Date:         Mon, 1 Jul 1996 01:05:17 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ehintz@mail.utexas.edu (Edmund A. Hintz)
Subject:      ?Bad generator bearings-lifetime expectancy?

Howdy all,
        Here's the deal. My generator bearings went out earlier this week.
We are about to leave for Inuvik. We are driving to CA first, and will be
stopping in Victorville where a good friend of mine runs a FLAPS. Total
mileage around 1400. In Victorville I will replace the tranny, therefore
dropping the engine, and will have access to parts costing about half that
of Austin Vee Dub and the like. I also intend to upgrade to an alternator
in Victorville. I have a spare generator which will be with me, I was going
to install it tonight, but after looking at it I don't want to fart with
it, as I'd be up half the night changing the stupid thing. Looks like it'd
be easier to change by just pulling the engine out and pulling the intake
manifolds. Seems to me I replaced the generator with the engine in the bus
a few years ago and found it to be completely miserable. Far better to just
pull the engine and be done with it. Anyway, the point is, what's the
general experience out there on the lifetime of bad bearings? If I can
possibly make Victorville, that's what I want to do, if I don't make it I
can always change the generator wherever it breaks. Do I have a chance in
hell of making it? Also, will bad bearings affect the fan RPM's? Will it
spin slower and burn up the engine? Ambient temps should be around 70-80,
as we will drive the desert at night. So what's the deal, am I a moron
without a prayer? Thanks in advance for any info.

Peace,
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Edmund A. "Eddie"  Hintz     **|**     "You may say I'm a dreamer,
Voice Major, UT Austin      *  |  *      But I'm not the only one...
<ehintz@mail.utexas.edu>   *  /|\  *     I hope someday you'll join us,
'70 Primered Transporter    */ | \*      And the world will live as one.
'73 Orange Super Beetle      *****      Imagine."
               Web page: http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~ehintz
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