alternator replacing for new one ( second hand ) Netherlands

Joined
Sep 15, 2017
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6
Location
Netherlands (utrecht)
Hello.
I am replacing my alternator for another one becaus the old one didn,t do his job.
The new one i replace in two pieces.
The first piece (with the 4 bolds ) is in his place but the sprocket wont realy go on the engine block.
Do i have to press it in with the 4 bolds or do i have to turn the drive shaft a bit.

Reg. Lambert
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
Messages
3,512
Location
British Columbia
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2021 RE Meteor 350
Hello.
I am replacing my alternator for another one becaus the old one didn,t do his job.
The new one i replace in two pieces.
The first piece (with the 4 bolds ) is in his place but the sprocket wont realy go on the engine block.
Do i have to press it in with the 4 bolds or do i have to turn the drive shaft a bit.

Reg. Lambert
The spring loaded split gear requires a pin through the holes in that gear assembly to keep it aligned for insertion and mating into the internal drive gear inside the crankcase. Usually called a "Lewis" pin. Then that pin is retrieved from inside the engine via the oil drain hole, if you have a wire attached to it, or by removing the oil sump pan to see and reach it. The first method is much easier. There is a write up on this procedure in the Archive of Knowledge, on another forum. I'll see if I can get a link to that and post it.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Sep 15, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Netherlands (utrecht)
Hello

I made a lewis pin with a piece of iron wire through the drain hole, went perfect.
Put the pin in the gears for alignment and tryed to put the alternator in place but it doesn,t seme to align with the gears in the engine.
Now i put the alternator in the freezer -10 degrees and leave it for a day,maybe that helps a bit.
Do you have any adea.

Regards Lambert
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
Messages
3,512
Location
British Columbia
Bike
2021 RE Meteor 350
The Lewis pin I made was not quite perfectly sized for the job, meaning the gears were not quite totally aligned and it was a bit of a pain to get the gears to mesh. Involves a bit of twisting of the alternator base as you push it inwards, when you have that situation. Much persistence and a few choice words may be required. Be sure you have the pin rotated to the correct position, I think about the 4 o'clock position, otherwise it may be binding inside the engine and you would not be able to pull it out. This is mentioned in that write up I gave the link to earlier.
 

John OoSTerhuis

Life Is Good!
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Bettendorf, Iowa
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1991 SSMST1100
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1058
Hi Lambert. Not much to add once you've seen/read/understand my friend Mike Martin's "how to" article (also covered here, including video: http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?topic=942). If you're registered at ST-Riders.net you can also see the tools that have been put together to do the upgrade or just remove and replace (R&R) the old oil-cooled alternator system that was used on the earlier models of ST1100s: http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?topic=545.0

You mention 4 bolts for your "alternator shaft" assembly, which leads me to believe you have one of the early models' oil-cooled versions as the later models' automotive type, air-cooled alternators (aka, "40amper") only use 3 bolts to secure its version of alternator shaft assembly to the engine case. If that's the case, there is nothing to really fail in the early models' alternator shaft assembly and no need to even pull it out of the engine, disengaging its two split gears' splines from the flywheel splines. The other half of the system, the Stator is all that needs to be removed. So I'm curious as to why your alt shaft assy was removed in the first place...?

That said, in any case, now you're experiencing the common problem of getting the alternator shaft assembly (either old or newer version) inserted into the engine case while aligning/sliding both split gears' splines onto the flywheel's splines. The shortcut way developed by Jon Lewis years ago was to pull the ~6mm "pin" that aligned the split gears out with a wire through the oil drain plug hole, versus the Honda Service Manual's method of dropping the mufflers and oil drain pan to extract the alignment pin with a pliers after the alt shaft assy was fully seated.

As mentioned, if using the Lewis-Pin method be sure to keep the pin aligned with the hole in the engine case to ensure the straightest pull forward and out the oil drain hole. I recommend everyone do a "bench test" of pulling the Lewis-Pin out, prior to the actual insertion. Jiggling/rotating the whole alt shaft assy may help getting the split gears on if they're not sliding "home" easily. Take your time and don't force it. Do not tighten the bolts in an attempt to force the alt shaft assy fully seated. Something expensive will break, as a number of alt upgraders have learned the hard way. Stop and take a break... try again later.

If the Lewis-Pin method simply isn't working for you, at some point just make the decision to quit that and resort to the shop manual method.

Good luck. [I did get your email...]

Regards, John
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Joined
Sep 15, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Netherlands (utrecht)
Hi John

I wished i never removed the alternator shaft.
The lewis pin method is no problem but getting the splines aligned in the engine is a big problem.
I even put the shaft in the freezer for a day.
It seems that , when i measure ,only the thin splines get in allright
I put it in the freezer again and try tomorow again

Regards Lambert
 
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