Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp)
Page: Previous  1, 2
Forum Index -> Bay Window Bus Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
69BahamaYellow
Samba Member


Joined: April 22, 2011
Posts: 535
Location: Talbott, TN
69BahamaYellow is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 7:23 pm    Post subject: Alternator light stays on until I rev the motor slightly Reply with quote

I just upgraded my stock 55amp alternator to a Bosch AL108X that has been boosted to 110 Amps. When I start the bus, the alternator light stays on until I rev the motor slightly, and then it goes out and stays out from idle through full throttle operation. I've checked the voltage output and it is 14.1 volts at idle with no accessories running, and 13.86 volts with lights, radio, and heater fan on. The alternator light never stayed on after starting with the stock 55 amp unit. Has anybody else seen this happen?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
aeromech
Samba Member


Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16898
Location: San Diego, California
aeromech is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 8:20 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

Sounds like no problem to me. Question is, why would you need 110 amps?
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
69BahamaYellow
Samba Member


Joined: April 22, 2011
Posts: 535
Location: Talbott, TN
69BahamaYellow is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 5:58 am    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

The extra amps will be for an A/C install, I'm working on. I wanted to post the alternator question here, so it's easily searchable for others with the same problem. There's a ton of good info on this site.

The alternator seems fine to me too, but it's like I have to "wake up" the voltage regulator, when I first start the engine, and the last thing I want is to start off on a long trip, knowing something could fail, with no easy sources of spare parts....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
vwwestyman
Samba Member


Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5680
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
vwwestyman is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 6:32 am    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

The "wake it up" thing was common on at least the diesel Rabbit cars and Cabriolets. I had several of each and they were all that way. Also had a Corrado that did it and a Corrado that didn't.

The only time at all it was a "problem" would be if I were to start the car with the intention of idling it for a while (which is very, very rare for me to do), the alternator wasn't charging if I didn't think to blip the throttle after starting.

I say don't worry too much about it.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
johnsilverlakes
Samba Member


Joined: July 22, 2015
Posts: 96
Location: Silver Lakes, California
johnsilverlakes is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:17 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

69BahamaYellow wrote:
I just upgraded my stock 55amp alternator to a Bosch AL108X that has been boosted to 110 Amps. When I start the bus, the alternator light stays on until I rev the motor slightly, and then it goes out and stays out from idle through full throttle operation. I've checked the voltage output and it is 14.1 volts at idle with no accessories running, and 13.86 volts with lights, radio, and heater fan on. The alternator light never stayed on after starting with the stock 55 amp unit. Has anybody else seen this happen?

I had that issue with my 70amp alternator. I installed a volt meter to monitor actual charging. It wouldn't charge above 12 volts until the motor was reved. I kept thinking it was a voltage relay. I ran it with that issue for many years. Recently, I pulled the engine to fix some oil leaks. I decided to clean all the electrical connections at the harnesses and eliminate non stock wiring...Long story short. It must have been a faulty connection. Now, no problems with the charging system!
_________________
1976 Westfalia
Manual Transmission
Federal Emissions
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
69BahamaYellow
Samba Member


Joined: April 22, 2011
Posts: 535
Location: Talbott, TN
69BahamaYellow is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 6:06 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

I double checked all my connections from the alternator to the voltage regulator, and there were no issues. Then I ran across this article about "waking up a Porsche 914 alternator" (essentially the same as a bus). At the very end, it said the alternator warning bulb in your dash needs to be at least 2 watts to give enough current to wake up a Bosch alternator at initial startup. I checked mine, and it was only 1.2 Watts, so I changed it to a 2.3 watt bulb, and that solved the problem. Unbelievable.......

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_alternator_troubleshoot/914_alternator_troubleshoot.htm
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
aeromech
Samba Member


Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16898
Location: San Diego, California
aeromech is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:07 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

Good find, thanks
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Wasted youth
Samba Member


Joined: July 06, 2012
Posts: 5134
Location: California's Hot and Smoggy Central Valley
Wasted youth is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 8:45 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

Interesting. The red LED indicators for BATT and OXS behave exactly the same way on my 1981 Vanagon. They stay on until you give the accelerator a little goose, just like on my '73 bus.

LEDs are low wattage. Don't know what I'd do to resolve that.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
vwwestyman
Samba Member


Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5680
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
vwwestyman is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:57 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

I had to do the alternator wake up thing on every one of my diesel Rabbits (and I had a few) and I believe also a couple Cabriolets needed the throttle goose too.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
SGKent Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
SGKent is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 11:13 pm    Post subject: Re: 1979 2.0L fi Alternator upgrade (55 to 70 amp) Reply with quote

Wasted youth wrote:
Interesting. The red LED indicators for BATT and OXS behave exactly the same way on my 1981 Vanagon. They stay on until you give the accelerator a little goose, just like on my '73 bus.

LEDs are low wattage. Don't know what I'd do to resolve that.

2016 was the last post before you. Old thread. But if you have LED as the alt warning then it won't work as well to excite the alternator I think. Might ask Telford.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Bay Window Bus All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.