After returning home from a GREAT West Coast Cruise, I confirmed my SHPEEDY's problem was a dying alternator. Unfortunately, the unit's identifying model numbers have worn down and become illegible. Do any of the knuckleheads out there, with a "sister" engine to mine (12v 1915cc built late 2008), know exactly what alternator woulda/coulda/shoulda replace my dead one?
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I have a 2010 build with a 1915, I recently replaced my alt with a 75amp from Jbugs works great.
CB Performance #2155 Bosch 55 amp alternator
@Napa Paul posted:After returning home from a GREAT West Coast Cruise, I confirmed my SHPEEDY's problem was a dying alternator. Unfortunately, the unit's identifying model numbers have worn down and become illegible. Do any of the knuckleheads out there, with a "sister" engine to mine (12v 1915cc built late 2008), know exactly what alternator woulda/coulda/shoulda replace my dead one?
@GomerPk and @Gordon Nichols: Thanks for the replies! I've found the correct unit (Bosch AL82N) on Amazon and it'll be delivered next week.
Most newer alternators are internally regulated. Some older ones take an external regulator. The wiring is different. To use internal (if old was external), the external regulator is removed from circuit and wiring is altered.
This is an internally regulated alternator (the one you ordered) - check wires on top.
This is the externally regulated one.
Don’t complicate things. Go with the Bosch AL82N
Yup, Bosch.
My original, from a 2015 VS, began to have trouble when it was cold, and only started to charge after about three minutes. Or, in winter, around ten minutes. Swapped to the genuine Bosch--which is hard to find and expensive when you do--and have had no problems.
You could have just changed the voltage regulator, that would've solved it.
Most of the newer alternators I've seen have built in regulators/converters. Gotta swap out the whole unit.
They do sell the internal voltage regulator for the VW Bosch alternator - there are 2 versions though. The least expensive is $22 and the other is $40. (Aftermarket ones are about 1/2 that price). The one that fits up front doesn't require the often-laborious removal of the whole alternator - it's a 5 minute job (3 screws out in the open on top of alternator). Not sure if these fit the Chinese knock offs. A quality Bosch alternator is over $200!
@wombat posted:Most of the newer alternators I've seen have built in regulators/converters. Gotta swap out the whole unit.
Yes, they're built-in, but still replaceable. Did I buy a $400-600 dollar alternator for my Cayman?
Nope. I bought the $35 regulator with new brushes and replaced it myself.
That's probably an easy $1000 at the dealer, maybe $800 at an indie shop.
I've done a few of the internals as well. Just go slow and they're not problem.
@DannyP, I've got a 90 amp EMPI that needs a diode replacement. Know if anywhere they sell a replacement diode board? Otherwise, I'll just buy a single diode and replace it.
I found my Cayman regulator by Googling the number on the regulator. Regular part search methods were futile. Try that.
I happen to have a Motorola alternator. Anyone else?
I have one - mine takes an external voltage regulator box (kind of like the one on old generators but different guts). A replacement one seems to be $60 now!
And the prices are increasing as the inflation percentage goes up.Worst part now is supply chain.
@WOLFGANG posted:They do sell the internal voltage regulator for the VW Bosch alternator - there are 2 versions though. The least expensive is $22 and the other is $40. (Aftermarket ones are about 1/2 that price). The one that fits up front doesn't require the often-laborious removal of the whole alternator - it's a 5 minute job (3 screws out in the open on top of alternator). Not sure if these fit the Chinese knock offs. A quality Bosch alternator is over $200!
Now the question is; would they be in stock? And on top of that the almost inevitable price increase.....
I think I am on my forth Bosch alternator. They have all been internal. The last one came from Bosch of Brazil.
Maybe I should be glad I have a Motorola alternator.
Does it match your Motorola "Flip Phone"?
@Gordon Nichols posted:Does it match your Motorola "Flip Phone"?
Oh, man. I miss my V-60. Best cell phone ever.
What you miss is the uncrowded Analog network that had clear calls when you could access it. My Cell phone experience goes back to 85' when they were $2500 and that big pig tail antenna was a status symbol.
Well, that and a phone that easily fit in my front pocket and was operable with one hand.
I think we started with a “Bag Phone” in my wife’s Jeep somewhere around 1992 and shortly after that I ended up with an early Moto flip phone that seemed about the size of a half brick.
Interesting Motorola background story: Way back in my career I worked at the Data General Computer Company and the Marketing Manager for my stuff was Ed Zander. He went on much later (after running Sun Systems for a while) to become the CEO of Motorola and credits himself with introducing the Motorola Razr cell phone. Ed was sharp but had a lot if internal Motorola problems to overcome (like a lot of “warring tribes” and late adoption of 3G). He is credited with giving Steve Jobs the idea of integrating an iPod and music into a phone (unconfirmed by me) and creating a “smart phone” which Apple did and sold the ITunes software to Motorola, which they did very little with (they couldn’t integrate it with their chips/operating system on the Razr).
Meanwhile, Apple introduced the iPhone with iPod and internet integration (thanks, Ed, but we just killed your product!) and a horde of apps and Ed rode the Motorola Razr into the sunset like Slim Pickens riding his Nuke from the bomber in “Dr. Strangelove”. Shortly after that, Motorola dumped something like 10 million non-iTune Razr phones on the market with no follow-on product. Ed was ousted in 2008 and been mostly retired ever since, serving on a Board here and there. He was the only marketing guy I knew back then who actually understood how computers worked but paid too much attention to the “No” people around him.
I think the “No” people are related to the NIH people. (Not invented here) Probably by something involving cousins.
We had over 40K employees at Duke in the 90's and ran an AT&Tclass 5 5ESS telephone switch (way overkill, but reliable for the hospital side).
Along with the top end switch, we got decent cell phones. I was a skeptic until I got my Motorola StarTAC. That and the Moto RAZR were the phones that made me give up my pager.
Mike, people with regular old twisted-pair copper service are STILL using 5ESS switches throughout Verizon.
Cell-phones though: In 1989, I worked for Cellular One, who eventually were bought by AT&T. We were part of the analog cell network. We were reselling NYNEX Mobile service, then got our own network up and running, but don't ask me what switch we were using. I had almost zero network knowledge back then.
Cutover day was a MARATHON. We had to re-program EVERY phone that day with new phone numbers. Some brands still used an EPROM to retain the information. So we had to get to the phone(which was a HUGE brick mounted in the trunk), take it out, remove the chip, burn a new one, replace it all, then TEST the phone to make sure it worked. The programmable phones were much easier.
I went to both Uniden and OKI technician schools, learned how to take the phones apart and fix them or alter them(handsfree echo and feedback problems). By the time I worked there, handheld phones were prevalent but not ubiquitous. We installed the phones every day. I had a transportable with a car-kit. It slid into a bracket in the trunk, screw the antenna cable on, and take the handset up front and plug it into the cradle. FCC limit was 3 watts, my personal phone put out 3.8 after I tweaked it. I NEVER dropped a call.
Two years later I got my forever job at NY Tel/NYNEX/Bell Atlantic/Verizon in 1991.
Jeez Louise! In less than a month (29 days to be exact) my question about a replacement alternator ends up in the Twilight Zone of cellphones. This surely must be some kind of record for "thread drift."
@Napa Paul posted:Jeez Louise! In less than a month (29 days to be exact) my question about a replacement alternator ends up in the Twilight Zone of cellphones. This surely must be some kind of record for "thread drift."
Oh, that's really tempting the gods (hold my divine elixir) 😄
Naaaah……. It seems about average for this group.
im gonna pass on this one:}
@Gordon Nichols posted:Naaaah……. It seems about average for this group.
Yeah, wait until it crosses the Covid -> Pie bridge. 
