Alternator rattle?

Desmo900SS · Post by **Desmo900SS** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 2:50 pm

I got my 82' 900SS running (fixed kick starter) and now it has a rattle from the right side of the engine that sounds like it is coming from the alternator? Are these known to loosen up or do they need more torque than the manual calls for? I will take it down again anyway but thought I would ask if anybody else has had this problem.

Thanks

Post by **BevHevSteve** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:43 pm

doesn;t sound unreasonable to pull the cover and have a look..... That's what I would do anyways

Desmo900SS · Post by **Desmo900SS** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:14 pm

For what it's worth: I took a look inside and the washer had compressed allowing the nut to back off enough so that the rotor was loose. In the past I would re-use the washer and I think that took care of the initial compression as the thing seats down into the rotor.

wdietz186 · Post by **wdietz186** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:31 am

The way the manual shows the alt. rotor is with the recessed area pointing out. This causes the lock tab to cone and can allow the nut to come loose if not fully compressed into the recess.It can also allow the tab on the washer to move out of the keyway notch on the rotor.I turned the rotor around and used a shim the same thickness as the recess to space the rotor away from the bevel support.This allows the lock tab to have maximum contact with the rotor and reduce the possibility of it coming loose.You could also take the rotor to a machine shop and have the outer diameter of the recess increased to a little over the diameter of the lock tab so it will lie flat on the rotor before it is tightened.Bending the washer on the outer edge across from the tab will make it easier to fold it against the nut after it is tightened.

Desmo900SS · Post by **Desmo900SS** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:58 pm

Wdietz: good suggestion as I did not think of spacing it out and flipping it over. I think I will do that next time I am in there.

Thanks