Date:         Tue, 7 Apr 2020 21:59:03 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: Battery light comes on above 3200 rpm
Comments: To: Gregg Carlen <gricha@verizon.net>
In-Reply-To:  <0E1F7539-5676-43E3-89EF-CF744AED6BBF@verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Gregg,

The reg should be available at Napa etc. Was fairly widely used in the 80s etc Vw .

I’d slap a new one in to get home. Then think about rebuild or new alternator.
 
I truly feel for you, stuck on road, night etc. Take care

Alistair 

> On Apr 7, 2020, at 9:54 PM, Gregg Carlen <gricha@verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> Well, after my last email, which was at a gas station, got back on the road and it started acting up about 2400 rpm. Ok, getting worse. 
> 
> Limped at 45 mph to the next exit and checked grounds (not bad, but not great), belt tension still good, alternator brackets firm. 
> 
> Pulled the alternator and took out the regulator. Sure enough, one of the brushes is only about 3/8” long and the housing melted enough to just hold it in. Of course, no chance this is going back in (tried) to limp it along any further. 
> 
> Looks like some scoring on one of the bearing race (the short bushing one). Time for a new alternator time.
> 
> Anyone near Doswell, VA with a spare alternator or regulator?
> 
> Time to pack it in for the night and regroup in the morning.
> 
> Thanks for the advice, guys. Narrowed it down pretty quickly.
> 
> Gregg
> 
>> On Apr 8, 2020, at 12:33 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> If you need an alternator this one works very well. 
>> 
>> https://www.amazon.com/Premier-Gear-PG-14778-Professional-Alternator/dp/B00KY0CWPC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=vanagon+alternator&qid=1586320319&sr=8-2
>> 
>> Dennis
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Gene P
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 11:01 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Battery light comes on above 3200 rpm
>> 
>>>> On Apr 7, 2020, at 7:31 PM, Gregg Carlen <gricha@verizon.net> wrote:
>>> 
>> The belt was just recently replaced. Had about 0.5 - 1” flex in it. Could it be too tight?
>> 
>> I favor the easy and the cheap.  New belt run in, stretched, so it’s too loose and slips at high RPM?