Its been cold here and I notice that when I put a load on the electrical system by turning on the headlights I hear what sounds like a bearing noise--turn off the lights it goes away, back on it grinds. The car is fully warmed when this happens. The belt is not new but OK and tight. What do you guys make of it? Anything I should do?

Thanks!

Put a long screw driver where the bearings are and the handle against your ear...If u dont have a mechanics stethoscope.
Bearings will effect how it charged...
They are cheap
Diodes should be ok, they are very robust
New bushes are cheap
Pays to turn down the arniture contacts...If u dont have a lathe, get a long leather boot strap, a strip of wet and dry 800 and 1200 grit.
Rap the sand paper around then the boot stap around twice, lubricate with a bit of kero, pull back and forth on the ends of the boot strap...

AND while everything is out of the case, polish it....
Which reminds me, mark the cases so they go back together bolted up the same way....its a real bugga(Kiwi slang), to get it wrong ready to bolt into the car then have to dismantle again.

And while you're at it, look in the phone book for your local alternator/dc motor repair shop. In your spare time, hang-out there and make friends.

Or do what I have done...after doing mine....get your daughter to marry a Auto sparky

Sounds like the diodes are going.

The belt is not new but OK and tight. Thanks!Belts with age and extensive use need replacing. Best troubleshooting is to spray belt with WD40, if it quiets down, replace belt.

Look at the sides of the V, if glazed/shiny, needs replacing. Install new belt, run car for a couple days, retighten belt.

I had intermittent bad alternator noise. Mine turned out to be alternator cooling fan hitting (just barely) mounting bracket. Drove me crazy. I replaced water pump initially before I discovered it.............


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