Low voltage

[Peter Golledge]

I second avoiding remans... helped a few folk with reman alts failing in
not many miles.  I've have good luck with both the Hella and URO VR/brush
units:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VU7E1M

If you are really keen you can split the case, replace the bearings and
you've got basically a new Alt with some warn contact rings... they seem to
last over 300k miles this way.

If the voltage is not what you would like with the new VR you can bend up
the ground tab, solder a power diode inline to ground and kick things up
another 0.5 V.  Search for Bosch alternator voltage hacks in google.
Batteries tend to like a bit more volts than the default Bosch output
particularly after the drop in the bloody long battery cable going back to
the battery under the seat in the big body cards. :-)

Check the wiring on the blue field wire while you are in there, diagnosed a
few "sometimes charges, sometimes don't" back to corroded connections there
also.

Regards

On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 8:07 PM, Huw Powell <audi at humanspeakers.com> wrote:

> You've done 99% of the work and diagnostics.
>
> Your brushes are worn out, you need a new VR assembly (or if you really
> want to get gritty, new brushes to solder in).
>
> About 15 months ago I bought a reman alternator, wasn't happy with the
> voltage, and bought "URO" one, on Amazon I think, which gave me .5 volts
> more.
>
> I also like to replace the mounting bolts with S/S phillips head ones.
>
> Your battery is definitely in good shape if you were able to drive on it
> that long, with the lights on!  Worn brushes will often generate "some"
> current, though, when they aren't quite completely gone yet.
>
> I'd put a trickle on it to bring it back to a full charge ASAP, though.
>
> - Huw
>
>
> On 10/30/2015 9:14 PM, Christopher Gharibo wrote:
>
>> I have a '91 coupe. I got a low voltage warning as I am about to start
>> the car but the car started. The voltage gauge went from 10 to 12v.
>>
>> As I am driving I noticed the lights are not that bright and the voltage
>> gauge reads 10v and is dipping. I got another low voltage warning. Somehow
>> I got home and started checking the car.
>>
>> Alternator belt is tight. Battery is two years old and has never died. I
>> pulled the alternator voltage regulator and the brushes have 1/4" and 1/16"
>> length left. Clearly unevenly worn.
>>
>> What should my next step be? I am thinking either swap the voltage
>> regulator or the alternator.
>>
>> Thank you in advance.
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