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Date:         Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:28:59 -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: Alternator Brushes Wore Out Pretty Darn Quick
Comments: To: mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

fwiw, I have had an electronic adjustable voltage regulator wear out brushes in my personal turbo Volvo sedan in as little as 8,000 miles. which is why I don't promote selling them. and yup .. it could be a quality issue with the brushes all right.

and I too carry a spare working alternator .. really great to have it when you need it out on the road somewhere.

by luck, I have a factory new 65 amp waterboxer style alternator .., came off an industrial 1.9 TD . It's smaller than a large 90 amper .. and is unusually smooth turning. Rather not carry a full size one. and always .. of course, carrry a spare voltage regulator at least.. for the fairly low cost, light wieght, and compact size, it's silly not to have one on board. Same for a spare ignition switch too .. can cause all kinds of trouble, is inexpensive, and small and light. same for throttle cable come to think of it. Totally worth having on board on trips. Even if you don't do the work yourself !

Scott www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "mark drillock" <mdrillock@COX.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 6:01 PM Subject: Re: Alternator Brushes Wore Out Pretty Darn Quick

>I have replaced just the regulator/brush pack many times with > satisfactory results for years on various vehicles with Bosch > alternators. The same basic alternator was used in many European cars > and I have put Vanagon ones into Audi, BMW and Volvo after swapping the > mounting plate section of the alternator cases. For the really frugal > among us the bare brushes are also available, such as from Bus Depot. If > you have the time and skill you can solder those into the old > regulator/brush pack and carry it as a spare. Replacement bearings are > also available and I have swapped those a few times when in a bind. The > results were not that great long term and buying the genuine Bosch > Rebuilt units is all I will do given the choice. > > I carry a spare tested alternator with pulley in all of my Vanagons, and > 2 belts. If the alternator bearings fail badly the result can be that > the waterpump won't turn. It only takes a few minutes to swap the > alternator. > > Those adjustable regulator setups are from a far away land sometimes > associated with lower quality parts so it may be that they don't last > because they are not as good as original brushes. > > Mark > > Rocket J Squirrel wrote: >> For $160 (no core), Ron lists the "AL33XOR" as "U.S. Remanufactured," >> not Bosch remanufactured. So that's a bit confusing. >> >> Anyway, Dennis Haynes suggested I check for a worn rear bearing by >> taking off the belt and trying to rock the alt fan, but I detected no >> rockerage, so it's not clear to me if my quickly worn brushes warn of an >> alternator needing replacement or not. >> >>


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