hi guys i went to the scrappy's today to get an alternator and i managed to get one off a brava 80 1.2 16v, the same car as i got my inlet manifold but it fouls the engine mount and its not just the belt that it fouls it is the aternator its self can any one help me out with this.
heres a pic

cheers gregor

in the pic you can see the mount isnt even bolted on and it is touching

If i was you I would take a grinder to the engine mount just enough to give clearance as not to weaken it to much.

It is actually a VERY good idea to fit that type of alternator as the cinq one has a undersized pully (fiats way of solving the above problem it seems) which overdrives the alternator leading to worn out bushes and bearings if you drive the car the way it should be

may also recover a HP or two

space the engine mount out a few mm and then grind the engine mount down - and be glad you're not doing it in situ like i was.

craigb244 said:

It is actually a VERY good idea to fit that type of alternator as the cinq one has a undersized pully (fiats way of solving the above problem it seems) which overdrives the alternator leading to worn out bushes and bearings if you drive the car the way it should be

Click to expand...

God knows how many Centos later, and I've yet to have an alternator failure.

craigb244 said:

may also recover a HP or two

Click to expand...

How so?

less strain having to turn the altenator

Not for a minute. The "strain" should depend on the current draw. Running without an alternator probably would'nt gain you 0.5bhp.

Unless you have air con, all the lights on, winding the windows up and down, mega ICE, bum bum, etc.

Noel

ok used two washers on each bolt sd spacer and got out the grinder and got medevil on my mount and it looks very pleaseing apart from there is only like 1mm maybe 2mm clearence between the belt and the mount, will that be ok or will i grind off some more.

cheers gregor

I'd grind off some more. I know that Team Lloyd's senior partner used a strobe light to check the belt clearance was OK with the engine running.

fingers99 said:

Not for a minute. The "strain" should depend on the current draw. Running without an alternator probably would'nt gain you 0.5bhp.

Click to expand...

trust me it will (not that it would matter on a cento) it also will effect the response of the engine some to.
There is more effort involved in turning it at higher rpm (no matter on load) then a lower rpm.

I have the maths of it somewhere from college but basicly (in an exaggerated way) of a push bike upside down. a higher gear (say 1:1) can be accelerated (at to a lower speed) with MUCH less effort then a lower gear (1:2)

But like i say on a cento non of this matters in reality other then the bearings/bushes/rectifier will last longer

gregor said:

ok used two washers on each bolt sd spacer and got out the grinder and got medevil on my mount and it looks very pleaseing apart from there is only like 1mm maybe 2mm clearence between the belt and the mount, will that be ok or will i grind off some more.

cheers gregor

Click to expand...

not washers, make a plate so that it sits flat between the mount and the engine.

what difference will there be between the plate and the washers as there are only two washers on each bolt just to bring it out a little. the washers are giving support in the same places as a plate would, the three bolts. thing im woried about it that because i am moving the mount from how it normally sits i feel it may not line up when joining to car.

cheers gregor

I have the maths of it somewhere from college but basicly (in an exaggerated way) of a push bike upside down. a higher gear (say 1:1) can be accelerated (at to a lower speed) with MUCH less effort then a lower gear (1:2)

Click to expand...

Hmm. Presumably this is why bikes/cars etc. start off in low gear? Or has 300 years of engineering been blown out of the window?

While it's true that the smaller pulley will spin the alternator faster (although presumably not to speeds the alternator manufacturer would consider unholy) the effects of this on bearing life will be minimal, the torque required to get the alt up to speed (or to alter speed) will be less, and the spinning mass of the alternator could be considered as stored energy -- like a spring or a flywheel -- after that point.