Dead Alternator?

Question

I THINK mine is dead but want confirmation from you lot.

I've got a 88 Jetta and lately the battery light has been kinda flickering as I drive along Sometimes it stays on...sometimes its off...sometimes its flickering. Today, it started ok the first time but as I drove along stuff started to happen. The blower wouldn't blow much at all and the minidisk player kinda went doolally too. I was like I was getting juice for a second then no juice.

I got one of those "jump your car" boxes and managed to get it started but it didn't go far at night at all. The lights went SO dim I couldn't see and the engine died on me. There was even much back firing! Highly alarming!

That'll be the alternator then eh??

Eduardo Kaftanski · Accepted Answer

probably just the brushes. brushes and regulator are a replaceablemodule on the back of the alt.

Ade Evans · Answer

So u think is worth checking out these bad boys first then?  Are we talkinga lot of cash?

Eduardo Kaftanski · Answer

US$15 to US$25 last time i changed one.

Tom Flynn · Answer

Right, that's what I was thinking. I had an '86 GTi, which I would think is similar, it was really easy to change out the brushes/voltage regulator assembly after disconnecting the battery...it is on back of alternator, just a couple screws as I remember (don't even need to remove the alternator)

My symptoms were "strobing" lights on the dash and headlights...one of my brushes was really worn, the other OK...part was about $20 something (I got a bad replacement, so I actually had to change it twice)

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--------- Tom Flynn I speak only for myself

Dead Alternator?

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