> Also, [the generator] ate through a set of generator brushes in a couple of hundred miles. > > Currently have newish brushes in. Red light always on now. The tops of the brushes need sit somewhat above the top of the brush guides. If the end are below the ends of the guides they are too short to reach the commutator reliably. Look at the side of the brush, where the pigtail comes out. There's a notch in the side of the brush guide to allow the pigtail to come out, but if the pigtail is hitting against the bottom of that notch, the brush can't drop down any more. That keeps it from reaching the commutator. BTW, Bosch made several different versions of brushes for different generators. They differ in length and the angle of that little ramp at the top where the brush spring presses down. For beetles, where the generator rotates in the opposite direction (in relation to the brushes) that ramp faces the other direction. If you get the wrong set of brushes with the ramp facing the wrong way, the brushes will tend to hang up in the brush guides. Likewise, if you get a set of brushes that are too long, the spring will be pressing more sideways than down and this will also make them stick. You have to be careful to get the right brushes. > For a while, my voltage regulator has been buzzing a bit. The buzzing VR is also telltale, and indicates that you should probably replace it. I don't know if a bad VR would eat brushes quickly. I haven't noticed that, but noise from the VR is always an end-of-life sign. When the VR makes noise, the relay contacts inside it are welding and breaking open. This would put an intermittent heavy load on the generator and brushes which might cause rapid brush wear. ******************************* Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, Wisconsin, USA *******************************
I want to start by saying thanks for all the info and help. I'm still pulling all the parts together to complete the switch from 6 to 12 alt. I contacted your friend Bill Jungck at PMX about the alternator and he does still have the part although he wouldn't tell me much of the specifics. Fortunatly at the same time my local parts guy hit pay dirt. It's a rebuilt Nippondenso 50 amp part #14945. It is identical to your picture and the circumfrence is a perfect fit into the fan housing. The only difference is in the electrical connections. While it does have the battery cable bolt on the side, it does not have the "pig tail" connection you spoke of. Instead there is a small recessed cup with three male terminals in it. The first one,according to the paperwork, is an ignition terminal."This terminal must have voltage from the ignition switch usually by means of a ENG fuse." The second is a terminal S." this voltage is supplied directly from the battery and will be present whether the ignition is on or off. The third terminal is labeled L. The only info I have is that it is connected to an "alt fuse" and that " the alt fuse protects the indicator warning lamp from current spikes in case the BAT wire should become disconnected from the alternator. This fuse may not have voltage present which is normal under many circumstances."
Toby, I saw your orange squareback in the January 2001 issue of Trends. That slick alternator conversion was the answer to my prayers! I inquired with VW Trends in January 2002, which was published in the July 2002 Nuts and Bolts section (page 76). I printed out the your instructions and got to work. I was also aided by Global Remanufacturing in Warren MI. The Nipondenso 50 AMP alternator is rare here in Michigan and runs $315 for a new one. The guys at Global showed me a 70 AMP and a 90 AMP Nippondenso unit. I chose the 70 AMP ($100) which is just slightly larger in diameter than the stock generator, and just fits under the deck lid!. This unit is used in 1992 model year Honda automobiles. I made two special brackets from 1/8" x 1" cold rolled steel (some MIG welding required) that utilized the alternator's stock mounts, this allows about 3/16" swing travel for belt adjustment. Starting with your suggested Goodyear 15391 36" alternator belt, two more trips to Murrays Discount Auto Parts and a very helpful, understanding salesman, I ended up using a Goodyear 15396 39.60" belt. Your cabling scheme worked great. The setup has been working perfectly since July 20, 2002! I decided not to use the stock rubber boot that went between the generator and the fan housing as it didn't fit well and the engine cooling fan tends to pull a small amount of air through the alternator which seems to aid in cooling. We had a sweltering summer here in Southeastern Michigan with daytime temperatures in the high nineties. The external running temperature of the unit never went above 180 degrees, checking with a digital temperature probe. Thanks to your guidance, I have gobs of electrical power and no longer have to judiciously use accessories! By the way, my Type III is a 1968 Fastback that's been in the family since it was new. I'm running a 1955cc motor with 7 to 1 compression ratio (91 M+R/2 Octane pump fuel), Mofoco 042 heads and hydraulic lifters and cam. I eliminated the stock oil cooler and use a remote plate style cooler with an electric fan and a remote oil filter. I modified the left hand cylinder tin so all the cooling air on that side goes over the cylinders and head, I also use a set of "cool tins". Sump oil temperature rarely goes above 160 F. Fuel delivery is the dependable stock Bosch D-jetronic fuel injection with a custom 76mm throttle body. Other stuff- Jacobs Bug pack ignition, headers flanged to the heater boxes with a custom 2" catalyst-resonator-muffler set up. Transaxle: Transform, beefed up, superdiff, stock 1,2,3,4th gears with 3.88 ring & pinion. Plenty of power, runs cool, clean and can get 28 MPG highway/city if I don't drive like I stole it! Happy Motoring. Joe Chircop
Just a quick note, I found another alternator that works but requires more modifications to the body than the one you listed. It is designed to go on a Caterpillar. That's right, a Cat. It's a 4" dia. 55 amp alternator that needs 2 wires, 1 for the battery and 1 for the field. It is basically the same housing you have other than the mounting brackets are different. It is a Denso 101211-2770 or a Cat number 144-9954. Usually they cost $200.00 or more but this was sitting in the junk pile of the alternator rebuild place where I live. He had got a new one for the guy that brought this on it. He gave it to me so I could show the local suppliers that one like this does exist. Little did he know that another rebuild place in the next city over had one with the opposite parts broken than this one. Combine the two together and for $65.00 I have a 55 amp output unit. <click for picture> ... Chris JensenChris is using a Type 3 engine in a baja. ~Toby