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lonbordin Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2006 Posts: 29 Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 6:37 pm Post subject: My take on the alternator bracket broken stud issue... |
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Sooo... My engine bit the dust in a cloud of blue smoke. (I was so hoping it'd make it through the winter!) I need to have a second vehicle so I bought a second-hand working engine. The bracket looked weird but it ran and it wasn't expensive so I pulled the trigger.
Upon inspection the studs were missing and the "fix" made more damage. Thanks P.O., sigh... I know... don't talk bad about P.O. as we'll all be one someday.
I tried the weld on and remove method three times in the right stud only to have a small piece of the stud come out each time. I just need this motor to make it to late May so I stepped back and looked for a work-around. I wanted the fix to be light on tools and easy.
I used 1/4 flat bar. Heated it and bent it into shape with a bench vise and a hammer and drilled out the holes... easy does it and what a great use for a power steering mount (as I don't have power steering). This fix could be done just about anywhere.
Just trying to give back to a group that's given me so much. Thank you! |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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rubbachicken Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2004 Posts: 3058 Location: socal
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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i have drilled out those studs and re used the holes, so far 2 for 2 _________________ lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182 |
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lonbordin Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2006 Posts: 29 Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:21 pm Post subject: drillin' tappin' |
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The P.O.'s attempt at a fix removed a significant amount of metal around those stud inserts, see first picture. I was less comfortable about drilling out further AND that (to me) was a longer path full of potential peril.
I don't have power steering BUT I did have the power steering bracket from a previous donor.
I'm in NO WAY claiming this is the way to go with this issue BUT I though it was worth offering up as an alternative. |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7717 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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Ingenious! Nice workaround!
[whisper]
<Just don't let TK find out...>
[/whisper] _________________ 86 White Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Vinzanto Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 247 Location: Kansas City
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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I had the left stud break off on my Westy and was unsure how to approach it. Luckily at the same time, I was helping a friend do a head gasket on his vanagon and he had the same issue but only on the right stud.
We attempted to extract the broken stud and failed. We then tried to tap it out to a larger size but discovered THE HOLE ALREADY HAD A HELICOIL INSTALLED..uuugh; he ended up creating a bracket that did mount into a PS mount hole (its okay his westy was not equipped with ps).
So after our bout with a broken stud I took my van into a local semi-trustworthy shop, and it took them over two weeks to extract the bolt. I had to pay 6 hours of shop labor @ $65 and ended up paying over $400 for an extracted stud.
Alll in all I hope the new bracket holds up for you! |
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Hatterasker Samba Member
Joined: October 31, 2011 Posts: 207 Location: Pacific Northwest
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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I just removed my alternator. Some previous mechanic broke off the left stud in the hole. |
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Hatterasker Samba Member
Joined: October 31, 2011 Posts: 207 Location: Pacific Northwest
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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rubbachicken wrote: |
i have drilled out those studs and re used the holes, so far 2 for 2 |
He Rubbachicken,
How'd you do it?
Thanks,
Matt |
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10333 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Way to make it work!
Several years ago, back when I started my engine swap, I too did a "temporary" fix to a 1.9 with worn alternator mount and snapped bolt
https://sites.google.com/site/musomuso/alt.tempbrackets
I also added a second bracket between a tab on an exhaust flange and bottom of twisted bracket. https://sites.google.com/site/musomuso/bracketpage2 In hindsight, maybe not a great idea? (vibrations cause exhaust flange to crack?)
After dumping all the gas/oil out of the engine and borrowing a pair of injectors from Jake, got it running and found that the alternator was pretty stable and lined up "ok".
Neil. _________________ 1981 Westy, 15º ABA
1988 West, 50º ABA
Vanagon VAG GAS engine swap Google Group:
https://tinyurl.com/2f24rmh
VE7TBN |
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