Operation EFI: Alternator Clocking and Intake Installation

The intake is finally installed and ready to go

Yesterday was productive. I cleaned up the old gasket material on the heads and block, finished the port cleanup work on the intake, installed the temperature gauge sender, and clocked the alternator 90 degrees to move the power stud away from the cylinder head. I also got hardware to mount the IAC valve, and discovered that the air cleaner will fit. Progress!

Another couple days, and I ought to be able to fire it up.  




Clocking the alternator was pretty simple, I just needed the rear case rotated 90 deg from the mounting lugs to prevent it from grounding to the cylinder head. Just pull the four bolts on the case:

At this point, don't remove the case halves, just rotate and reinstall the bolts, or else the motor brushes will shoot out and you'll have to reinstall them like I did. If you just have to see inside: 

Not a lot to it, just some windings and iron cores.

The little whitish box above the center bushing is where the brushes are, allowing the winding in the rotor to be energized while it's rotating, just like an AC motor. When you remove the stator housing, they'll pop out and dangle by their wires, and hopefully the springs won't get lost. To reinstall them, put the spring back in the cavity closest to the case, compress it with the brush all the way down, then insert a small allen wrench through the tiny hole in the back of the case to hold it in place. Follow suit with the second spring and brush, pushing the allen key in a little farther to lock it in too:

Barely visible below the center bushing is a slot, through which you insert an allen wrench or piece of wire to lock the brushes in place for assembly.

With the brushes locked down, install the case in the desired orientation, tighten your bolts up, and pull the wrench out. You should hear a double click as each brush contacts the armature. Make sure it spins free, and you're good to go!