 11:56:12 GMT -5
I've heard all the reasons guys that choose not to run them don't run them. zillions of excuses and hypotheticals, the keep it simple stupid... Ive heard every reason in the book. but i have NEVER heard of an alternator or alternator wiring taking someone out of the game. ever, never, not once. I don't know of anyone that has ever pointed at the remains of their demo car and said "the alternator was the problem"... the argument about losing belts and having no water pump might hold some water, but the electric water pump covers that issue 10 fold. that's all besides the point. has an alternator ever taken you out?
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Post by C4 on Mar 7, 2015 12:26:12 GMT -5
Only in a Honda.
When I opt to run an alternator, I run a fusible link in its power wire, so if it shorts out, it doesn't affect anything else.
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Post by STROMI 121 on Mar 7, 2015 12:26:28 GMT -5
I lost the belt once, then I had no alternator but still had everything else and a fully charged battery.
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Post by justforfun1973 on Mar 7, 2015 12:45:57 GMT -5
I ran an 88 marquis fuel injected. I ran switches to alternator starter and distributor. As the car started to bend car died. I shut the alternator switch off in the pits drove up the trailer.
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vona112
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Post by vona112 on Mar 7, 2015 13:07:39 GMT -5
Cost my wife a win in the last car I built her. She was down to 3rd and had it. Alternator had been arcing and sparking off the hood for quite some time. Car died and wouldn't refire. Battery had boiled over. They go in core bin now.
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Post by 383 Sonoma on Mar 7, 2015 13:40:24 GMT -5
Had a buddy get put out when his hood bent funny and shorted the wiring out.... A fusable link would have fixed that
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Post by hill392 on Mar 7, 2015 14:22:31 GMT -5
Had 73 Chev wagon and hit a 76-8 New Yorker on the pass corner and bent his frame and somehow folded the alt back enough to short out on the valve over taking him out.
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Post by seventyonehemicuda on Mar 7, 2015 15:44:32 GMT -5
wow, more than i expected. is there any instance that a fusible link wouldn't have cleared up the problem? I've never run a fusible link yet but think i will from now on. i love my electric fans and water pump(coolant and fan speed is always 100% and not dependent on engine rpm, and engine can even be cooled when it is not running) so i always run an alternator. ive lost belts, but but that it.
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Post by rhull1977 on Mar 7, 2015 19:22:06 GMT -5
Last year hometown show run my engine so hot the big wire on the alternator burned off on the heatriser on the intake and killed my battery it could have been fixed with a fusible link. Live and learn.
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Post by STROMI 121 on Mar 7, 2015 19:56:57 GMT -5
I run my alternator wire though a piece of last years fuel line.
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Post by seventyonehemicuda on Mar 7, 2015 20:16:22 GMT -5
I've always ran mine through a piece of 5/8" air line. no need to even spit the hose. i will start adding in a chunk of fusible link now as well.
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boom61
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Post by boom61 on Mar 7, 2015 20:44:33 GMT -5
My brother had his seize up on him. His car was junk anyway, but that couldn't have helped. I don't see what the big deal is though. If you want to run one, awesome. You'll "always" have a charged battery and you're good to go. If you don't want to run one, awesome. Just make sure you're battery/batteries are charged and you'll be good. I think it was more the fuel pump wire that maybe was, maybe wasn't making a connection along with 3 flats, the floor moving dirt, bumper sky high, water pump eating the radiator, cam pulley grinding the hood, hood eating the carb, and trans puking fluid... but that might of had something to do with it. however it might be the last time I run an alternator as an idler pulley. I do remember one of the RT60 crew having to break their stick at New London a few years back because of an electrical fire do to the alternator wiring. probably could have got in the money too if I remember right.
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Post by C4 on Mar 7, 2015 21:34:08 GMT -5
Had a buddy get put out when his hood bent funny and shorted the wiring out.... A fusable link would have fixed that My Impala bent funny a couple years ago. Busted the hell out of the alternator. Fusible link burned up...no problem.
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Post by sickels on Mar 8, 2015 0:03:28 GMT -5
Had an alternator that was junk that ate my battery 5 minutes into my heat. (V8 EFI) Then ate another battery again in the free for all. Didn't know til after I tested it.
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Post by loudpedal18 on Mar 8, 2015 19:38:55 GMT -5
didn't take me out but close! I made the mistake of wiring mine up to a on /off switch awhile back to a piece of sheet metal. the piece bent and shorted out the switch. sparks and smoke started pouring out so I reached up and yanked the wires. needless to say it was a little warm!
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