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sfdirtyhippie
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2022
Posts: 3
Location: San Francisco
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 Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 2:31 pm Post subject: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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I own a '82 diesel Westfalia. I just bought a replacement alternator, but the alternator pulley spindle is about 1/4" longer than the existing one (2 1/4" vs 2"). Is it too risky to go ahead and swap it in?
The distance between the center of the alternator pulley and the next pulley along the belt is about 6", so I'm not sure if the 1/4" extra length will lead to a problem or not. Thoughts?
Thanks. |
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3580
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 5:31 am Post subject: Re: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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Do you mean the pulley isn’t the same as your old Alternator?
Can you swap pulleys?
And no, a 1/4” difference would probably lead to constant belt wear or belt throwing issues, nether of which you want.
_________________
'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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sfdirtyhippie
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2022
Posts: 3
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:42 am Post subject: Re: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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| jlrftype7 wrote: |
Do you mean the pulley isn’t the same as your old Alternator?
Can you swap pulleys?
And no, a 1/4” difference would probably lead to constant belt wear or belt throwing issues, nether of which you want. |
I'm planning on heading out on a 600 mile trip later in the week, but crunched for time. Thought I might install now and then remove and replace the pulley and pulley spindle when I return. Guessing you'd advise against that too? |
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4789
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:06 am Post subject: Re: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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| sfdirtyhippie wrote: |
| I'm planning on heading out on a 600 mile trip later in the week, but crunched for time. Thought I might install now and then remove and replace the pulley and pulley spindle when I return. Guessing you'd advise against that too? |
you absolutely MUST have the correct pulley distance from the alternator. if you're a 1/4" off, you won't make it a 100 miles.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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outcaststudios
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2015
Posts: 1732
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:09 am Post subject: Re: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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i just replaced the alternator on my diesel, does your diesel have a tach? if so you need to make sure the terminal for the tach is hooked up as well. the alternator you are replacing should have the correct pulley installed can you switch them out? put the old pulley on the new alt?
_________________
'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791 |
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sfdirtyhippie
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2022
Posts: 3
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:19 am Post subject: Re: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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| DanHoug wrote: |
| sfdirtyhippie wrote: |
| I'm planning on heading out on a 600 mile trip later in the week, but crunched for time. Thought I might install now and then remove and replace the pulley and pulley spindle when I return. Guessing you'd advise against that too? |
you absolutely MUST have the correct pulley distance from the alternator. if you're a 1/4" off, you won't make it a 100 miles. |
It sounds like I'll need to find the time to do the proper repair (which in this situation means swapping out the pulleys.)
Thanks for everyone's help! |
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3580
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:08 am Post subject: Re: '82 Diesel vanagon. Longer replacement alternator pulley spindle |
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| sfdirtyhippie wrote: |
| DanHoug wrote: |
| sfdirtyhippie wrote: |
| I'm planning on heading out on a 600 mile trip later in the week, but crunched for time. Thought I might install now and then remove and replace the pulley and pulley spindle when I return. Guessing you'd advise against that too? |
you absolutely MUST have the correct pulley distance from the alternator. if you're a 1/4" off, you won't make it a 100 miles. |
It sounds like I'll need to find the time to do the proper repair (which in this situation means swapping out the pulleys.)
Thanks for everyone's help! |
Some autoparts stores will let you borrow an Pneumatic Impact Wrench, or they'll have a decent Battery/ Cordless model ready to use on the Counter to swap over Pulleys' as needed for Altns.
But again, the easiest way to shred or damage a belt is to have a misalignment of pulleys. 1/4" is like a canyon gap in terms of offset to a running belt stress.
A few thousands would be okay, not 1/4".
For what it's worth, when I got my rebuilt Altn from NAPA, they had a Diesel pulley mounted on it, even though I spec'ed the order for the Water Boxer Engine. Had to swap my pulley over, and put their pulley on the return Core/old part. It happens... 
_________________
'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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