Im not quite sure why you mentioned my name in your post---haha- Im far from an expert. My knowledge of our bricks is more so of a simpleton as certain persons will testify to. IF I had a guess I would guess- but in your case I don’t know what to say-but since you mentioned my name I thought i would at least respond. The ONLY thing I might add is I think excessive heat is an adversary for most any electrical part in our bricks although some heat is needed to make for efficiency such as the engine-just not too much heat. Sorry Im not any real help-but I could recommend an oil or an additive for your engine--but I wont. The snipers are waiting for me to do just that. Hehe. :oÞ~~~ Good luck.

I removed the "stove" -- it's really two pieces of sheet metal held together on the manifold by four bolts. Remove the bolts, and you're left with a naked manifold that doesn't direct hot air toward the alternator (it just radiates in all directions :-).

An even better benefit is that now, I can more easily grasp and remove/tighten the oil filter -- it easier to access from above without the stove in the way.

Note that the alternator has a fan that pulls air through it at probably something less
than coolant temp. Normally turbulence from under the car sweeps cooler air in there.
(unless you are standing still.)
There has not been a massive rash of alternator failures every summer, even in Yuma and
Death Valley, so I would say that they are adequately designed for normal service.
Now if you have a loose wire and it is arcing, you can develop destructive temps rather quickly.
For example:

I agree, Art, and think that I still will do what Brickie suggested and remove it. I actually have had the shield off recently because I sanded,primed and painted it with black engine paint then re-intalled it with Big, fat stainless round-headed bolts. It is purdy. I hate to see it in 5 years, but I'll do it again , I guess. Anyway, thanks for all the intellectual stimulation and humor and the good tech advice, input.

A young Arab boy was walking with his father when he asked, "My father, why do we wear these silly hats on our heads?" He replied, "My son, these are called'chechia" and they protect out head from the hot desert sun".

He then asked, "My father, why do we wear these bulky, odd clothes?" "my son, this is called 'djbellah' and it keeps our body from being too hot from the desert sun".

Last, he asked, "Father, why are we weaing these dorky shoes?" The father said, "Well, my son, these keep us from burning our feet on hot desert sand and are called 'babouches'".

The boy said, "Then tell me, PaPa, why do we live in Detroit, Michigan and still wear all this shit?"

( I sincerely hope no one is offended by this )

Since the deflector (aka heat stove) outlet faces forward, and the fan plus driving breezes blow backward, I doubt that any slight accumulated heat will ever reach the alternator.

But if you doubt that theory, just remove the 4 bolts and add the deflector to your scrap pile. That's what I did years ago.


--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

Cute. I been described.

Say, heat isn't craved by many electrical things I know of, but the alternator has a heat sensor built in its regulator, configured to lower the output as temperature rises. This is done because the battery's ideal charge rate and voltage varies higher as it gets colder. But the regulator isn't anywhere near the battery, so it feels the exhaust side of the engine - a 240 problem that doesn't seem to be a show-stopper.

However you bring up a good point about a possible negative effect to removing the preheat stove sheet metal. I hadn't noticed or considered it before -- maybe the alternator is being warmed more without it.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Dr. Epstein was a renowned physician who earned his undergraduate, graduate,
and medical degrees in his home town and then left for Manhattan where he
quickly rose to the top of his field.

Soon he was invited to deliver a significant paper at a conference,
coincidentally held in his home town. He walked on stage and placed his
papers on the lectern, but they slid off onto the floor. As he bent over to
retrieve them, at precisely the wrong instant, he inadvertently farted. The
microphone amplified his mistake resoundingly through the room and
reverberated it down the hall! He was quite embarrassed but somehow regained
his composure just enough to deliver his paper. He ignored the resounding
applause and raced out the stage door, never to be seen in his home town
again.

Decades later, when his elderly mother was ill, he returned to visit her. He
reserved a hotel room under the name of Clark and arrived under cover of
darkness.

The desk clerk asked him, "Is this your first visit to our city, Mr. Clark?"

Dr. Epstein replied, "Well, young man, no, it isn't. I grew up here and
received my education here, but then I moved away."

Why haven't you visited?" asked the desk clerk.

Actually, I did visit once, many years ago, but an embarrassing thing
happened and since then I've been too ashamed to return."

The clerk consoled him. "Sir, while I don't have your life experience, one
thing I have learned is that often what seems embarrassing to me isn't even
remembered by others. I bet that's true of your incident too."

Dr. Epstein replied, "Son, I doubt that's the case with my incident."

"Was it a long time ago?"

"Yes, many years."

The clerk asked, "Was it before or after the Epstein Fart?"