Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 19:29:26 -0600
Reply-To: Joshua Van Tol <jjvantol@USWEST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Joshua Van Tol <jjvantol@USWEST.NET>
Subject: Re: '90 Vanagon alternator bracket problem
In-Reply-To: <01be0984$bd637ee0$890a480c@default>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
>compartment and the van vibrated pretty badly. The VW dealer mechanics
>found the barckets of the alternator were broken and replaced them.
>Yesterday, the same problem happened. Strange enough, I looked through all
>the repairing records, and found previous owner had done the same
>repairment once (only the cradle barcket not the support one) at about 60
>K (it is 86 K now). I searched the archives and find no clues. I remember
>the old German mechanics at VW dealer in Denver told me that he has not
>seen this problem before (actually I had to do special order for the
>barckets). Does anyone have any similar problem occur to them or any idea
>what might be wrong with my car?
I recently replaced the bracket on my '85. Mine broke, and the resultant
slung belt pulled off a water hose, and crunched the dipstick tube into a
ball the size of a baseball. The service manual notes that the studs are
prone to breaking if the nuts get loose, also, the new bracket is different
to accept a different type of pivot bolt. My van has a bad alternator
bearing, which is causing some noise (only detectable with a stethescope,
or by taking the alternator apart, as I did). You could have a bad bearing
or a too tight belt, either of which could cause the bracket to break. Or
the nuts holding the bracket to the case may have loosened, precipitating
the vibration that lead to the breakage.
My recommendation:
1.) Make sure the alternator bearings are ok.
2.) Use loctite on the nuts that secure the alternator bracket to the case.
You might want to replace the studs too, as they're likely to break if
they've been subjected to abuse.
3.) Be sure not to overtighten the alternator belt.
Joshua Van Tol -- jjvantol@lear.csp.ee.memphis.edu
[text/enriched]
<excerpt>compartment and the van vibrated pretty badly. The VW dealer
mechanics found the barckets of the alternator were broken and replaced
them. Yesterday, the same problem happened. Strange enough, I looked
through all the repairing records, and found previous owner had done
the same repairment once (only the cradle barcket not the support one)
at about 60 K (it is 86 K now). I searched the archives and find no
clues. I remember the old German mechanics at VW dealer in Denver told
me that he has not seen this problem before (actually I had to do
special order for the barckets). Does anyone have any similar problem
occur to them or any idea what might be wrong with my car?
</excerpt>
I recently replaced the bracket on my '85. Mine broke, and the
resultant slung belt pulled off a water hose, and crunched the dipstick
tube into a ball the size of a baseball. The service manual notes that
the studs are prone to breaking if the nuts get loose, also, the new
bracket is different to accept a different type of pivot bolt. My van
has a bad alternator bearing, which is causing some noise (only
detectable with a stethescope, or by taking the alternator apart, as I
did). You could have a bad bearing or a too tight belt, either of which
could cause the bracket to break. Or the nuts holding the bracket to
the case may have loosened, precipitating the vibration that lead to
the breakage.
My recommendation:
1.) Make sure the alternator bearings are ok.
2.) Use loctite on the nuts that secure the alternator bracket to the
case. You might want to replace the studs too, as they're likely to
break if they've been subjected to abuse.
3.) Be sure not to overtighten the alternator belt.
Joshua Van Tol -- jjvantol@lear.csp.ee.memphis.edu
