Tired of cheap cr@p

[cycledog]

About 6 months or so ago I installed a generator on my wife's 48 Chevy. I got this from a company I have done business with in the past.

We hadn't driven the car until today when we took it on a 60 mile round trip to the muffler shop.

About half way through the return trip some not so pleasant sound emitted from the engine compartment the sounds got worse and worse, I pulled off the highway open the hood and much to my dismay found that the gen fan had exploded, for lack of a better word. None the less I was not amused. Less than 60 miles and this is what it looked like.

Looks like light weight cheap metal. Ever seen this happen? I had emailed a picture and expatiation to the vendor and am awaiting a response.

 

[studebaker59]

Had a altenator fan do that once one of the blades dented the hood.

 

[earthman]

That has to be as cheap as you can make it and still call it metal.

 

[AZRodDave]

Sorry to hear and see that. Che@p Cr@p indeed.

Was it made in China? Or Hecho en Mexico...

 

[cycledog]

Not sure where the pulley assy was made.

Good news is, vendor called and said they will find an OEM pulley assy among their cores and send one today.

Sad part is when I switched the gen out I thought I should change pulleys and keep the oem. Murphys law strikes again.

 

[Toad]

Had a altenator fan do that once one of the blades dented the hood.

Happened to me a few years ago, man was I PO'd! Tried to stay with "Made In The USA" every since!

Toad

 

[Dirtyrat]

We always use local shops to do rebuilds on the generators... they actually care about getting quality parts to do the rebuilds.

 

[440shorty]

cheap parts?

I feel your pain. I had a reman starter fail recently. The contact disc retainer broke, so while the solenoid de-energized and pulled the Bendix back, the disc stayed on the contacts, so the motor kept spinning until the battery went dead. I was at work, but at least it broke in the driveway when my wife tried to start the car.

 

[Willowbilly3]

We always use local shops to do rebuilds on the generators... they actually care about getting quality parts to do the rebuilds.

Me too, or do it myself. A generator is pretty simple. Unless it threw the commutator bars and needs an armature, usually bearings and brushes is all they need to be back making that blinding 15 amps. I chuck the armature in my drill press and use abrasive strip to clean the commutators.