FIXED: replaced Alternator. light still on.

[BusBerd]

Alternator light popped on a while ago. Discovered that my battery was not being charged. I took out the alternator and found that the alternator bracket had disintegrated: one end of the bracket was completely gone and the other had cracked from the base of the bracket. In addition the adjusting bracket was cracked at the top. So not much was holding the alternator in place.

Anyway, I ordered the new alternator before I actually got the old one out (which now I'm thinking that the old alternator might not have been the issue). But I put the new alternator in, with new brackets all around holding it nicely in place.

I finally started it up today and everything looked great so I decided to take it for a victory lap night drive. I was about 5 or 10 mins into the drive and the light came back on again. So I turned around and came back home.

I spent a few hours searching threads on samba to see if I could narrow it down. I am wondering if it could be the voltage regulator or the batteries.

I tested the voltage regulator using ratwell's instructions. It was hard to get a reading with my multimeter because its a piece of cheap crap. I am going to get a better one tomorrow. I didn't seem to be getting ANY readings, or very intermitent readings if I tapped the multimeter a bit.

But when I plugged the voltage regulator back in and started the bus up. The alt light was out for a while then came back on with one slight tick sound. (is that when the camping battery and the bus battery link?)

I took out the voltage regulator connection again and sprayed the plug with electrical cleaner and reconnected it. I had to use my battery charger on the bus battery to start up the bus again, but I started it, the alt light stayed off, I took it off the battery charger and let it run for a while then turned it off to deal with it in the morning.

I put both the camping battery and the bus battery on trickle charges for the night.

Could the batteries be the issue? ( I may go get them tested tomorrow). My bus sits in the garage all winter. I haven't kept them on a battery maintainer, or even disconnected them, so they have sat for quite a while. (I have been learning about battery maintenance and will be better in the future. i promise.)

I am wondering if this could be some issue with the dual battery set up. Maybe the deep cell battery is shot because I haven't taken care of it.

(all fuses are good)
(Belt is tight)

Thanks!
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"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[1967250s]

I' d try disconnecting the aux battery and see if you have same problem. Batteries could be issue, but many have lasted for years and started right up after sitting for long periods. More testing is required here.
PS, First!= did you check the inside of the alt back cover to make sure the long stud is not touching the cover, many threads on that problem.
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'72 Elm Green Deluxe

[BusBerd]

[nerdhotrod]

[Gib_Gas]

[nerdhotrod]

[BusBerd]

Well, just to follow up: after putting both batteries on a trickle charge over night, I drove the bus today in the morning for about 1/2 hour and the alt light stayed OFF. Then I just left the camping battery on the battery maintainer
http://www.busdepot.com/j16958
I drove the bus again this evening for another 30-45 minutes at highway speeds as well, and the alt light stayed OFF.
I'm not too sure what this means. Maybe battery issue if the light comes back.

I have questions now about the dual battery set up as well, but maybe I should start a fresh thread for that, if need be, after a bit of searching first.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[BusBerd]

UPDATE:
(I am going to try to keep updating this with issues I run into, in order to hopefully help anyone who comes after me with the same issue. )

I drove the bus all week (since the last post above) without incident. sometimes plugging in the camping battery on a charger overnight, and sometimes not. I had no issues with the alt light popping on.

This morning, I went out to start the bus and the alt light stayed on after starting the bus. I had not had the camping battery on a charger for a few days, although I have been driving it maybe once a day for 30-60 mins.
I tested the engine battery this morning after shutting off the bus and got a reading of 12.43, then I tested the camping battery and only got a 10.6 reading. So, am I correct to assume that the camping battery is not getting charged? (it is a deep cell battery)

I think i need to research a bit on how that camping battery gets recharged with my cheapo Bus Depot dual battery set-up. (In all honesty I am a little fuzzy on the details when it comes to most things electrical. Its not my strong point.)

If I remember correctly (and it has been a few years), when I was installing the BD dual battery set-up it was recommended (somewhere) to use a thicker gauge wire on one of the connections to improve charging capabilities to the camping battery.
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"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[BusBerd]

UPDATE:
ok I went out there and tested the batteries again, and with the engine running the engine battery was not getting a charge either! (12.01)

So I sprayed the 3 prong connector that connects to the voltage regulator with electrical cleaner and then I started getting my batteries charged! So, I want to clean that connection really good.

How do i get the metal connectors out of the black plastic connector that plugs into the voltage regulator so that i can clean the connections?

It looks like there should be a tab somewhere to release the metal connectors and pull them out.

edit: I can post pics later if need be.
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"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[BusBerd]

this is the black plastic thing I am trying to get the connectors out of so I can clean them:

_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[BusBerd]

UPDATE:
figured out how to pull the connectors out with this pic.

cleaned them. started the bus up. alt light was still on. revved the engine once and the light went out and batteries started charging. I don't know what to make of that.
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"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[BusBerd]

Tried to take the bus out for a spin tonight. The alt light popped on in about 5-10 minutes. Then I turned around to come home. Halfway there it went off again. So I decided to drive around a bit, maybe the batteries needed to be charged up. A few minutes later the alt light came back on. After which, I drove on the hwy trying to get the RPMs up but that didn't help: the light stayed on.
I have a readout while I'm driving on the camping battery by a voltage tester plugged into a cigarette lighter on the camping battery circuit. It would read 11.3 when the alt light was on and 13.(?) when the alt light was off.
I tested the battery with the engine running and it was 10.(?), then turning the engine off it was 12.18!
none of that makes any sense to me.
ugh! getting tired of this issue.

A bad battery would not cause these intermittent problems. would they???

I still need to cart the batteries down to the auto parts store to test them.

But it seems that they are simply not getting charged. But intermittently so! Its not consistent.

I really don't want to take this new alternator out after just putting it in.

I think I should try to clean all connections. I don't know.

(Please , oh bus gods above, let it be as simple as a few new batteries!)
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[BusBerd]

replaced both batteries today. Thats not it. Alt light still on.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[1977_L63H_P27]

Ummm...all this talk of changing the alternator and the batteries and all the while you have intermittent charging. You do know what the voltage regulator does, right? I'm just having a little fun, but it does sound like your VR is the issue here. Good luck!
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[busdaddy]

[BusBerd]

[1977_L63H_P27]

[BusBerd]

[BusBerd]

FIXED:
In short, it was the ring connector on the cable from the alternator to the starter that was deteriorated. It was at best an intermittent connection. I pulled it off, stripped off a bit more of the insulation and installed a new solid ring connector with a good connection and all my troubles were over.(the ring connector was $2.47 for a pack of 10)

But, of course, before i did that, in search of the issue I spent over $200 on 2 new batteries, and i just ordered a new $100 Voltage regulator (which will cost shipping and maybe "re-stocking fee" to return), and $148.77 for my new alternator as well (which probably was not as fault), among other things.

Yes, I admit, I desperately threw money at the problem and it cost me a lot to find the $2.47 part that was at issue. But I am consoling myself in that I probably needed the new batteries and alternator anyway.

I have driven it for a few days now. It is running great (and CHT is not as hot too, for some reason). It starts up much quicker now too: not as much strain on the starter.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

[1977_L63H_P27]

It's always those little things, huh?! Congrats and I'm glad you figured it out
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