Alternator conversion kits

[froggy]

Who sells the best kit and what should it include?
Have been looking around at various sites as my dynamo has given up the ghost but nearly all the kits appear to be different :? , some include a fuel pump, some include the pulley, what do i need for the conversion OR is there a cheaper way to complete a conversion rather than buy the kits?
Also what price should i be looking at as some are around £140 (justkampers) but others are about £175 (VW heritage)

 

[froggy]

No-one ever used one then? :shock: :?

 

[Araon]

Is there a reason for the alternator and not the stock dynamo?
Running a fridge/big ICE etc....
Personally if I was gonna fit a alternator I'd remove the fuel pump and fit a leccy one solving one problem, check the individual prices for the alternator/pedestal/backing plate/fuel pump the rest(belt and pulleys) is interchageable from your old dynamo..........

 

[steve92]

just got delivery of my kit today from vw heritage. got charged £116. although i have been waiting for about 5 weeks for it, so i think they may have knocked some off it. its listed at £129. not sure which bits could have been transferred as i presumed it differs as its a conversion kit and not just the alternator. may fit it at the weekend so might have some answers then.thinking i may need a cranked style fuel pump as the alternator is a bigger diameter than the dynamo.

 

[froggy]

Is there a reason for the alternator and not the stock dynamo?
Running a fridge/big ICE etc....
Personally if I was gonna fit a alternator I'd remove the fuel pump and fit a leccy one solving one problem, check the individual prices for the alternator/pedestal/backing plate/fuel pump the rest(belt and pulleys) is interchageable from your old dynamo..........

The reason i'm swapping is because my dynamo has given up the ghost, and have been looking around and theres not a lot of difference in prices between alternators and dynamo's.Eventually i'm gonna fit a leisure battery set up and looking at maybe an invertor to run a laptop / portable DVD for the daughter. Just thinking that as i'm gonna get the engine out again then i may as well go the whole hog sooner than i was expecting to!

 

[HairyYeti]

Machine7 sell conversion kits.

Alternators provide the battery with charge even at idle. Dyna-mos do not.

When you are winter driving with the lights, heating, wipers all on you will need as much battery charge as you can get otherwise you can slowly run the battery flat......done it myself a few times in the Beetle before we switched.

 

[steve92]

now then froggy. ive removed my dynamo today amid much cursing! that 36 mm nut holding the fan on is a b--tard! with the engine in. my kit came with stand,pulley, 2 bits of tinware,spacer for tinware,wiring, and new belt. the stand differs from my origional in that it has a cut away allowing the front of the alternator to sit back.see below

the origional one does not have the cut out, which means the alternator wont sit back in line with the bottom pulley. i think you could reuse the old tinware.they do look very slightly different,but seem to fit ok.the wiring you could fashion yourself no problem, and the pulley looks the same. thought i may need to change the fuel pump, but the old one will clear.
im going to use all the new bits, as they are nice and new and shiny!

 

[steve92]

my god that pictures huge!

 

[froggy]

Mattp has sorted me out with all the parts (except a differnet fuel pump but sa mine is new i hope it will fit if not then i'll buy a new one) so hopefully everything will be a straight swap (heard that before)
Will let people know when its fitted, planning on next weekend.
How does the wiring compare?

 

[steve92]

the wiring differs quite a bit. the alternator has an internal regulator so according to the instructions, one wire goes to the starter motor, and the other goes to the idiot light on the dash, so im assuming the old regulator can be junked.

 

[froggy]

Yeah on internal regulated alternators the regulator is junked, think the 1 i'm getting is externally regulated but hopefullt this will fit in the same place as the dynamo reg (fingers crossed)
Why are you swapping to alternator?

 

[steve92]

me dynamo died, and an alternator seemed to be a logical move.also means i can now fit my manifold rubbers at the same time, which ive been putting off for a while.