[flamebero]

This question comes with a story...

This sunday we had some great weather here in Portland, so I thought it would be a great day to work on the Alfa. Didn't do too much, just changed the gear and engine oil. While screwing on my new oil filter I noticed that the bolt that holds the alternator to a stud on the front of the engine was missing. I franticly looked for a replacement, I had promised my grandmother I would visit for dinner, and I was starting to run late. After failing to find a replacement nut, I foolishly assumed that I had been driving without that nut for thousands of miles and one more short trip wouldn't be a problem. Upon leaving my grandmother's I checked on the state of my alternator and found that the second mounting point, a much larger bolt, was now also missing it's nut. I was able to affix a nut that seemed to be a close enough fit (it threaded on, but not all the way) to crawl home. I guess I'm pretty lucky to have noticed that my alternator is only dangling in place so soon after loosing it's fasteners.

I'm hoping somebody might know the size and thread pitch of the two nuts I need, both the nuts that hold the alternator to the engine. I fear I may need to buy out Ace in order to find the appropriate hardware. I'm also hoping somebody knows the washer scheme I should be using in order to keep everything together. I would assume lock washers, but I'm no expert on the subject.

Thanks

 

[Andrew]

The nut and bolt are 19mm across the flats; 14mm shaft? Not certain. Someone will chime in. A thick washer goes in front, under the bolt head, against the alternator. A thin wavy washer goes on the back against the front cover, and generally there are two thin nuts, locked against each other.
Andrew

 

[gigem75]

nuts just thin enough so that the first end wrench is just tall enough to cover the bottom portion of the locking nut so the second end wrench cannot turn it. thank goodness for cheap HF end wrenches that can be ground down

 

[alfaparticle]

The lower bolt is M12x1.5. The upper bolt is M8x1.0

 

[gigem75]

you are correct but still thicker by a tad than my 40 year old Craftsman and SnapOn end wrenches

 

[alfaparticle]

I have a pair of the thin nuts that I will measure for you if you like, but they are not for sale.

 

[flamebero]

I found the nuts at ace, one was an 8mm the other was 12mm, however I'm not quit sure of the pitch, I just bought every pitch available and used the nuts that fit. The nuts they have were pretty thick, so I'm using a lock washer for now. I'll deduce the pitch and find somewhere that I can buy thinner nuts. Any thoughts on retailers that would have these?

Thanks

I missed your post alfaparticle, thanks for the pitches, that will make my search easier.

 

[ghnl]

McMaster-Carr. Look for 'thin' or 'jam' nuts.

 

[flamebero]

Perfect! Had to buy quite a few, but they're on their way.

Thanks!

 

[gigem75]

you can always use two thick ones it's just the first one that has to be thicker than the wrench. i've got plenty of both the thick and thin ones but I'm also hanging onto them.

 

[Little Italian]

McMasters is a great source of Nuts , Bolts and Washers. So is
BoltDepot.com. They will sell you a few pieces too. I have recently been able to get 8mmX1.0 nylok nuts that are yellow chromate coated that look original. 8mm X 1.0s are all over the car - engine mounts, water pump fan bracket, exaust mounts, etc. Best to get a hundred of these for eight bucks or so. I like the nyloks on engine mounts. Seems if I come back from a Solo or Time Trial everything is loose and needs to be tightened up if I don't use nyloks. Have you other guys experienced this?