alternator warning light on 200 comes on too late......

[Dave Michael <michael@leds.enet.qntm.com>]

Has any body else found that the "battery" indicator on the multi-function 
display comes on way past the point of having any time to do anything about it?

Twice in the last month, the alternator failed on my 200 qw (second time, the a 
brush on the new alt. cracked an broke). Both times, the warning light did not 
come on until the voltage had dropped to about 9 volts, NOT when the alternator 
stopped charging. Of course the guage will tell you that the alt. has stopped 
working, but I must say, I don't regularly scan WAY over there when I am 
driving. Anyway, by the time the warning light comes on, there is only about 15 
minutes, at best, of driving time left before the fuel pump stops......

As an aside, I am convinced that audi engineers have never worked on a car in 
ther life. That the air coolling shroud for the alt his held on by four tiny 
little screws, which have to be removed to get access to the pivot bolt, but 
which are almost impossible to reach, is nuts. It would have been trivial to 
design the shroud to slide into some clips at the top, and screw at the bottom. 
Moreover, this would have been CHEAPER to assemble - just more difficult to 
design. Grrrr.....

I am, however, an expert at removing the alternator.  e-mail if you need 
tips......


dave
90 200 qw
lights
sm chip
16" compomotive wheels (45mm offset....)