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Gib_Gas Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2014 Posts: 55 Location: NYC
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:39 pm Post subject: Schizo charging light |
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Within the last 200 miles my alternator light has been fully off, fully on and several degrees of dimness in between; in no particular order.
some info:
The problem started after a big breather or blow by oil leak out of the top of the engine. The alternator was removed, disassembled and cleaned by a mechanic. There was oil everywhere. On the starter as well.
The voltage regulator I replaced about 700 miles ago with a bosch unit for a 79 Bus. I'm not sure how old the alt is but the mechanic bench tested it and was satisfied with the results. Its a 55w bosch.
some numbers:
today i measured the battery static after sitting for a week- about 12.5V
at idle V at the battery was about 13.6
at idle with the headlights on 13.25V at the bat.
during this test the alt light never came on. But of course its been unpredictable.
Its never fully died on me since the oil leak but I have only been doing short trips mostly day time.
its a 79 FI 2L stocker,
Thoughts? _________________ 1979 Deluxe Westfalia 2.0 FI |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51057 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Think of your charge light as a stone age volt/ammeter, it's telling you there's a difference between the voltage right at the alternator output and what's making it all the way up front. If the charge light is glowing there's a bad connetion at the alternator to starter lead-starter-fusebox-ignition switch-fusebox-or idiot light cluster, it's up to you to find the weak connection. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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Слава Україні! |
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Gib_Gas Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2014 Posts: 55 Location: NYC
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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so a good theory may be the oil leak fouled a connection somewhere.
But still, is 13.6 normal/high enough charging at idle at the battery? _________________ 1979 Deluxe Westfalia 2.0 FI |
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kreemoweet Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2008 Posts: 3889 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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13.6 volts means the battery is charging, and doing it at the point where alt output is lowest (idle). Sounds good to me! _________________ '67 bug: seized by the authorities
'68 bug: seized by the authorities
'71 kombi: not yet seized by the authorities
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Tcash Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2011 Posts: 12844 Location: San Jose, California, USA
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mnskmobi Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2005 Posts: 536 Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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busdaddy wrote: |
Think of your charge light as a stone age volt/ammeter, it's telling you there's a difference between the voltage right at the alternator output and what's making it all the way up front. If the charge light is glowing there's a bad connetion at the alternator to starter lead-starter-fusebox-ignition switch-fusebox-or idiot light cluster, it's up to you to find the weak connection. |
I agree. Start by cleaning the battery terminals, the earth/ground connection point from the battery and where the earth strap between the body and the transmission connects and where the main +ve wire from the battery connects to the solenoid. Undo and clean each of these places to bright metal, reconnect and tighten the fittings and coat with anti-corrosive spray. I expect that your idle voltage will be slightly higher and hopefully the alternator problem will be fixed. |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51057 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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Gib_Gas wrote: |
so a good theory may be the oil leak fouled a connection somewhere. |
A better theory is the oil leak indicated that 35 years of neglect/use/age is catching up and it's time for some maintenance on many of your buses systems _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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Gib_Gas Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2014 Posts: 55 Location: NYC
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Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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yeah, i pulled the engine and transmission this spring and did several hundred dollars worth of seals and wear parts, shift linkage, gas tank refresh, push rod tube seals, clutch stuff, blah blah. About as much as you would do without pulling the heads. Afterwards, the bus did not leak a drop of oil and compression was good. That was driving around town. The first long trip after the first 75 miles on the highway it started blowing oil out of the crankcase breather/pcv valve. It basically blew out the cork gasket under the breather box. Still not sure if I fixed the problem yet since you cant buy that part. (cork gasket was replaced).
anyway, I am doing quite a bit as far as mechanical upkeep. VR, battery, both ground straps are less than a year old. I have read ratwells page on the testing. Its just since my light is not consistently doing one thing that I figured I would post up. I am convinced I should go around and brighten up all the connections on my alt/bat/ground/starter circuit. It sure did wonders for my fuel pump when that crapped out.
Cheers guys, thanks. _________________ 1979 Deluxe Westfalia 2.0 FI |
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Banjoben Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2011 Posts: 220 Location: Finger lakes Region N.Y.
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Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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Check the fuse that the charge light runs through. On my 74 it's fuse 11. Mine would randomly come on even though it always read over 13 volts, but I would also lose the fuel gauge and the turn signals. I finally traced it out in the diagram and saw that all those things are on the same fuse. Then I realized if I move the fuse a little, everything started working again. So I took it out, and used a dremel tool to clean up the fuse ends and the contact tabs. it's been just fine since. _________________ 1974 VW Westfailia Campmobile Deluxe (Clementine)
1970 VW Type 3 fastback. (Abby Normal )
2008 Passat Turbo Wagon Lux
ASE Certified Advanced Level Master Tec / Toyota Master Diagnostic Tec.
Head Boffin of the legendary(does it really exist?) Stray Cat Vintage and Custom Garage. Home of "The Bomber Squadron" |
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1967250s Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2007 Posts: 2137
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