Date:         Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:02:16 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: 1.9 alternator bracket
Comments: To: Rob <becida@COMCAST.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

1.  wow,. good ruck.
I wonder if there is enough material to drill and tape out to a larger size
and put in an insert, into which the standard 8 C 1.25 mm studs will screw.
I just looked at one of my 1.9 wbxr bare blocks.  They sure didn't plan for
those studs breaking off.  Kinda narrow where the studs go in.

2. you made it home, which is the important thing, and for future Vanagon
emergenices I'm just a couple minutes from Exit 24 on I-5 in Southern
Oregon.   In Phoenix , OR specifically.  I pretty much have everything for
alost all vanagons , or can make anything, or can keep just about anything
moving.  That's when I'm really good - when the chips are down, when
something creative has to happen etc.  And sometimes I just have the right
new or good used part in stock too.

3.  All Vanagon owners should check their alternators for firm and solid
mounting. It's a classic failure- they'll ALL do this if not checked and
tightened well before disaster sets in
  interesting story - I went and looked at a very nice looking 86 Westy for
sale for $ 9,000 recently. And honest, it was $ 6,000 down on repairs it
needed - wrong and worn out tires, trans noisy in every gear, both tables
missing., engine running poorly, etc.  ..........and the alternator was
flopping around about an inch at idle. The Westy's owners had no idea this
was happening, and they had the van checked out by a local VW speialists
shop too - and they missed it , missed it by a country mile, yet it was as
obvious as 4 flat tires.
  And ......imagine the poor new owner - those studs break off after a while
, they take it a shop, the shop says it's 5 hours or more of what I call
'Dental Work' to drill and tap and repair those.........not a pretty
picture.  So *everyone* who drives a waterboxer vanagon ........best be
checkin' them alternator mounting bolts and fasteners !

The trick always of course is drilling right down through the very center of
the broken off stud.  I usually drill them out with bigger and bigger drill
bits until only the threads remain, and they sort of just collapse.....and I
pull them out with tweezers or whatever.
On that tiny hole - JB well I suppose.
Also......I would be tempted to just epoxy the bracket onto the block and
repaired studs, after the stud repair. Not sure that I would ..........but
it's tempting.
scott
www.turbovans.com
Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob" <becida@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 2:37 PM
Subject: 1.9 alternator bracket


> The 1.9 VW waterboxer in my '84 westy has the studs/bolts that hold
> the alternator bracket broken off.
>
> I found this problem in Weed, CA as we were moseying on our way back
> to Washington in our first big trip in this Westy. The alt belt also
> drives the water pump.... I used safety wire (mechanics wire) to hold
> the alternator bracket so I could get tension on the belt and drive
> the water pump. We came straight home after that. I promised the VW
> back in Weed that I would not drive it any more if it made it home
> for us (490 miles). It made it and I kept my promise.
>
> This long block was put in by the PO around 30k miles ago. I'm
> pulling the engine anyway to put in a Subie and would like to fix
> these studs so I can sell the 1.9 .
>
> I just looked at the engine and then took a look at the Bentley,
> those studs are in the case half and one of them might have been
> 'fixed' before. One is broken flush and the other is broken off
> inside a little. There is a really small hole drilled above one of
> the studs, like a way to get penetrating fluid on to the threads.
>
> Any advice on replacing these studs would be gratefully accepted, I
> really don't want to trash the case...
>
>
>
>
> Rob
> becida@comcast.net
> In western WA with a broken '84 Westy and half a summer left.