Alternator OEM Volkswagen or GENERAL MOTORS

Here is a stock Mk2 65 amp alternator (top) and the generic one-wire GM alternator (bottom). They're physically the same size, and the posts are almost identical in length. The GM fan is indented in the center though, and the VW one is flat. I used the GM fan, cause my stocker is disgusting, lol. I swapped the VW hardware/pulley over, since the GM pulley was obviously no good (flat, not offset).

My 93 vw cabriolet is running an oem alternator from the factory.

so far the alternator seams to be working. I cut and then put ends on the red wires and bolted them up. I put my multi meter on one of the two prongs on the clip and grounded the other. then turn the alt motor. the one prong that raised up was my exciter wire.

Also, it seems that it is a 120 amp alternator, so you might want to re-think using the Stock Rabbit harness and, instead, run a bigger cable, since the Rabbit alternators were 60 amps max.

Alternators don't make good battery chargers and if your alternator is on its way out then it may not be able to charge the battery. A fully charged battery measures 12.6V when the car is not started. When it's discharged by 75% then it measures 12.4V. if it's like 12V then it's totally dead. When you start the engine and the alternator turns, at idle you should have at least 13.4 Volts. If it's less than this then try reving the RPM's to like 2000rpm. You now should have at least 13.4V. If you don't then you have a problem either with the regulator or you have a bad diode.

Triumph TR7. You're a bunch of amateurs. I'm a British car guy in general but the Wedge was exactly as bad as advertised. When it couldn't keep a battery charged I converted it to a GM alternator, then the radiator fell out. A previous owner had pop-riveted a license plate over a hole in the floor. Keeping the carbs synched is a black art. The seat frame snapped as I went down the road - I later found out that it had been hose-clamped together by a previous owner. It didn't catch fire as many times as my Spitfire has, but at least the Spit is fun to drive. The headlights didn't just pop up out of sync, they popped up and *turned on* on their own.

I've also owned a Hyundai Pony and it was a Toyota Cressida next to the Wedge.

alright guys...i charged the battery and it started right up...put my meter on the batter with it running and it just kept going down in voltage over a 10 min span...so i would say the alt is bad...