I am attempting to put back together my alternator with new bearings and brushes that a friend took apart for me. As he hasn't been in the picture for a while I am attempting the job myself. As all the washers and screws were loose I am trying to figure them out so as not bugger anything up. My confusion is with the two insulated screws that hold down the brush holder. It seems according to the CSM you are to " install brush holder retaining screw with insulating sleeve, insulating washer and flat washer into the hole with the exposed metal strap and also same procedure for the other insulating screw. Two out of three are insulated. One of the insulated screws had a small flat metal washer and the other didn't. There were a couple loose in the box. It seems like these metal washers are suppose to be there, am I correct? What is being insulated, and my first inclination is that putting a metal washer in there is defeating the purpose of the insulation. However, thinking further about it the metal washer is still insulated from the screw. I just confirmation that I'm on the right track. Thanks.

 

Insulated screws go through brushes. Brushes are insulated from direct ground.

 

I followed a rebuild on You Tube and took a chance on everything being correct. I had it tested at a local electrical shop today and it passed with flying colours, although he said it's not very powerful. (37amp what do you expect.) Anyway, my first alternator overhaul and it makes you feel accomplished. One more item struck off the to do list. On to the starter now.

 

Nice job, did you paint the case?

 

Thanks. I sprayed it first with Krylon dull aluminum and then sprayed a light coat of Eastwood's Detail Gray, which is slightly darker. It actually turned out almost identical to a sandblasted cast aluminum look. It came out better than I expected, which doesn't happen very often.

 

It looks nice. What did you use on the fan and pulley? Semi gloss black?

 

Thanks again. I just used my wire wheel on my bench grinder to clean them back to the natural metal finish and then satin cleared them. The clear actually darkens the metal a shade. I do the same with a lot of the metal parts of the car like brake and fuel lines, looks very natural and protects them.