Date:         Tue, 20 Mar 2001 20:19:34 -0500
Reply-To:     vwmark@CONCENTRIC.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Upton <vwmark@CONCENTRIC.NET>
Subject:      Re: Dimly Glowing Alternator Light...Suggestions? Help??
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

This happened to me,I noticed the dimly lit alt. light then a few miles up the
road  everything quit all at once.The system was running off the battery.This
happened up in Canada.The alternator went bad.AAA towed it to The VW dealership
they said your alternator took a shit eh(Their exact words)
Patrick Bryson wrote:

> This sounds like a device called the diode triode has a bad diode.  The
> diode triode is a three diode device that clips the negative going portion
> of your AC output.  If one of the diodes is out, you have one third less
> output.  I replaced one of these in a GM car and it was quite cheap.  Ask
> your alternator shop if any of this has merit.  I might be on drugs here but
> I don't think so.
>
> Patrick
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richard Golen" <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 4:54 PM
> Subject: Dimly Glowing Alternator Light...Suggestions? Help??
>
> > Awhile back, the alternator light began glowing on my 87 Westy....so I
> took
> > the alternator out and dropped of at the local alternator/starter repair
> > shop. The owner checked out the alternator and said there was nothing
> wrong
> > that a good cleaning of the ground contacts couldn't fix. So he cleaned
> the
> > contact point where the regulator unit sits as well as the places where
> the
> > alternator bolts up to the brackets.
> >
> > It worked...the light went out.....for about a couple of weeks...but came
> > back dimly on.  I went back, and he suggested putting a ground strap from
> > the alternator to the engine block. So I did that...but the light would
> > still stay on dimly.
> >
> > The odd thing is that the battery hasn't died, even with headlights,
> heater
> > fans and wipers on. Its been a couple of months now....the more stuff I
> > turn on the brighter the alt light gets...when I flick on the high beams
> > the light will brighten to full and then back to a dim light. At all times
> > the light does not get as bright as when the ignition key is full on.
> >
> > I just pulled the alternator out and am going to bring it back to him. Has
> > anyone experienced this problem before? If so, what was your solution?
> >
> > Any hints, suggestions offers of brand new alternators for free will not
> be
> > refused!
> >
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> >
> >
> > Ric
> >