torxxx Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 So I went out tonite and a sort of 4x4 date with this girl I met. Lesson #1.. shes not my kind of girl, if she has to close her eyes when I do a hill climb. Lesson #2, its just a body lift on my car. Found a big rut filled with water, didnt want to slam into the ruts, so I put my drivers side tire into the rut and kept the passenger side tire on dry land. Forgetting the ruts were made by a buddy of mine with 35 inch tires, I swamped my alternator. Made it out of the hole, dummy lights lit up the dash. Drove another 150 feet down the trail to find a good dry spot to swap alternators. So I have a dumb question to ask, that I think I know the answer to, but I'ma ask anyways.. Is there any way to waterproof my alternator??? I'm going to go through and silcone my disty cap on, dielectric grease all connections, but that still leaves me with the alternator as a issue to water... Hit me up, lemme know what you guys think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 i would think any attempt to seal it would overheat it almost immediately... so that would be right out in my mind.. but how about some sort of shielding it from below??? i mean, its sheer speculation and i cant actually picture your engine bay.. ive never seen a lifted soob, not got much hands on experience with lifted vehicles in general, beyond big pickups (1 ton +) so i dont know if i am failing to visualize your situation... but if youre immersing the car in water up to the alternator, i think you may be SOL. at the very least, any solution will certainly be interesting, and it would be cool to see this thread take off... but i think some sort of glorified splash guard might be as much as could be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 yea I figured that a splash shield was going to be the only way about it. I wonder if the alternator will still work when its dried out. Hate to see it go, I got that alternator from Northguy when I broke down in his neck of the woods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 ever take one apart? i have once or twice, but it was just for a wire or something simple... but who knows? take it apart and lube the bearing at least...clean everything up.. in theory, unless a short occurred any electrical device can cope with immersion, if allowed to dry out... but i mean, its an alternator.. no current==wtf, how could that happen like, its tied into the whatever.. maybe it works. i hear you, its at least a 50/50 shot. good luck, and just clean and pray :- ) i had a starter that was "bad" in mine, and i took it apart and cleaned the nasty filth from 120K on the armature and brushes, and greased up the bearings real good, and delicately massaged the barely intact brushes (the three, one was totally gone) back into free motion through their retainers, and when i put it together it sounded literally like a new starter in the car.. it worked great bench testing, but it didnt SOUND great until it was in the car.. ive changed about 5459468064 starters in cars, somehow. ive been called to peoples vehicles on the side of the road to assist with a starter swap. dont ask, i dont so i dont know the answer. these things happen. its why my buddy has a 45 gallon fuel tank under his truck toolbox with a fuel pump connected to a thirty foot hose, and stopcock. we get these calls. from friends, we cant take money.. beyond like, token... six pack, overpayment for fuel, whatever... but i mean.. you sank the alternator in water?!?? just for clarification.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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