Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:08:24 -0700
Reply-To: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Stuck in Alturas with electrical mystery
In-Reply-To: <1caa4b9df9564a70a2458be8b766a8dc.dhanson@gorge.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Don, it looks like the alternator is the prime suspect. There is one simple check
you can do to the alternator. There is a little wire with a plug that plugs into
the back of the alternator. The voltage of that wire is the one that determines if
your alternator light should come on or not. With the ignition key turned on but
not cranking it should have a small voltage (1 -2 volt?). But when the engine
is running it should be the output voltage of the alternator. The alternator light
on the dash should be off if this lead has a full 13.6 or so volt. If the voltage on
this lead is not steady at 13.6 or so volt it is your alternator that is bad.
If the alternator is not generating current this lead gets 1-2 volt from a suppy
in the instrument cluster. The alternator will be on if this lead has 1 -2 volt,
indicating no charging to battery.
This is what my understanding of the alternator circuit is. I could be wrong. I don't
mind any challenges from any one. I just want to pass this to you fast. Good luck.
David
--- "dhanson@gorge.net" <dhanson@GORGE.NET> wrote:
> Not sure if this will get through from my motel with wifi..since it's not my normal method.
>
> But..As I was headed home up 395 along the east slope of the Sierras, my alternator and my O2
> sensor lights started flickering..then the flickering became on intermittently..Let me
> elaborate..If
> the vehicle is running along at half speed the indicator (alt and O2)lights will flicker a bit,
> at
> full rpm, they stay on steady. At idle...they go off.. Now here it gets a bit strange. If you
> switch on the headlights, which I was using at the time..nothing with the idiot lights
> change..Electrical load seems to have no effect on the indicator lights..only engine rpm...
> I smelled a little strange mixture from the exhaust, at times on this trip..at least I think
> it
> was my exhaust..but I never saw any O2 lights..The vehicle has been running super, still
> is..except
> the battery went dead and left me whizzing down 395 in utter darkness! So, I took my coach
> (aux)
> batt and swapped it into the engine position to make it back to Alturas, Ca...With the warning
> lights on steady at 70mph and off at about 20..flickering from 20 to 30-35..
> I was thinking it might be the O2 sensor wire shorting out somehow..I replaced that a while
> back
> with one from the bus depot with the connector kit..2 wire for the digifant II system on my
> inline
> rabbit motor...
> Checked the obvious...alternator belt is fine, water is circulating..The dead battery read
> 12.2
> volts and the coach was at 12.65 on my cheapo meter.
> So, here I am in a motel waiting for light to start digging around looking. In a pretty small
> town with just a few mechanics..and a long way from any where else..Anybody have any suggestions
> as
> to where to start looking? I didn't bring my Bently book, dang! Could it be the alternator,
> with
> the lights going out at idle and coming on at about half speed? Doesn't sound like an
> alternator..Could the brain have a "tumor" and be shorting somehow? The exhaust smells fine at
> idle, not rich..but I have caught a few whiffs of exhaust that smells a bit "musty" at odd
> times...The motor has no emissions equipment and a straight through Magnaflow muffler..
> My tentative game plan is to check the alternator output, somehow..I have the digital tester
> and
> I recall our Bosche VW alternators are around 35 amps...anyhow, I will see if it is putting out
> anyting.. second, I plan to go through the O2 sensor connections again to make sure there are
> no
> shorts...though I understand the power involved with the O2 sensor is very low..so that is
> probably
> not causing the battery to die in about 1/2 hour's driving time with the headlights on..I
> noticed
> no low battery indicators before the lights flickerd...Van was starting great, cranking
> strong...
> Mileage didn't drop off at all recently either...
> anybody? Help! I don't want to have to call home, get the SO to come down with her truck and
> my
> old tow bar, rig up a way to latch the bar onto the van and tow all the way back across
> Oregon..it's
> about 7 hrs driving time, one way...
>
> please respond..Oh, I have limited battery time and no charger for the computer, either...but
> I
> can probably find a library one..
> Don Hanson
>
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