So I have just found that I have broken my 3rd upper alternator bracket??

2 metals ones and now a cast piece I thought might be stronger....

WTF


Im lost on this one.

I run the alternator with the shortest belt I can but I dont see how that would break the mount?

Mount on the left is what has been breaking.

 

Where is it breaking on you Corey? It could be from too much belt tension.

 

I have to concur with Dr. Justin...
However id like to see the films more closely before I make a diagnosis.

Too much testosterone Corey?
Think back to the day you installed it.. hmmmmmm.
Scratches head

 

Other than the belt tension the only other thing that could cause a bracket failure is vibration. I broke power steering pump mounting bolts on my K motor for a long time untill i built a brace for it. Since it has a spring loaded tensioner for the serpantine belt I assumed it was not the tension but the vibration and sustained RPM.
I must admit I have never seen the heavy cast brackets break only the cheaper steel ones. The Integra Type R even uses light aluminum cast ones iirc.

 

What type of engine mounts and bushing are you running?

A cast metal support like in your photo, well, they are damn hard to make fail.

It could be just blind luck that yours failed, a defect of some sort? Ive never heard of these failing in the past 20 years...

Last thought, is your alt going bad? Causing drag on the pulley and pressure on the mount?

 

Good point, I was thinking of the Alternator binding/drag scenario but I was like nah I am sure Corey handles that he seems like he takes good care of his car.

 

Ahhhhh good one Dr. Larry... Well Corey.. what have you found out?

Paul who feels like he is watching an episode of "House" waits patiently for the test results

 

If his alt was going out [bearing] then the belt would "squeal"...right? That is where I was going in my head...

 

It's not Lupis.

That is odd. I can't say I've ever seen one of those break.

 

Yea I have to concur... Sounding more like bracketcrackitus syndrome.. Very rare affliction indeed.

 

sighhh....I guess I didnt notice since I have been tracking the car only for a couple years now.

So radiator blew up, this happened, welcome to racing right! Im just glad this happened now instead of next week at Roebling or Daytona in 2 weeks.

Basically everything on my car is new.....except my alternator.....that just recently sounds like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gLN3QoN-q8


Thanks guys, it was not making noise until right now which I thought was due to the broken bracket.


Sorry for the deliverance reference lol

 

ohh that was an ugly one.
so it was actually squeeling.
Was there any drop in voltage?
Dr Larry.. looks like your diagnosis was correct?

 

I see we have many honorary doctors in here. Lol

I was going to say if he managed to over tension the belt to the point of the bracket breaking, the belt itself would be squealing like the alternator is now.

 

...so what you are saying is he should have "known"?

 

The squealing goes away after start up. I do not have a voltage gauge hooked up so I have not seen any drops at all. It seems odd that it would be bad but I guess it could be....

The tension is always set on the tighter side but you can still twist the belt in the center left and right.

I will probably go pick up a reman. denso and see if I can repair that mount.

I still find it hard to believe I could have tightened it 3 times, enough to break 2 steel, and one cast piece.

 

check the voltage for shizzles and grins.
Let us know what you find.

 

I will have to find my meter.

Paul I will try to get that sticker out to you soon, been swamped at work.

 

I didn't see a car type mentioned, but on the EF, you have to put a pretty good dent in the body to clearance the b alternator. Are you in a chassis that requires the dent that maybe doesn't have it? IDK.. I am just asking dumb questions, cause I haven't heard of that issue either.

 

95 Civic HB, no clearance issues.

I just ordered a new alternator, I dont have the time to mess around with this.

 

Whenever you get the time Corey.

 

Oh haha, your just as much of a sarcastic smart *** as I am. I was actually implying we have several Jeremy Clarksons in here sporting their honorary doctorate degrees.

 

You never answered, where is the bracket breaking? My bet is that you have something out of alignment somewhere and that is leading to the bracket breaking.

The ITR alternator brackets are NOT aluminum.

If the bracket is breaking due to over tensioning the belt (I HIGHLY doubt that), you should pull the oil pan and check your crank bearings. The PO of my ITR over tightened the timing belt and accessory belts and you could see excessive wear on the bearings and cam journals. Mine weren't so tight to break the alternator bracket though.

Belt squeal on startup is typical of a loose belt. If it goes away right away, you've tensioned the belt perfectly for a race car.

Finally, I don't think you're alternator is at fault here. Check the voltage output at idle with and without a load just because and make sure everything is lined up square when it's installed. Then tension the belt _just_ enough so it doesn't squeal. (that gives you a tiny fraction more hp too)

 

The break is just to the left of the right mounting point..I don't have pics yet.

The other brackets broke on a different motor I had in the car.

The mounts are just the typical black hasports so not like they are solid teeth rattling.