Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2020 22:45:14 -0400
Reply-To: Gregg Carlen <gricha@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Gregg Carlen <gricha@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Battery light comes on above 3200 rpm
In-Reply-To: <SN6PR10MB289493C936F0CF0AD2F1DDB5A0C00@SN6PR10MB2894.namprd10.prod.outlook.com>
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First, thank you to everyone for the quick troubleshooting, things to check and solutions.
I ended up bunking down in the camper for the night at a truck stop (my wife said, ‘see, you got to go camping!’). I called the local Napa store first light and they had a suitable alternator (their house brand rebuilt unit) at their warehouse. By 11:00AM, their driver dropped it off to me, the truck shop next door swapped the fan/pulley for me (that was not coming off easily with my hand tools), and an hour later I had it installed and on the road.
I ordered the Premium Gear unit Dennis mentioned. Because of all the delayed shipping, it won’t arrive until the end of the month. I’ll swap it out and keep the Napa alternator with my spare parts. I’m not a big fan of remanufactured alternators, starters, etc. they ‘should’ be good; but you never know how long something will last that has ‘tested’ parts (vs replaced) or who did the rebuild, or if they had a bad day when rebuilding mine.
Anyway, not my first night ‘camping’ where my van chose the spot and not me. Just glad I as able to get to someplace safe and access to food/bathroom/etc. sure glad for all the responses and support of the list!
Gregg
90 Westy
> On Apr 8, 2020, at 12:52 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> The v-belt properly tensioned, in good condition, with the alternator pulley not worn out or glazed, a test is that using a wrench on the alternator pulley you should be able to turn the engine through the compression strokes without the belt slipping. A tough ask considering the poor design with the belt having little wrap around the crank pulley.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of David Beierl
> Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2020 12:41 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Battery light comes on above 3200 rpm
>
>>
>> The belt was just recently replaced. Had about 0.5 - 1” flex in it.
>> Could it be too tight?
>
>
> Bentley spec for a belt that length is 0.4 inches for a new (less than ten minutes service) belt with "thumb pressure" meaning about 25 lbs pressure; and 0.6" on a belt that's been run. Err slightly on the tight side as alt and p/s belts are just barely over the 1-meter limit for half that amount.
>
> Yrs,
> d
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