alternator conversion

Hi all

After breaking my heart, re-conditioning an old generator from my parts (junk) stash, to replace the sickly one on my 1600 '72 deluxe beetle....to find it didn't work after installing it and polarising it, I'm considering an alternator conversion.

I've a couple of alternators (and pedestals) in the stash (one off a running

1200 engine and one off a running 1600 engine), which I will look to get bench-tested locally today (should have done that with the 2nd genny, duh!), and assuming at least one of them is OK, I want to look more into what's involved in the conversion before making the final decision. (I still have a couple more gennys in the stash too) Would like to, in the future, put in one or two 12v sockets (for phone/sat-nav charging etc) and run a CB radio....and the car is already running a good stereo and a diesel eberspacher, so I'm assuming an alternator conversion is a more logical set-up anyway, yes?

So, can anyone point me in the direction of any good online resources, step-by-step guides etc on what hubby and I need to do.

Thanks in advance

Caroline

Reply to
caroline
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AFAIK If the generator polarized, then it should work! I ONLY use Bosch voltage regulators! Did you test the generator without the voltage regulator?

Briefly to convert to an alternator I think you will need: fuel pump & pushrod carb accel pump linkage modification alternator stand alternator and volt regulator (along with wiring & plugs in not built in)

I am sure Speedy Jim has this conversion on his website already! ;-)

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good luck and enjoy!

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

"dave AKA vwdoc1" wrote

That's what we assumed....its not exactly a highly technical precision part is it....

The external regulator is indeed a Bosch

We tested everything we could think to test with the volt meter, polarised it at least twice, according to two very different methods....and we then tested all the same things on my husband's '71 single cab to check that our testing procedures were doing what they should. All tests on the single cab did exactly what they should. All the tests on the beetle showed that battery and regulator were seemingly happy enough, but that the genny was giving out zero, zilch, nothing, nada...

On the '72 beetle I think we have the old style fuel pump, but I'm assuming that on the other two (running) donor engines, as they already have alternators on, they will also have the right style fuel pumps/pushrod too?

currently have dual 34 ICT Webers with a hex bar linkage....please don't tell me I'll have to ditch this set-up....we *roughly* checked the hex-bar clearance with the alternator and pedestal in the workshop last night, and I

*think* it will be ok. Am I missing something obvious here?

The one off the 1600 engine is a 55A bosch....with an internal regulator. The 1200 engine is in another shed elsewhere and I can't remember offhand what it is (just remember when we stored it away that it had an alternator on it, so will be checking that one out this afternoon.

Oooh, great link, thanks!

I'm still dragging my heels...would like to have kept the original set up.....but think, with the extras I plan to wire in at some point it makes more sense really. And if I'm honest, there's not too much 'originiality' left on this engine, apart from the core basics...so getting sentimental over a generator is probably a bit silly. Hubby is dragging his heels because he wanted the nicy shiny alternator and stand off the spare 1600 engine to convert his single cab with, and is begrudgingly getting it tested for my beetle...ha ha

Thanks again!

Reply to
caroline

check your wiring from the volt reg to the gen I have seen broken wires causing the generator not to produce much current!

You are good with parts! AND it might be easier to do the swap with those dual carbs! 8^)

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

"dave AKA vwdoc1" wrote

Will certainly double check all that again this evening, because the 'zero' output is just not making much sense to me. When we tested the genny

*briefly*, with no fan belt and a couple of jumper leads to the battery, it spun perfectly...as a good one is meant to do, or so we understood from one particular test we found... We tested it again once we'd put the fanbelt back on, without the regulator inline, jumper leads again to the batt ala one of the Haynes manual methods...and nothing, volt meter gave a big fat 'zero' and its was meant to give us a reading of 12v at the bare minimum...? Same test worked fine on the single cab.

I've a good nose for a forgotten stashes in farmer's sheds (beetles used to be a common farmer's car over here in the 60's and 70's, and Irish farmer's don't like throwing stuff away *ROFL*) and I'm cheeky enough to go in and offer to clear all that rubbish away he he he. Lots of it is rubbish, and lots of it isn't. Once saw an advert in a local free-ads offering "some parts for a 70's beetle, ?50 to clear" and went to have a look. The fella opened up his double garage, and pointed to everything along the left side wall. Then he pointed to everything along the right side wall. Then he took me into the room in the back of the garage, and showed me all the wings, doors, bonnets, glass, seats etc....I couldn't give him the ?50 quick enough, and I headed home for a bigger vehicle and a trailer! Another day, I bought two scrappy donor beetles from a lovely guy for a very fair ?50, and when we went back with two trailers to bring them home, he'd emptied his workshop off all his other beetle/bay stuff and filled both cars with spare parts...wouldn't take any more cash for it, told me he had no further use for any of it! Have been burnt with some utter crap too to be fair, but on the whole I think I'm doing ok on the bargains front. Really do need to get organised and catalogue it all some day...we forget what we have sometimes *LOL*

Phew! :o)

Thanks again Dave!

Reply to
caroline

Quick update:

We got two alternators tested. One didn't work (off the 1600), and the other worked fine (off the 1200). Both 55A. So we'll recondition the duff one and get it tested again, so we know we have a working spare. Local auto-spark also said he'd test all the other gennys for us too...so we can throw (or re-con) the dead ones and keep the good ones (1 x single cab bay,

1 x bay camper and at least two more (supposedly-in-resto) beetles here with generators, and several generators in the stash, as yet un-checked)

So far...

-old genny, pedestal and fuel pump out.

-1600 fan swapped onto the working alternator.

-alternator-friendly fuel pump put in

-new pedestal and alternator installed

All looks fine so far, and it fits under the hex bar linkage perfectly...although the alternator is big and ugly compared to the genny...ho hum.

Off to the motorfactors shortly for a new fanbelt + spare (alternator needs a different size) and some electrical bits and bobs.

This afternoon we get to go and play with the wiring, and ditch the external regulator (hurrah!)

Play around with the voltmeter a little more.

Then turn the key and see what else is wrong.....gotta love working on these old vehicles. ;o)

A friend in my local vw club told me yesterday that the glow plug on the diesel eberspacher pulls aprox 16.6 volts off the system when it fires....so I think this alternator conversion is quite possibly well overdue! Don't ask me why I have a *diesel* eber, it was the PO's brainchild, but its a fantastic, instant source of heat...and I'm a total convert, no more heat exchangers and *mouse-coughs* of heat for me *LOL*. It currently uses the beetle's washer bottle as a diesel tank, and the water supply for the washers is elsewhere....another future plan is to swap it for a petrol eber when cashflow allows, put a conventional washer bottle back in, and stick the diesel eber in my diesel T25 {vanagon to you guys?) camper)

Thanks for all the help and advice so far ;o)

Reply to
caroline

sounds like you have made a lot of progress!

You could also install that generator on that alternator stand, if you really like its shape! ;-)

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

"dave AKA vwdoc1" wrote

All finished, working perfectly and back on the road! Thanks for all your help Dave ;o)

LOL

Reply to
caroline

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