Date:         Sat, 2 May 2009 22:02:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Alternator bracket needs repair
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I'm considering buying a '84 Vanagon at a low price that had a loose alternator. The owner agreed to allow me to investigate, and I found that the lower stud had been broke off, so he PO dirlled and tapped it to a non-metric size of 7/16. The upper stud which is 8 mmm can be replaced, but I am reluctant to use the 7/16 stud .
 
At this point I begin to call the person who drilled the hole for the 7/16 and idiot because he drilled it offset instead of center drilling. 
 
If it was center drilled, I would drill out the old stud. The hole  was instead drilled to 7/16 is about a 16th of an inch lower that the original. 
Drilling to the proper 8 mm will probably open up the hole to outiside the case. 
 
I'm not familiar with this problem having driven an inline -four powered Vanagon 13 years. 
SO what is the fix? 
What a wimpy dumb design VW had to place a heavy alternator  on two 8 mm studs. 
 
Robert
1984 Vanagon