Re: Tech: Alternator problem- I need help badly!!!

["Chris DeLong" <green536@hotmail.com>]

You must have the instrument cluster plugged into the wiring harness for the 
alternator to work. The battery light excites the alternator and then it 
starts charging. If you dont have the cluster plugged in then the alternator 
doesnt know the engine is running. You can manually bypass this by taking a 
test light and putting one end one the big positive post on the alternator 
and the other end on the little post (blue wire). then when you have done 
this have the engine running and rev it a little until the light goes out. 
then you can take the light off and the alternator will charge the battery 
until you shut the car off. then you must repeat the procedure. HTH

>
>OK. here is the story, my oddometer has been working intermittantly so I
>remove the guage cluster and don't have time to finish it before work.  So
>I drive to work after plugging just the speedo onto the cable.  Never paid
>attention to the voltmeter, at lunch I see the voltmeter reads 12 volts,
>less than it's usual 13/14.  I figure it has something to do with the guage
>cluster being out, no need to worry.
>  So after work I head home and over the 25 mile drive the volt reading
>drops more and more.  By the time I get home it is under 8volts and the car
>is almost dead-but I made it.
>I check the brushes and they look good.  So this morning I get up and buy a
>rebuilt(my bearing were going anyway).  I install it and the battery which
>I removed to charge(less than one year old Diehard).  Starts right up.  I
>drive to work noticing that volt reading is at 12V again.  I start to
>worry.  After work it does the same thing, dropping down more and more, but
>it does it in only  a few miles(long cold walk).  So I'm thinking "what are
>the chances this rebuilt is screwed up in exactly the same way as the old
>one?"  Now I kind of wonder what could it be?  I didn't think the guage
>cluster being out of the car had anything to do with it, but I wonder just
>a little bit now; that is the one thing that is different than normal.  Any
>ideas?
>
>Oh and if you read this Julie, rebuilt alternator for a A/Ced car- $90
>
>
>John C. Worden
>Wayne, Maine
>
>'98 Dakota 4x4-Overdrive is finished
>'86 Scirocco 8V-
>'81 Scirocco 2.0 16V - Needs an oil pump gear
>
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>


Chris DeLong
ICQ#45030867
Seattle, WA USA
'80 16V Rag
'88 Scirocco 16V (for sale!)
'78 Rabbit (16V) Woohoo!
'82 GLI
'80 'Vert
'65 Bus (ugly, but good for campin' W/toaster oven)
'61 17 Window


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