Re: Alternator(91 200 quattro)

[Andrew Duane USG <duane@hunch.zk3.dec.com>]

Hairy green toads from Mars made Mark Rutherford say:

> Could some one check something out for me.  The car was brought to me by a
> friend with charging problems that appear to be intermittent.  Replaced the
> voltage regulator, but now when you start the car the gauge reads About 12
> volts.  This was verified with a alternator tester.  After you rev it up to
> about 2000 RPM though it will start charging normally 13 to 14 volts and be
> fine from then on until the car is turned off, also verified using
> alternator tester.  Is this normal for the 200 or do I need to keep looking
> for the problem.

This is easy.

My 100Q did this until I went in to fix it. I figured the
brushes/regulator were shot so I picked up a new set and
slid under the car. The brushes looked FINE.

The problem is the exciter wire (the small blue one that
bolts on to the back of the alternator). Over the years,
the road salt corroded the wire and spade lug connector
to the point where it wasn't making good contact.

Snipped a half inch of wire off, put on a new connector,
works perfectly. Total cost: $0.10 and 5 minutes.

-- 

Andrew L. Duane (JOT-7)			duane@zk3.dec.com
Compaq Computer Corporation		(603)-884-1294
110 Spit Brook Road
M/S ZKO3-3/U14
Nashua, NH    03062-2698

Only my cat shares my opinions, and she's too psychotic to express it