Shagged Alternator??

[MikeVR6 0]

Need some advice.

 

For two weeks or so I've been having a little electrical trouble.

 

The battery light comes on solidly when I start the VR then flickers on and off intermittently whilst driving.

 

I've tested the voltage across the battery and it fluctuates between 12-14v.

 

The battery is holding a charge though, as I've left the car sitting for a week and it still starts on the button.

 

Is there a way of proving the fault out as the Alternator or Voltage regulator.

 

How do I go about replacing the regulator and where can I get one, what sort of price?

 

Been quoted £85 plus VAT to have the alternator removed and repaired.

[dr_mat 0]

If you don't have a constant 13.5-14.2 volts showing across the battery when the engine is running, your alternator is knackered. Get it fixed.

[h100vw 0]

Regulators for other VWs are around a tenner. Not sure about a VR as I have never had one. I don't see why it would be different though. Usually held on with a couple of slotted screws. The fact it is intermittent would make me think it could be that the brushes are worn to the limit. A new regulator may do the trick. GSF.

As the warning lamp works then the snag lies at the alternator end.

 

Have a look in yellow pages for someone that reconditions them. They will check it out and give you a cheaper fix I am sure.

Gavin

[Storm 0]

Mike,

 

I have a VR Alternator spare £40 + post

[Supercharged 2]

The VR's don't have the type that you can replace the regulator easily...

 

New ones are about £100 exchange from VW depending on weather you have the 70 or 90A one....

[Henny 0]

check the blue wire which comes off the alternator... if you battery is showing 12 to 14V (increasing as revs rise) and the battery is holding it's charge even on a long run, it sounds like the signal wire to the warning lamp has become damaged to me... ;)

[MikeVR6 0]

Of that £85 + vat, I think most of it is the labour involved in removing and refitting the alternator.

 

Looking through previous posts, I can see this isn't an easy job.

 

I can swap the regulator from my other VR just to prove the fault out.

 

However, I don't even know what it looks like. I assume it situated close to the alternator at the front left of the engine?

 

Don't think its the signal wire. The revs are hunting a little bit when I stop at lights and the dash lights go dim when I turn on my full beam.

 

How does my car know when payday is every month!!? :mad:

[MikeVR6 0]

Anyone? :(

[MikeVR6 0]

Thanks for the offer of the alternator Storm

0

It wouldn't do me any good though as the bulk of the price is labour for removing and refitting (3hrs apparently)

Went to the auto spark's today £180 including VAT this breaks down as..

- Reconditioning my alternator and a new regulator (£75 for these)

- Removing/fitting (another £75 then £30 VAT)

 

Seems way over price to me. He wants to take the front panel off the car to get at it!

 

New bushes and rings can't be more than £15, a new regulator maybe £15. So £45 for rebuilding labour, no way! It shouldn't even take an hour!

 

Gonna speak nicely to the guy that normally looks after the car and see what he can do. He's up to his eyes at the moment but at least if he does the work it'll be done right.

 

It's not the money I'm pi55ed at, it's the fact I'm being openly overcharged and I'm not at all happy with someone who doesn't know Corrados removing my front panel.

 

Anyway rant over, glad I got that outa me :D

[dr_mat 0]

Definitely way over price.

I think the official VW book says you have to take the radiator out to get to the alternator, and that requires removal of the front bumper and the front panel, but it's possible to do it without doing all that.

£180 for a recond alternator is too much aswell, I'm sure you can buy ready-recond units for around £100, even from VW.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

My bosch alternator was £75 (70A) exchange from VW.

 

Fitting it is easy.

 

You remove the air box and withdraw the alternator out through that gap once you've jacked the engine up a bit.

[MikeVR6 0]

Definitely way over price

 

That's what I thought.

 

£180 for a recond alternator is too much aswell

 

My post wasn't very clear. It was £75 to recon the alternator but once fitting and VAT were taken into consideration it turned into £180

 

When you say "jack the engine up" do I just stick my trolley jack under it and crank it up? What point on the engine is safe to jack? Pardon my lack of knowledge. :roll:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep, the full procedure is:-

 

1) Disconnect battery - you don't want to know what happens when the alternator lead touches the block if the battery is connected !!

2) Unwire the Alternator - 13mm socket for the thick wire.

3) Remove air box

4) Wind in the belt tensioner

5) Undo & remove the Alernator support bolts

6) Undo & remove engine mount top nut - 15 or 16mm, can't remember which.

7) Prize the alternator free from the engine - It's got ferrules in it which nip up to the bracket when you do the bolts up, so it'll be stiff.

8) Once free, using a bit of wood, raise the engine via the sump until there is enough room to pull the alternator free.

 

And then the reverse for refitting.

 

If you do get the alty reconned, make sure they put the pulley back on for you. Alternators from VW don't come with a pulley and it's a git removing the old and refitting it to the new one.

 

Kev

[MikeVR6 0]

Superb!

 

Thanks very much for the advice.

 

Now I just have to wait until it stops raining :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

No probs.

 

Good luck!

[Nick_Micouris 0]

I had this start on my car tonight! I got breakdown to come out to me and the guy was ADAMANT that it was the battery...

He tested the alternator and it was charging pretty constantly at 13.7 and he said it was charging perfectly (this was with the light on and at idle).

Tomorrow I will go and buy a batt from Halfords but am concerned that no-one hear thinks it could be the batt. The breakdown guy was trying to sell me a Unipart batt.... but I wanted to buy a Halfords/Bosch one - at the end of the day what do the breakdown guys know about C's - on the report sheet he called it a VW CORROSSA!!!!! :D

 

Anyone know which batt I need for the VR (no aircon but all other elecs) - Bosch or Halfords own?

[Nick_Micouris 0]

can't believe my English - "hear" - sorry it is late!!

[MikeVR6 0]

Go for a Bosch silver 64Ah from Eurocarparts or GSF if you can.

 

Do a search and see what's been said about them previously.

[bcstudent 0]

check the blue wire which comes off the alternator... if you battery is showing 12 to 14V (increasing as revs rise) and the battery is holding it's charge even on a long run, it sounds like the signal wire to the warning lamp has become damaged to me... ;)

 

Alternators generate AC that is rectified to DC and then regulated. Since it is regulated a change in engine speed should have no effect on the rectified output of the alternator. Loading the electrical system by turning on lights, heated screen, etc. will obviously cause a voltage drop across the system but it should still be a stable reading.

 

The brushes/regulator theories make the most sense to me.

[Nick_Micouris 0]

Go for a Bosch silver 64Ah from Eurocarparts or GSF if you can.

 

Do a search and see what's been said about them previously.

 

So - do you think that he is right and that it is the batt? Wierd thing is that this morning the light was out, which would suggest this is intermittent.

[Nick_Micouris 0]

Also - I am running an amp on this batt too - do you think that the 64ah will cope along with all the other elecs or should I go for bigger?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You won't be able to physically fit anything bigger than a 64AH in the C!

 

I've got a 56AH one in mine and I run 2 amps from it and it's been fine.

[Nick_Micouris 0]

okay - nice - I looked on GSF's site and it doesn't seem to list the 64ah - has it been superceeded?

Kev - do you think my problem is battery or alternator related?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I would measure the voltage at the battery with the engine on and off. Voltage should be around 13 with the engine off and 13.8 to 14.4V with the engine running.

 

If the voltage is less than 12 with the engine off, it's the battery that's causing your problems.

[Nick_Micouris 0]

okay - thanks, Kev!