Batteries (alternators)

[superba]

Hi All,

The original alternator in my 81 5KT lasted over 250K, but the replacements
died like flies for some reason, quite probably because the rebuilders did a
shoddy job.  Maybe my results and what I've seen from others is that buying
rebuilt alternators is penny wise and pound foolish.  Especially considering
what a pita it is to replace them.

WRT batteries.  I had an AC-Delco that I bought randomly last for over 10
years under frequent use.  I thought of getting a desulfator to make it go
further.  Then I tried to find an exact replacement, no joy, then an Optima,
but settled for a Sears Die Hard.  There is a table that shows the
dimensions of batteries which makes it easier to select a replacement other
than the one already in your car.  Venting?  The Die Hard isn't vented and
my car hasn't exploded yet, but that might be one way to stop me from
driving it.

Cheers!

Jim Jordan

>  Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 11:53:35 -0700
>  From: Henry A Harper III <hah at alumni.rice.edu>
>  Subject: RE: Batteries (alternators)
>  To: "'johkar at teleport.com'" <johkar at teleport.com>,
>  	"quattro at audifans.com" <quattro at audifans.com>,
>  "200q20v at audifans.com"
>  	<200q20v at audifans.com>
>  Message-ID: <01C3EF03.59956850.hah at alumni.rice.edu>
>  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>
>  Last fall the front bearing went on my GTI's alternator, nothing
>  out of the
>  ordinary when I shut it off in grocery store parking lot,
>  started up after
>  getting milk and horrible grinding/screeching noise, belt
>  slipping and sliding;
>  limped a mile home and removed alternator, replaced front
>  bearing for $14. I've
>  had the car for 10 years, alternator was "reman'd" about three
>  years ago at a
>  local shop, have since had to replace their crap regulator and
>  now their front
>  bearing, if they even replaced it. Such a deal!
>
>  HTH
>  Henry Harper
>  http://www.henry-harper.com  hah at alumni.rice.edu
>  1991 200 quattro, 120k, fresh belts in Dec, no alternator issues yet
>  1988 GTI 16v, 239k
>
>  On Monday, February 09, 2004 11:38 AM, johkar at teleport.com
>  [SMTP:johkar at teleport.com] wrote:
>  > Anyone have an alternator seize up on them?  I have a 4kq with
>  200k+ miles
>  > on the original alternator.  It is killing belts (yes I'm
>  using the right
>  > width and lenght) in a horrible screeching way.  The pulleys
>  are aligned
>  > and not bent, either.
>  >
>  > Any ideas?