Technical Ever Heard of a "charging problem" that required pulling the engine?

So, I have experienced such a thing and I'll be happy to share it with you all but before I do that I thought I'd see if anyone may have a guess as to what I found. The car is my street/strip '56 Chevy, 292 6 cylinder that I was hoping to have ready for the last drag event at our local track. The week before the charging light came on and, I'm embarrassed to say, it took be about 3 tries before I figured out what was going on. And, yes, the engine is out and at the machine shop hoping to be ready for this spring.

 

Sure, on a vintage snowmobile where the magneto is mounted to the crankshaft, behind the clutch or recoil. Often easier to just pull the motor. Automotive, can't say I have had the experience.

 

Can't say that I've ever run into that, and interested to hear the story. Trying to figure out how that is possible. I did have to pull the engine to change the water pump on an OT '85 Buick Century with 3.0 V6, clearly indicating why engineers should stick to running trains and let mechanics design automobiles.

 

Had the same issue with the water pump on an '88 Mercury Topaz. Engineers don't design cars for ease of service. They design them for assembly, once, on the line and as cheaply and efficiently as possible. After that, you're on your own.

 

Not to side track things but I can’t help myself, more than a few “engineers” need a thorough boot fn, things used to be , dare I say it engineered to be repaired by someone with modest talent and tools. Next came special tools, nowadays things are just meant to be replaced by a “ Tech”. Makes me so angry I can’t even think straight.

 

Like an old wore out vw flat 4 with so much crankshaft thrust wear the alt belt wont stay on?

 

Neighbor brought over his sled, newer machine , rope broke for the recoil. The coolant had to be drained, engine removed from the mounts to get to the bottom 2 bolts on the recoil housing, I ask you how fn long do they think a rope is going to last before it breaks?

 

Wasted the time it took to find out nothing so far...not going to bother waiting for the rest of the story.
Just to find out it was like the first part..a waist of time.
Moving on.

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Judge Smails: Well!, We’re Waiting!!!


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Well the only thing I can think of is that the crankshaft pulley was slipping on the crankshaft. I am a patient man and I am happy wait for the answer.

 

Charging light came on when the engine locked solid. No turn, no charge.

 

Interested in the engine diagnosis, what'd ya find?

Got a good engr story: Im a mech engr and spent a lot of time in operations and design. I had a past job to teach design for manufacturing to others. Im reviewing a large fabricated part with a guy, "tell me how it goes together" part 1,2, 3 etc. We get to part 4 and I ask how its going to be welded way up in that hole. Guy says: well the welder will just crawl up in that hole. ALL STOP. FUCK THAT. Ill be back tomorrow.
By the way, redo your datums - they cant be on a bolt hole on the fifth piece of the assembly.
Sheetmetal origami, was another one on my favorites, "welding cost money, therefore Ill make 13 bends in 1 part", yeah theyll be based on no parallel surfaces and require laser etch layout or fixtures to locate the form lines, half the bends require dogleg tooling to reach. and the part weighs a 200 lbs, so it has to run on a press with a gantry crane.
Real basic stuff like that is lost sometimes when people have no practical experience.

 

Piston broke the alternator when it came through the block?


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The OP should have been back waaaaay before now!!!

 

Is this thread like the old joke ...how do you keep a Polock in suspence? . . ......

 

I love these threads!

 

Here, pull my finger....

 

Not yet.

 

this is taking far to long, cmon with the answer already !

 

I think that is the story the OP told his wife so he can make the motor have more "zip"!

 

I'd like to hear the story and get more info/pics of yer 56 Chev,...hope to see it at Byron, Il. in the future.

 

It's been 15 hours waiting on @South Dakota Six to spill the beans. Did OldTimers kick in and he forgot he started this thread?

 

Ron, did you type this post and go to bed?

 

I’m pretty sure my neighbour convinced his wife that the only way to fix a rear main seal leak in his 283 Chevy was to replace it with a 396 :0


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it must have something to do with the engines ability to spin the alternator. broken crank? balancer spinning? there must have been a related noise from either of those and a fan that wasn't spinning . if the water pump wasn't turning it would have gotten hot.
what ever it is it better be good....

 

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Something like this?

 

I've heard of a ot Bentley that you have to pull the motor and trans then separate the trans from the engine to R&R the starter which in inside the bell housing......................only 20+ hr job no biggie......