Alternator/pulley/nut options

[KTPhil]

I have a dual port Bug engine in my Bus, but this probably doesn't affect my question.

I am not a fan of the chrome pulleys and nuts that seem popular, and are on my engine currently. Bearings were replaced after noticing marks on the alt body from a rubbing pulley.

I am thinking of replacing my alternator (noise issue), and I am not sure what my best options are.
- Are higher output options as reliable? Do they require a different stand or pulley? PO installed big stereo, so a larger output may be wise. I may add a second battery later, too.
- Are the chrome pulleys/nuts different sizes? They all seem to use an acorn nut and not a regular VW style nut.

Opinions and experiences to share?

[sodbuster]

I've run the gambit with after market pullies on my 71 camper. I ended up going back to the stock set up. Most after market pully kits are aluminum and my motor would hog out the keyways on both pullies. I tried serpentine belt kits and hi-po set ups but they all would fail and I would have to check to see if the pullies were loosening up constantly. Not worth the hassle to me. I went back to all stock components. It's been trouble free ever since.

Mi dos centavos.

https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/2164.htm

https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/1894.htm

[Devon-Dyno-Soar118]

Original genuine pulley is the best, ideally the one with the interlocking tabs and slots in the pulley vs just the flat edges on the hub only. Every aftermarket one I have had was total garbage and went in the bin.
_________________
71 West coast Kombi
54 Oval, 60k km from new
Daves 68 Bug Project
Rust Collector.

[aeromech]

What noise? We replaced the bearings. The chrome dome nut sucks. I like a good old nut. The pulley is important. They sell cheap Chinese pulleys for like $7 but I like the quality $40 ones
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
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Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[mikedjames]

After my bus started really eating alternator pulleys - especially the aftermarket ones, usually in 200-400 miles, eating a belt at the same time, and spitting the shims out between the metal of the pulley face and the nut as bits of mangled steel that were all that stopped it just spinning ..

Also after going through a long line of Brazilian crank pulleys thinking the reason the belt was slapping around and the pulley chewing cause was the bottom pulley having all kinds of runout ..


The alternator was replaced with some new random 75A alternator.

The crank pulley was replaced with a billet aluminium pulley because the groove in that is actually round and has basically zero runout.

The top pulley was replaced with another aftermarket junk pulley, but new.

The key was peened back into the alternator pulley as the slot for the key started opening up.

And I replaced the fan. Which must have got a bit bent when a local aircooled garage put the engine foam in with the ends facing the fan : the foam did not last ...

And all is peace now. Same belt and pulleys for at least 2000 miles, dont even have to move shims.
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Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[Devon-Dyno-Soar118]

A mis balanced fan will certainly destroy the top pulley! Good find.
It’s also worth checking the alignment of the top and bottom pulleys.
_________________
71 West coast Kombi
54 Oval, 60k km from new
Daves 68 Bug Project
Rust Collector.

[KTPhil]