Stock '72 Super Beetle: Driving home from work the other day, the voltage regulator started clicking. It was an intermittent, rapid clicking that seemed to get worse at lower RPMs.
The generator light was *not* on at this time.
This was on a Friday. I didn't drive it the next day and, to be honest, forgot about the clicking. On Sunday, it snowed all day so I went out late that afternoon and was going to take the car out to play in the snow. When I got in I saw that I'd left the radio on and killed the battery. The dome light worked and the radio still played but the battery was too weak to start it, only heard a weak clicking from the solenoid. I just left it parked until some of the snow had melted on Tuesday and pulled the battery out and charged it overnight.
I put the battery back in the next day and it started right up. Took it out for a short drive. Drove about 4-5 miles and then started back home. About 2 miles from home the regulator started clicking again and the generator light would come on bright while at idle at stoplights. Revving the engine would make the light go out. About a mile from home the light came on and stayed on and the voltage regulator stopped clicking. I pulled over to make sure the fan belt was on .... it was so I drove it on home.
I swapped out the regulator, trying two different used ones I have that I
*think* are good. The light stayed on (only on while the engine is running).I went through Speedy Jim's `How do I test my Generator ?' page:
- generator brushes are about 1/8" above the holders and pressing on them does not make the light go out
- disconnected the wires from the generator and checked voltage with then engine running, my meter is one of those combination volt/dwell/rpm meters and the scale only goes to 16 .... the meter instantly pegs the needle beyond the 16 volt mark
- did the polarizing thing and the generator spins freely .... reconnected everything and the light is still on while running
Any suggestions? I'm pretty new to troubleshooting and things electrical and would like some advice before throwing parts at it.
Thanks in advance,