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Sun Sep 08, 2002 11:57 am

Has anybody done this conversion yet? What in involved and is it expensive? In an earlier post I mistakenly identified my '71 Bus as having an "alternator" when in fact it looks like it has a generator. Since the generator looks like it has to be replaced shouldn't I just make the switch over?

Any advice? Thanks again so much.

Sun Sep 08, 2002 6:23 pm

I would... 55 amps gives you much brighter lights and a built in regulator is nice too... you have to change the oil filler stand... use a 10x900 belt make sure you have at least 10 shims total on the pulley.... hook the wires off the old V-reg together... (the 2 big red and the green/blue one to the idiot light...
Bosch Al-82... Costs about the same as a rebuilt gen and reg together....
Watch out if your bus actually has the
38amp gen on it, then the backing plate tin WILL NOT BE RIGHT.... you will need to get the right tin.

Mon Sep 09, 2002 3:29 pm

To add to Keifernet's good advice if i might......do you have to turn the carb pump link round? on the right hand side of the carb? my bus already had the conversion when i got it but when i changed the carb recently the 'arm' snagged on the alternator so i had to swap the arms - i sussed out later i could have turned it around is all that correct?????? [i'd hate to give duff advice!]Also some folks say you should swap the fuel pump becuase of the tight fit but it does go .....eventualy!!!!!!

Mon Sep 09, 2002 4:45 pm

Thanks Boris, I did forget to mention that, about the 34 pict linkage, I ASSumed that his 1776 was running duals... but important for the rest of the folks is.... this....

Also as "Boris said" the Alternator should use a "15 degree angled" fuel pump and a shorter drive rod..... I thought Boris Said was a hot shot road course racer?????

Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:13 pm

Thanks for your help guys! Although my Bus has a 1776 in it everything else is bone stock down to the Oil Bath filter on it. After the engine upgrade 4 years ago I just didn't want to mess with it anymore!

I was quoted about $250 to do the conversion by a shop. Since I park my Bus on the street doing it myself might be tricky.

I'm looking into re-building the generator to save $$. I wouldn't have to replace the regulator if I did that, would I?

Tue Sep 10, 2002 6:54 am

Not since you were having a bearing problem not a charging problem... Might have to 'polarize' the set up after the rebuild if the light doesn't go out.....

Thu Sep 12, 2002 10:10 pm

I just converted my 65 bus to an alternator. cost me 99bucks for a brand new bosch unit. stand was 12 bucks. my question is about the belt size. keifernet says to use 10x900. i think i have a 10x950. it seems kinda loose. is that the correct size for an alternator?

Fri Sep 13, 2002 6:32 am

Upright engines with Alternator should be using the 10 x900 and with a gen a 9 or 10x 905
950 is too big... Be sure you use at least 10 shims total...

Sun Sep 15, 2002 9:50 am

sorry, it was a 9.5x905. I just got a 10x900 and it looks like the one. thanks!

Mon Sep 16, 2002 12:22 pm

All of those shims... does this end up placing greater stess on the bearings than the otherwise stock set-up would?

Thanks.

Tue Sep 17, 2002 6:48 pm

No, there are supposed to be 10-12 of them... you need the correct number of shims to get the pulley tight enough, usually start with 5 on inside and 5 on outside with a new belt... pull one or two to tighten the belt but place them on the outside when you do...
If you find you have no shims at all inside and the belt is still loose.... if you have a gen you could drop down to 10X900 (from 9.5x905) or you can loosen the strap and use some kind of thin flashing/sheetmetal and "shim up" the gen/alt in between it and the stand...

If you have an alternator you should be using a 10X900 anyway