Georgia Fiero Club Forum
All Things Fiero => The Market => Topic started by: Fierofool on December 06, 2019, 08:55:26 pm
-
Richard Chen's Formula alternator has died. None of the auto parts stores have one. Autozone, Advance, O'Reilly, NAPA or Summit. They are saying they either have to send his off to be rebuilt or they can't get one until next year. All the delivery dates I found are January 9, 2020.
Anyone have a source where I could pick up one tomorrow (saturday)? The Formula is his only transportation and he's going to charge the battery to get to work, charge it at work so he can drive home. He works on Saturday.
-
Rockauto shows several flavors in stock. No telling on shipping, however.
He should also try unplugging/replugging, twisting, or pressing against the small connector. Sometimes the circuit connections can get intermittent.
Probably a longshot, but it will only take a few minutes, and it's free.
The only alternator I have for an 88 is a core, and it's for a Duke, anyway. (Lug placement is different.) Sorry.
-
The O'Rielly's at 1175 Abernathy says can get by 12/10.
-
I told him to check the plug tomorrow . I'll advise him of the ORielly.
-
Richard is friends with an O'Rielly store manager. He said he will ask him to secure an alternator. If the store at Abernathy can get it, any of the O'Rielly stores should be able to. The store he contacted last night in Lawrenceville said they would have to send his off to be rebuilt.
Would the BAT fuse cause a non-charge condition? He's going to check that as well as the connector when he gets to work. He charged the battery overnight so he could get to work.
What is the standard amperage for the Formula alternator? I found ebay and Amazon alternators with amperage ratings ranging from 80 to over 200 amps.
-
If the BAT fuse or light are out, it won't charge.
I had thought it was 130 amps, but apparently not. The 105 is for the '88 on the web. 140 is the high-amp version TFS sells.
I have my stock alternator sitting here, if there is a way to tell by looking.
-
Oh. When he gets to work, that area will be hot.
-
Richard works for Advance. One of their customers, a garage that works on his car, is just 100 yards away. He's going to have them check it during the day while he's working.
I have a brand new Delco Remy that I got from Pat. It was putting out 18.5 volts so I took it off the car and put it away as a core. It's for an 88 Duke, but the tag on it doesn't indicate its amperage.
I don't believe the BAT light has any effect on the 88 like it does on the earlier years.
-
I have an alternator in my garage, that I think is the right one.
-
I rebuilt mine using a kit. It wasn't that difficult of a job, but I think it involved desoldering and resoldering the 3 main lugs(if I remember correctly).
-
He has ordered an alternator and is going to have a different garage install it.
Tom, I do know there's soldering that has to be done when changing out the regulator. I was going to do that once a long time ago and couldn't get the regulator out. I just got another alternator.
-
Why a different garage?
When will the alternator arrive?
-
BTW, the alternator will come out of there if you move the vacuum can.
-
The alternator is on the passenger side on a V6, and the cruise cannister is on the driver side. Are you moving the alternator across to the driver side, then bringing it up through the hole?
-
The alternator is on the passenger side on a V6, and the cruise cannister is on the driver side. Are you moving the alternator across to the dtiver side, then bringing it up through the hole?
Why a different garage?
When will the alternator arrive?
On a manual transmission, the alternator's pretty easy to remove. It's probably much easier on the 88 due to the smaller size alternator. On Richard's car, it may be even easier since he doesn't have a muffler in the traditional location. He's running a muffler up front in place of the catalytic converter.
Richard's going to a different garage because his regular mechanic is having knee surgery and won't be available for several weeks.
-
Ah. I was trying to picture how this would work. That helps a lot.
Hmmm. His trunk is probably much cooler than mine. I had an ALDL adapter laying in the trunk, and the plastic on the ALDL adapter deformed.
-
I don't believe the BAT light has any effect on the 88 like it does on the earlier years.
All year Fieros that came with the AUX volt gauge have this feature.
-
I'm guessing that this was eventually replaced.
-
It was replaced, but as I recall, they charged him $190 labor to do it.
-
It should not have taken an hour to replace. Ouch!
-
That's what I told him. I even told them how to remove it out the bottom.
-
It was replaced, but as I recall, they charged him $190 labor to do it.
That is the price they charge you when they really don't want to do the job. If we had a customer come in with a car we didn't want to get involved with we would quote them a high price. Better to give a price even if it is high than to get into with a customer about why you don't want to touch the car.
-
There is something I don't understand. Fairly easy installs, but many places won't tough it, if there isn't a computer walk-through. We had a place nearby that was very popular. The original owner retired, and sold the business. The new owner refused to work on older cars. So, he lost all the customers. Many of the customers also had new cars, but they took all their cars elsewhere. Word spread, and he lost more customers. Most of the mechanics left. The guy refused to change. He's basically an oil change place, now.
The mechanics went to work at a place down the road, and can't keep up with the business.
-
I have been saying for years I'd love to open a shop that only works on old cars ("retirement" gig for 10-15 years from now when the eyes and hands are no longer 100% for working on expensive fine art). Not full restorations, but basic maintenance, sorting out newly acquired cars, shocks, brakes, R&R type stuff. Larry's Old Car Garage, has a nice ring to it doesn't it? There are lots of guys (and gals) who love their old cars but do not drive them because they cannot fix simple problems due to advancing age or lack of skill/tools/space. I have a friend, Bruce Fair, who does this out of his three car garage in Brookhaven. He is always busy and advertises via business cards and flyers at car shows. This business is an extension of a car radio instillation business he started as a younger man, he's getting older now and its getting hard to get up and down to the floor for him. He's picked up a few young apprentices over the last few years but none have stuck around. They should, there is good money to be made. Lots of repeat customers with multiple cars. People just keep asking him to fix one more thing while he is at it......
-
You should. I think there is another person or 2 here who had a similar idea.
-
Heh... I'll bet I could still gap a set of points. Been decades since I've done it.
And I remember enough about Holley carburetors to know that I still don't like them. :D
-
I've been trying to help NoMad find a shop and there's one out here that has closed. The building may be available since it's standing vacant. It's up near the Panoz facility between Hamilton Mill and Chateau Elan area at Exit 126. Three bays with an office.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0565541,-83.8280701,3a,75y,178.36h,82.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxRDuQ607NJFZL6Q5Wc6dSQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
-
I have been saying for years I'd love to open a shop that only works on old cars ("retirement" gig for 10-15 years from now when the eyes and hands are no longer 100% for working on expensive fine art). Not full restorations, but basic maintenance, sorting out newly acquired cars, shocks, brakes, R&R type stuff. Larry's Old Car Garage, has a nice ring to it doesn't it? There are lots of guys (and gals) who love their old cars but do not drive them because they cannot fix simple problems due to advancing age or lack of skill/tools/space. I have a friend, Bruce Fair, who does this out of his three car garage in Brookhaven. He is always busy and advertises via business cards and flyers at car shows. This business is an extension of a car radio instillation business he started as a younger man, he's getting older now and its getting hard to get up and down to the floor for him. He's picked up a few young apprentices over the last few years but none have stuck around. They should, there is good money to be made. Lots of repeat customers with multiple cars. People just keep asking him to fix one more thing while he is at it......
When you say 3 car garage do you mean his house? What kills you if you have to lease a building is the government comes around looking for a business license, correct zoning and all that goes with it. It is an unbelievable hassle and expense. If you can work out of a residential garage and keep it on the downlow you might could make some money. When I had Northlake Automotive it was between 3 and 4 hundred a day just to turn on the lights.
-
The one I mentioned above is already zoned as a commercial property so that wouldn't be an issue. It was formerly a towing service plus the sign out front says Thomason Performance. If it's for personal use, no licensing is required. Barrow County usually doesn't mess with anyone unless there's something very obvious that they can see from the road, or there is a complaint. Since it's been a long established towing service, impound facility and garage, there probably wouldn't be any complaints from neighbors. It's in a rural area.
-
Yes, out of his home garage. He is careful not to upset the man or the neighbors. But the Richie Riches are infiltrating. Nearly 75% of the normal homes that are in his area have been knocked down and replaced with a huge one. Gets a knock at the door nearly every week "why don't you want to sell?" just tells them to shove off. Truth is he needs to keep working, if he sold sure he'd make some quick cash but he needs a house with a shop to pull in income for quite a few more years.
I hear you on the cost of doing business. It is not easy on the little guys. The biggest issue is not being able to buy your own shop space. This results in giving a large chunk of your money to someone just to have a place to do business in. Pushing a lot of people underground.
-
Heh... I'll bet I could still gap a set of points. Been decades since I've done it.
And I remember enough about Holley carburetors to know that I still don't like them. :D
where are you going to find a book of matches? thats what I was taught to use to set points gap
still would much rather have Holley than a quadrajunk
-
I liked the AFB's. I had 2 of them on my 54 Olds. I ran a gas station in Doraville and had a customer who worked at the Doraville GM plant. He was stealing AFB's left and right when they first came out.
-
Often, people here buy some land covered in brush, bulldoze a path and clearing, then build a shop in the clearing. 30,000 sq ft, in one case. They tell no one, so nothing happens.
-
Here, you wouldn't be able to get power or water without proper building permits.
-
where are you going to find a book of matches? thats what I was taught to use to set points gap
still would much rather have Holley than a quadrajunk
I actually have a set of feeler gauges. (Used fairly recently when I set the valve lash on the Honda van.) AND a dwell meter.
I don't mind quadrathreats. But my favorites are AFBs and Thermoquads.
Still have a Thermoquad in my garage. It ran fine the last time it was bolted to an engine. About 35 years ago. :o
I don't like Holleys. Simply for the way they're constructed. Why have fuel bowls with vertical seams?
That's just begging for a leak. Which is what most every Holley I ever owned did.
-
yall realize I was being a smartass when I said matchbook cover correct?
-
I've heard of a matchbook cover being used many times. I believe the thickness is about .016. Enough to make most pointset engines run.
-
My '53 olds 303 that is slated for my '40 has a single AFB, I think. I also have a three Stromberg intake for it. I still like the old stuff.
-
yall realize I was being a smartass when I said matchbook cover correct?
We would be disappointed if you weren't being a smart ass! Somebody has to do it. That burden falls to you my friend. But I reserve the right to add my smartassedness to any discussion.
-
yall realize I was being a smartass when I said matchbook cover correct?
I had a friend who had a "sparkplug gapping" thumbnail. Allegedly.
-
yall realize I was being a smartass when I said matchbook cover correct?
We would be disappointed if you weren't being a smart ass! Somebody has to do it. That burden falls to you my friend. But I reserve the right to add my smartassedness to any discussion.
I agree. Scott can handle this responsibility. :D
-
I had a friend who had a "sparkplug gapping" thumbnail. Allegedly.
I've seen people do that.
-
LOL. I've seen a few toenails that could probably gap a .050 plug.
My 54 had a 324 originally. I ran across a J2 engine with the three 2-barrel setup but couldn't afford it at the time. I later installed a 64 425, bored .030, cammed, Offenhauser heads, dual exhausts with lake plugs, and the twin AFB's. Replaced the traction bars practically every week after a night at Forsyth, Dallas, or Yellow River. An occasional driveshaft and transmission, too.
-
Gross, but some people get toenails that are about .25" thick.