Alternator issue... Need advice please...

Danwvw · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:53 am Post subject:

15.31 Volts? That's wrong! Only a bad battery will stay that high while not being charged. Is your volt meter set right?
Also, You could damage things disconnecting B+ like that! So Leave it hooked to a good battery. A good Battery will read 12.6 Volts at rest and 14 volts when being charged. Measure from the Positive of the battery to the neg of the battery. The fact that the Alt light is not coming on in the key on position implies it's not really connected To the small D+ Terminal on your alternator. You may just have a bad wire! Check that meter out too. It should read 12.6 volts on another 12 volt car battery not being charged.
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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

MajikFungi · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:33 pm Post subject:

MajikFungi · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:42 pm Post subject:

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50348

MajikFungi · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:02 pm Post subject:

ok, so i can remove the tee and the part painted green? and just screw the piece that the wire is attached to straight into the block?

If its not needed I dont want it there... or is the green part needed as well?

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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1970 "SNOT" Deluxe Bus Down Under

Jody '71 · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:21 pm Post subject:

that green can appears to be an OP sending unit for an OP gauge that would be located up in your dash area. Why the guy that owned your Bus before you did it that way is unknown. Be extremely careful undoing all of that, you don't want to crack the threads in the case where that Tee screws in. Take the OP sending unit out of the tee and screw it into the case. Do not cross thread it or overtighten it or you will be f*cked.
Get your alternator problem fixed after that.
Then address the reason why your engine is running at 125 C (almost 260 F) which is way too hot. Your OT gauge will only read accurately depending on where the OT sender is located on the engine case. Your tin work is one reason for sure. But your engine compartment needs to be totally sealed off all the way around inclusive of front and rear tin. You don't mention if you still have heater boxes on there or J-tubes.
MushroomBoy you really need to get a Bentley manual for your Bus.
_________________
'66 Beetle
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring

MajikFungi · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:44 am Post subject:

Ok i will be careful with the OP switch..

The temp gauge wire runs underneath the block near cylinder no. 2 from memory.. It's 11:30 pm here so i wont be inspecting it now.. It doesn't run at 125 constantly, but it does reach 125 on the gauge after running for only a short time at 90kms.... in normal start stop traffic or cruising through my suburb the Dub stays cooler than 125..
I also noticed headlights and stereo affect this gauge..
This poor bus needs more care than I can afford Sad

I installed the shroud with the engine still in the van so i had alot of trouble trying to work/see behind it to get things fitted...
Theres no flaps or linkages in there.. there wasnt any in the 1 I removed either.. And I cant find a thermostat...
I know the air intake part ( or whatever its called ) of the fan shroud is not sealed correctly so air is coming in from under the van as well as the hot air circulating in the engine bay..

I have read a little bit about the cooling system.. I know I need things sealed correctly in order for the fan to do its job correctly.. Its just sooooo fiddley... theres a gap here... a gap there.. I really failed trying to line all the tinware up.. I have a new engine door seal to install.. i need to get the other seal which goes around the motor...

Wow.. way of topic.. but i appreciate the advice.. Laughing

_________________
1970 "SNOT" Deluxe Bus Down Under

williamM · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:12 am Post subject:

You sound like your getting the idea----The vw group that rides these buses all over the place are not a tight knit bunch just because they own buses- but more because they can change a clutch at a rest stop in an hour have lunch take pics grab a nap and get 20 mpg.

Owning a bus is like going to to tech school with just a book and a "shout out" telephone. Rolling Eyes

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scrivyscriv · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:48 am Post subject:

Not sure how you're getting those numbers on your meter, I don't think a battery is chemically capable of generating that voltage.

Your alternator is shot. I doubt it's the voltage regulator which is one of only two things you can easily replace on it. I agree with the guy posting above - it's probably your rectifier diode assembly; has at least one electrically "open" diode. Parts are not available for it outside of cannibalizing another alternator!

Get a different volt meter and check
A) voltage at the battery posts
B) voltage at D+ with key on (use the alternator case as ground)
C) voltage at B+ with engine running idle
D) voltage at B+ with engine at least 1500 rpm

This is what you want:

A) 12.8 volts for a fully charged battery
B) about 12.5 volts is normal
C) 14-14.8 volts for a working alternator
D) the same only it will be at the high end of 14 volts
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Danwvw · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:54 pm Post subject:

16 volts then 17 says it's charging now! Just check your meter it could be reading 3 volts too high. Check it on another car and see if you get the same high readings! If not, if your voltmeter reads 12.6-8 to 14-15 volts which is normal for most charging systems, Some Japanese cars read a little higher. Then your going to need to replace the Voltage Regulator assembly on your alternator if it is possible. Also a sulfated battery will over charge like that too. It could also be a badly corroded ground strap or battery cable connection somewhere on your car.
_________________
1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

aeromech · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:27 pm Post subject:

MajikFungi · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:34 am Post subject:

MajikFungi · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:47 am Post subject:

busdaddy · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:30 am Post subject:

aeromech · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:05 am Post subject:

The new guys read the VW magazines and look through the catalogs of parts. What do they mostly see? Mostly they see cheap low quality parts made in China that don't fit right and aren't engineered to work well, just be similar in appearance to the German stuff. These parts are manufactured and sold to maximize profit with very little regard to quality. The chrome on the following is terrible and won't last very long:

Hub caps
door handles
engine tin

As far as aftermarket fan shrouds go they look great to the newbie on the outside who never considers what's supposed to be happening with the very important airflow on the inside.

As far as alternators go if a person is considering the cheap Chinese chromed up ones he first needs to ask himself how many times he wants to redo the job (like the OP is) and is it better to go the extra distance and locate a quality built alternator instead and only do the job once. No reason why a good alternator won't last 10-15 years.

Cheap door rubber will cause the front doors to not close all the way without slamming them very hard. I bought a cheap shift coupler once and had to do about an hours worth of modification just to get it installed. Recently I paid $20 for an aluminum timing scale from Bus Depot for a T4 and the two holes for the mount bolts had to be redrilled for the 6mm screws that hold it in place. I've had rear brake drums for a 1967 splitty where the drums which were brand new out of the box wouldn't slide onto the splined axle.

The list goes on and on. So instead of jumping on Vdubtech who actually knows his shit. You new guys should take heed and listen to some of us with decades of experience making mistakes ourselves and learning from those.
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Jody '71 · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 10:26 am Post subject:

Fungi,
A lot of the replies you've received here come from folks that really know their vintage VW stuff. Then there are those that read topics, shake their heads and don't bother to add input because the original poster of topics uses this forum to ask for help for problematic issues that can easily be solved by reading the "Stickys," or viewing wiring diagrams, previous similar topics in the Forum, gallery photos and having the correct manuals in their possession inclusive of the owner's manual. Wiring diagrams and owner's manuals are available here.
So now you've got the same Chinese knock-off alternator brand new and you've got electrical issues up in the dash. A 75amp unit like that if wired correctly and all's cool with the wiring under the dash should not be creating the light show your seeing after this new replacement. Print out the wiring diagram for '70 Bus and get up under your dash and sort things out.
_________________
'66 Beetle
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring


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Alternator issue... Need advice please...
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