Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) +8 Alternator Installation Queries

I have a couple of "problems" with the alternator installation on my 1990 3.9 +8.
Firstly, I noticed that the alternator belt runs close enough to the lower rad hose to touch it each time the engine is revved. So much so that a previous owner had fitted an aluminium sleeve to protect the hose. Is this "normal" or has something been changed along the way to cause the problem?
Then, in the process of replacing my dead cooling fan (which was the start of all this voyage of discovery), I decided it would be a good idea to fit new hoses, and that the best way of getting to the bottom hose would be to remove the alternator. Not much room to get at the mounting bolts, is there? Getting it off was a pain. Re-fitting will be even more so. The adjustment link sits hard up against the bottom hose, so that will need tweaking and maybe a couple of spacers fitting at each end to move it forwards. I appreciate that Morgans are low volume vehicles and will have their foibles, but I want to check if somebody along the way has messed things up since it left the factory!
I really dislike designs that are harder to service than absolutely necessary so I'm contemplating replacing the alternator with one of the compact Denso items I have used on other cars. Should give me more options it terms of position to ensure the belt misses the hose, and have more room to work around it.
Any similar experiences? The cooling fan is being replaced with a SPAL item BTW. To get the original Kenlowe item out I have to cut off the fan blades or risk savaging the rad fins. The SPAL replacement is a good inch slimmer...

I have a 94 +8 (3.9 engine) and do not have the problems you are writing about, what type of alternator do you have and I wounder if the mounting bracket has been changed? Can you post some pictures?

As above none of this applies to my previous 3.9 94 model or my current 99, it sounds like it's been got at, a picture or two will reveal all I suspect if possible as Bruce has said.

Worth checking that the alternator bracket is a Morgan stamped unit as it's a special and it's possible they had a failure of the original and had to reach a compromise. They are rarer than hens teeth.

I wonder if the problems would be reduced if the belt were slightly shorter?

The reason I raise this is that on our old 4/4 (Ford CVH) the correct alternator drive belt was shorter than the one fitted to the equivalent Ford vehicle.

I have no problems on my 1980 +8. Removing the alternator is a pain, the bottom bolt can be accessed via the inner wing. I fitted a kenlowe fan some years ago, replacing the large ineffectual original.

Apologies - struggling to use the attachment manager to post photos. Keeps telling me my files are too big even though they are c. 100kb.

Alternator seems to be the usual Delco type fitted to most earlier Rover V8 applications. The mounting bracket also seems the usual three point cast triangular affair bolted to the front of the RH cyl head. I did notice a spacer about 1" thick between the bracket and the head which seemed unusual. I have also discovered the slot cut in the inner wing which is pretty useless as it sits between the front and rear mounting bolts, allowing access to neither with a spanner.

I did discover some earlier posts suggesting that it's easier to remove the alternator complete with mounting bracket...

Here are a couple of pictures I have just taken of my alternator, do they look familiar?




It seems from your description that a different bracket might be being used with possibly a different belt configuration

Here is a little gomog thinking on my suggestion that the bracket may have been replaced and or modified at some time.

You need to upload photo to a hosting site and then use BBCode to add a link here.
The way to directly upload photos to this site is in either of the photo sections.

Here is an instructional video about loading images to TM. Hope it helps.

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