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Generator or Alternator?
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mtwrench540
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:18 pm    Post subject: gen r&r Reply with quote

been doing it that way a very long time!!! good tip uber!
uberautowerks wrote:
Let me give you all a tip that makes getting a generator or alternator out of our VW's, Things and beetles, heck even busses.

Use a 36mm socket and a longish breaker bar to remove the nut holding the fan to the generator. You know the one around the back? Leave the pulley on use a screwdriver to hold the pulley(as you would while changing the belt).
Once the nut is off, and it's washer, you'll have a lot easier time removing the generator and backing plate. Leave the fan in the shroud then reattatch when reinstalling the generator.
With this tip you don't need to remove or move the intake nor do you have to remove the shroud. You may still need to lift the shroud up a bit to get to the bottom two backing plate bolts, but you only need to lift it an inch or so.

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DougD
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting... I'll plug it in. Maybe the car will go faster Laughing
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joescoolcustoms
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DougD wrote:
Thats the one. What does it ground? Is it important?


It grounds both the generator and the voltage regulator.

VW must have thought it was important, they had it on there for many years.
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DougD
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thats the one. What does it ground? Is it important?
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joescoolcustoms
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doug, in the picture just above, if you are reffering to the screw near the fan end, (front of car end), it is a ground. If the wire that is disconnected is brown and a small gauge, that is where it goes.

The two lugs on the pulley end go to the battery and voltage regulator.
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DougD
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quick question: If Im looking at my generator from the back of the car what is the wire connected to the top of the generator, centered, in the middle towards the front of the generator(front being the front of the car)? Mine is currently disconnected...
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swhitcomb
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ian Epperson wrote:
Ooh, have to fix those images.

Ian Epperson wrote:
Generator:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


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


Doug4823: Do you plan on replacing the battery at some point as well? If so, (and if you don't mind that it may strand you) why don't you just run it with a gen for now and see how it goes? If you do lots of short drives or stop-and-go, it probably wont work out for you, but if you do mostly long hauls, it should be fine. Note that VW dealers did install radios in many Things prior to first sale.


Yes except both of those are cheap Chinese versions of the correct parts.
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Bohdan
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 5:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just put an entire new engine in my VW. I bought the Flame thrower spark plug wire set where you crinch on the connectors because you can cut the wires to your specified length. I had a couple of extra conntectors for the distributor cap and used them. Fit like a glove. I also used it for the oil sending unit.
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DougD
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys! Mostly short trips but I'll see how it goes. It had a new battery so that's in my favor...
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Semper_Dad
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm still running a generator. Have a stereo with a 200W amp (and sub) along with some Hella 181 foglights. No problems as of yet. I rarely run the lights but I have pumped up the amp quite a few times. Still no problems.

I was planning to swap over to alternator when my genny crapped out 6 months ago but got a good deal on another gererator so that was delayed. I replaced the genny myself with engine still in car. If and when this one goes it will get another chance at an alternator.
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Ian Epperson
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ooh, have to fix those images.

Ian Epperson wrote:
Generator:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


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


Doug4823: Do you plan on replacing the battery at some point as well? If so, (and if you don't mind that it may strand you) why don't you just run it with a gen for now and see how it goes? If you do lots of short drives or stop-and-go, it probably wont work out for you, but if you do mostly long hauls, it should be fine. Note that VW dealers did install radios in many Things prior to first sale.
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joescoolcustoms
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I ran 100 W radio/amps off of a generator with no problems when I was in school. I did travel a 1 hour to school each way every day so the battery did get proper charge.
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DougD
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So this is an old thread but I didnt want to get the classic "do a search this has been covered response" so I thought this would be an appropriate location for a generator/alternator question...

I have a generator and although I have no doubt I could handle the conversion to an alternator its about half of the way down on my to-do list. So the question is in your experience how much power can a generator support for a radio? I dont have one now but I would like to put one in. I'm thinking something basic with four low powered(25-50w) speakers. I just want some basic tunes but I also dont want to kill the generator/battery to do it... you think I'll have any problems? I'm thinking the main problem would be at idle/no charge but I was thinking I might just put in a capacitor to handle the charging peaks/lows. Thanks!
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uberautowerks
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me give you all a tip that makes getting a generator or alternator out of our VW's, Things and beetles, heck even busses.

Use a 36mm socket and a longish breaker bar to remove the nut holding the fan to the generator. You know the one around the back? Leave the pulley on use a screwdriver to hold the pulley(as you would while changing the belt).
Once the nut is off, and it's washer, you'll have a lot easier time removing the generator and backing plate. Leave the fan in the shroud then reattatch when reinstalling the generator.
With this tip you don't need to remove or move the intake nor do you have to remove the shroud. You may still need to lift the shroud up a bit to get to the bottom two backing plate bolts, but you only need to lift it an inch or so.
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Ian Epperson
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Clearing the shroud is the tough part. Beyond that, it's just bolting on parts and reworking wiring. If you can drop your engine, you can probably do it without issue.

Putting a non-VW alternator in a Thing? THAT'S work. Custom built bracket, custom built backing tin, custom built pulley system, reworking the alternator to also turn the cooling fan, etc.
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Talosian
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bucko wrote:
Any of the major VWdub aftermarket vendors sell a kit. You'll have to change the tower as well. The generator towers are different from the alternator towers. The kits come with both pieces. You may also need to change the fuel pumps, as earlier pumps hit the alternator. Later fuel pumps are shorter, and angle to the right.

Also, on our beloved Things, it's darn near impossible to remove the old generator/fan assembly with the engine installed. Easy on Beetles though.

You'd need to remove the two side fan shroud screws in order to lift the fan shroud so that the 4 fan box screws, generator strap, generator wires (and don't forget to disconnect the thermostat rod to the "flappers) can be removed. The dual port intake boot (right side) needs to be removed along with the right side intake I believe as well. Then you can remove the fan box/generator from the fan shroud.

Problem is, the fan shroud cannot be lifted up enough in the engine compartment to clear everything.

If the engine is out, piece of cake.


It looks like we're talking a pretty major process changing from a generator to an alternator; new stand and changing the fuel pump (mine is a 1971 Safari/Thing).

Maybe best left to a good mechanic, but don't know about getting parts here in Mexico.

Anyone ever use an alternator from other than a VW/Thing?

Thanks.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fun 181 wrote:
Will a generator boot fit on the alternator terminal? It doesn't look like it will.


I believe it will fit.
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Fun 181
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've searched MidAmerica, Moore, SoCal, Jbugs, CIP1 and others (like the above link) and can not find any alternator wire covers/boots.

I found generator boots at each supplier, but nothing for alternators.

Will a generator boot fit on the alternator terminal? It doesn't look like it will.
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alg
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alternator wire covers are available at most online bug part places.
(GMW, jBugs, MidAmerica, etc)

eis just chimed in with these parts, and there is a cover available:
http://eisparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=EIS&Category_Code=thing
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Fun 181
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know if there is an aftermarket or OEM cap (or boot) that covers the wire terminal on top of the alternator? It sure does set off a real nice spark if you hit it by accident. Doh!

I've seen rubber boots for the generator terminal, but I'm not sure if they will fit an alternator. I thought I had seen an aftermarket cover (insulated billet?) once, but haven't been able to find anything since.
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