Re: [T3] Alternator Output and then some...and some

["Jim Adney" <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

Forwarded to the type 3 list for general interest:

On 10 Mar 2002, at 11:17, Jason T. Smith wrote:

>     Thanks for all the help.  I did not know it was a generator, I thought
> after certain years, the late cars had alternators?

Not on type 3s. Beetles got them, and if I don't mention it several people will 
jump in and mention the odd Brazilian type 3s that got alternators, but all the 
usual German-made type 3s came with generators.

> Oh, well.  I had the battery charged at one of those battery stores for free.
> This was a fairly new battery(less than 6 months), but I think the radio
> wiring combined with it sitting during the winter (I only take it out a
> couple times a month) discharged the battery enough for it not to get a good
> charge in that 10 minutes of driving.  Plus I let it sit for about two weeks
> on that 10min., so that did not help any. 

If your battery sat for a long time, it can recover, but it will need to get a long 
slow charge. Don't take it to someone for a quick charge, that will just 
damage it. You can buy a cheap charger that has a fast and a slow charge 
setting and just leave it on the slow setting overnight. If you can get a 
charger that has a meter on it then you can leave it connected for a week if 
the meter shows less than 1A.

Your radio should be wired such that the time/frequency display goes off 
when you turn the key OFF. If you do it any other way it will run your battery 
down while parked. Modern digital radios have 2 wires that get power: One 
should be connected to a fuse that is hot all the time and the other to a fuse  
that goes off with the key.

>     Speaking of which, I still have yet to figure out my FI system,
> recently I was having more problems with the car just shutting off and not
> starting again. The list had talked about temp sensors and cold start system
> etc.  But I haven't had the time to work on anything, it also too cold. 

Just quitting while driving is neither a charging system, nor a cold start valve 
problem. How cold is it where you live?

> I had disconnected the Temp Switch and this seemed to work for a while then
> it happened again.  The car just dies and will not start.  So I unplugged
> the Cold Start valve's MPC and she started right up.  And after I got my
> battery charge she ran like never before, I mean smooth, just beautiful.

Borrow a voltmeter and check what the battery voltage measures after a 
warmup drive. Measure it at medium RPM. It should be above 14V. If it is 
below 13.5V replace the voltage regulator with a genuine Bosch.

When you get in the car and turn the key ON, you should hear a relay click 
and then hear another click ~1 second later. Do you hear both clicks? Let us 
know what you hear.

>     So, what gives?  Could the cold start system really cause this much flux
> in the operation.  I know it is only suppose to work while the starter is
> firing.  I'll have to do a full system check once the weather warms up here
> in OH. 

> '72 Fastback

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Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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