[Vwdiesel] re:moving on/alternator update!

[James Hansen]

A bad diode will draw from 2-5 amps when motor is off.
It will also annoyingly charge just fine in the ones I have had.
So, you go to the parts bin, in my case it was Canadian Tire, get a reman
unit, bolt it on, so that should fix it all you think.
The replacement unit had a bad diode as well, battery is dead two days
later.
If I drove the car every day, the battery would start the car, all was well.
If it sat two days, the thing was dead, or almost so.
The diodes are pressed in the board and would be a PITA to replace unless
you're set up for it.

A trunk light works well to kill a battery too.  Have a very trusted friend
lock you in the trunk to check, or use your digital camera with the flash
turned off and timer setting for an easy check.

You say no current at rest.... that's checking with a meter in series?
-James


-----Original Message-----
From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]On
Behalf Of Chris Geiser
Sent: Friday, November 25, 2005 8:06 AM
To: 'raymond greeley'; Vwdiesel at vwfans.com; LBaird119 at aol.com
Subject: RE: [Vwdiesel] re:moving on/alternator update!


I'll be interested in what you find - I'm having very similar problems with
my 92 Jetta Ecodiesel.  Occasionally battery will slowly discharge despite
driving over a couple of days.  Put the charger on and battery charges back
up and stays up for a month or two.  Sporadic...
14.4 volts at battery when running.  No current leak at rest that I can
find.
Bought the car about 3 yrs ago - it killed the battery that was in it the
first winter.  Bought a new one at Sears and it killed that one within a
year - got it replaced under warranty, but now that battery is getting weak,
so I need to figure out what's happening...

Chris


-----Original Message-----
From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com] On
Behalf Of raymond greeley
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 9:01 AM
To: Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Subject: [Vwdiesel] re:moving on/alternator update!

As previous mentioned, I have replace several cables to improve current
movement efficiency
and of course grounding, i did replace the battery though still serviceable
the old one wasn't
working at full strength any longer. so now it is a bench tool, also
adjusted v-belt which
could have been the culprit as is a recent replacement and must have
stretched some
as i could spin the alt pulley with the belt in place but now i'm at the
limit of adjustment
so next adjustment would be a shorter belt.
Here's what is really interesting,  i found while visiting a friends repair
shop, whom used a cool "snap on" anylizer, the alt is putting out 14.4
volts, great! this great tool also says that somewhere in the
system i am giving back more voltage. discharging battery.
Back at my home i did the old "light in between the positive cable and
battery" test light. found
no drain of current, put the head lights on just to make sure the test light

worked and it did.
I also used the test light circuit on the alt cable and found no charge
drain.
I'm thinking somewhere in the alt diodes is a failure responsible for the
charge drain.
so, has any one had this issue. something that suggests a previous problem
here is
that in the bag of misc parts i recieved from the previous owner (i've owned

this car 16 mo,)
is a brush box that looks like it might fit my alt. any help is greatly
apprec. winter snapped
a towel at us here in chi town this week and that took several days off my
between
recharge schedule.
thanks, ray


_______________________________________________
Vwdiesel mailing list
Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel

_______________________________________________
Vwdiesel mailing list
Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.7/180 - Release Date: 11/23/2005

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.7/180 - Release Date: 11/23/2005