On the road again...then back off

.................Do you have a voltmeter Bill? At 2000 rpms, you should get about 13 volts measured terminal to terminal on the battery or maybe even higher if it's charging. If the battery is good, you should get several starts and some 'around town' driving during daylight hours without headlights regardless of whether it's charging. If you know that you've got it fully charged, let it sit overnight and then re-check the battery voltage. Then crank the engine for maybe 3 to 5 seconds and then re-check the battery voltage again. If it hasn't dropped more than one volt after the cranking, the battery is probably OK. There's a minimum voltage for a healthy 12 volt battery that's been charged and then sitting but I'm not totally sure what it is........11 1/2 volts? Does the generator light come on when you turn on the ignition and then go out after the engine has started?

.............We need Speedy Jim to come to the rescue!

My father in law has a voltmeter. We checked it on Saturday and it was putting out just under 12 volts which he said was a little low. I started the car and drove it home around 3 or 4 miles from his house. Later in the day, I got in and started it up and got some gas and started it back up and drove around for a while, and came back home. Got in the car again on Tuesday and it started right up. Drove it to post office and would not start when I came back out. Drove it home 2 miles or so, and tried to start it again when I got home and it would not go.

Bill Berckman Cincinnati VW/Porsche Family Reunion Show Pictures

............It sounds like it's not charging alright. I did the polarizing thing that Speedy Jim describes and it did start spinning FWIW.............sigh

........................Print this page out and take it with you to your father in law's:

................If it doesn't produce the 30+ volts at 3000 rpms during Jim's generator test, then you'll still be needing a new generator.

*whenever* the engine is running, you should see 13v or more, after the initial "bump" of the gas pedal. Even at idle.

Jan

The old one was putting out around 4 volts, so we are getting closer. I also had a headlight out and went to replace that today. Put new headlight in, pulled knob and still did not work. It is either a fuse, or I am cursed. I am about ready to put it out by the curb with a sign that says "Free" please take. I think that I will scream about now if I pick up a VW magazine and read another story about 16 year old Bobby that has loved VWs for years, and a trip to the resto shop and $20000 of his dads money and he is ready to go.

Bill Berckman Cincinnati VW/Porsche Family Reunion Show Pictures

I wonder how long it would take/how much it would cost for me to drop by in September :)

Heck, we could have a "fix up a VW and have a BBQ" type of Ramva get-together at your place :) "Bring your own booze and tools"

(YOU would never be the same.... lol)

Jan

LOL You can get Zug fired up and it won't cost that much.:o)

Bill Berckman Cincinnati VW/Porsche Family Reunion Show Pictures

Poor Zuggy is dead and buried, sadly. We are keeping our eyes open for another one. There's a late model Baja (Std) that I'm holding my breath for.

Jan

Do you get the red dynamo light on whilst you are driving? You might get away with just replacing the brushes in the dynamo (generator?). On my car, it turned out to be a faulty regulator.

On that headlight, check the earths!

-- Howard Rose '66 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe '62 Austin Mini Deluxe '64 Austin Mini Super Deluxe

Like this one:

just a little advice--- make sure that ALL of the connections anywhere in the charging circuit all the way to the battery and beyond ( check ALL grounds and the battery posts ) are clean and that there is zero corrosion.

corrosion anywhere in the circuit could kill that particular circuit.