the never ending project. 71 super build

[Super_Randy]

the alternator is internally regulated, so there is no regulator under the backseat anymore. the red wires that went to the regulator under the backseat are all connected together in a plug and the green wire on the alternator is connected the blue wire under the backseat. i know one red wire is off the alternator, one is off the battery, the other to the starter. the green wire on the alternator plugs into the blue wire and the blue wire under the seat and goes all the way up front to the idiot light. then there's a brown ground wire. one end is on the alternator the other is screwed to the heater channel under the back seat.
i question the under the seat ground connection. but the light has been working. it worked last weekend when i was trying to get the engine to start. it worked before i messed with the distributor yesterday.

idk its a 51 amp alternator that i got off a used engine almost 20 years ago and it's been floating around in my garage sense. i was going to put a 75amp on it eventually. i just don't want to have to take everything back apart. i was really hoping this alternator would hold up until i put duel carbs on the engine. not dealing with the stock carb and manifold would have made the job so much easier.
So Cal Imports has an AC Industries brand 75 amp alternator for $165 so i guess ill be doing that swap sooner than i wanted to just not looking forward to taking apart what i just put back together.

iv heard that if the charge light doesn't work the engine won't start. anyone know if that's true?


edit: just cleaned the ground under the backseat and cleaned the ground screw on the alternator and now the charge light is back on.
so now im back to trying to figure out why it's acting like it has no spark.

[Super_Randy]

ok, just did a test. put a spare sparkplug on the number 1 wire and grounded it against the decklid latch on the apron (a test iv done in the past) and iv got no spark. so something in the ignition system isn't working. idk if it's the coil, ignition module in the distributor, or what. coil has resistance, module has resistance. might have to make some notes and call CB next week.

[Maddel]

iv heard that if the charge light doesn't work the engine won't start. anyone know if that's true?

Never heard about that...
Would the engine die if you loose the belt then??
But I never messed around with alternators, so I'm clueless here.

Anyway, due to the solved ground problem it's clear now that the alternator works at least.

Regarding the ignition issue...
Is it a big hassle to try and test with the old "conventional" point driven distributor?

IDK, when it comes to AC VWs I look skeptically at these "modern technical achievements"
like alternators and breaker-less ignition systems.
But hey, I'm old...

[Super_Randy]

if it threw a belt the light would come on. iv heard that even with a stock generator if the bulb burns out the car won't start. seems stupid and looking at the circuitry i don't understand how. not sure i believe it. but iv been told that by more than one person

i could throw my 009 with points back in it. it's just that single 13mm nut and the points wire. i might try it, but im going to try swapping the coil first. put the blue coil back in there with the Magnaspark
and see what happens. iv read multiple posts on thesamba about people having the ignition module in the Magnaspark die. going to have to swap things out part by part to isolate the problem.

[Maddel]

iv heard that if the charge light doesn't work the engine won't start. anyone know if that's true?

Never heard about that...
Would the engine die if you loose the belt then??

if it threw a belt the light would come on.

There you are! Old AND dumb!!!

iv heard that even with a stock generator if the bulb burns out the car won't start. seems stupid and looking at the circuitry i don't understand how. not sure i believe it. but iv been told that by more than one person

I'll try to start the Bug with that bulb removed next weekend.

Regarding the (already solved) ground issue...
Did you check the transmission to chassis ground strap too?

[Super_Randy]

not old and dumb. just middle aged and senile if the belt came off the light would come one, meaning the light and everything else works. the circuit is complete and functional. if the light doesn't work, ie. the bulb burned out or the wire came off/got broken the circuit wouldn't be complete and from i was told by more than one person, the car wouldn't start. seems dumb and i don't see how it's possible.
iv been told the same thing about the oil light. again, seems dumb and idk how that would cause an issue, but iv never tried it.
you try it this weekend and prove about 3 people 20 years go wrong.

i haven't check the trans ground. i know it's in there and connected. but no idea how grounded it actually is. when i took the tans out to replace the mounts 20 years ago i cleaned it up and reinstalled it. can't be any worse than it was when i swapped the mounts.

[Maddel]

Regarding the gen & oil lights...
Felt silly while testing but the car starts with either or both of the bulbs pulled.
The idiot light test!

[Super_Randy]

that's what i figured. idk why 3 different people at 3 different times told me it wouldn't. just looking at the wiring schematic it didn't make sense.
but you tested it now and we know for certain.

[schwim]

that's what i figured. idk why 3 different people at 3 different times told me it wouldn't. just looking at the wiring schematic it didn't make sense.
but you tested it now and we know for certain.

I bet it's because some manufacturer's wired vehicles to have that odd trait, just wasn't VW. I took the gauge cluster out of my Bronco and was driving it around for a while and it died. I checked and it wasn't charging the battery. When I plugged the gauge cluster back in, it started charging. I pulled the bulb on the amp light and it quit charging again. So if that bulb went bad, your Bronco wouldn't charge but since the bulb was bad, you wouldn't know it.

[Super_Randy]

sounds logical