Alternator OEM Volvo or OEM Volkswagen

Sorry for the late reply. just to go ahead and close this out, it was a bad alternator. Took the 400 dollar hit to my wallet and bought a new one. Spent a few hours yesterday replacing it. So far I've driven it about 30 miles without the battery light coming back on. Thanks everyone for the help.

I'm using a MK2 Golf alternator. It has the correct mount width, and has the right frame to mate up with the nice rack and pinion style adjustment bracket also from the MK2 Golf.

The tech who replaced my alternator (@10K mi) left his permanent fingerprints on my hood...have to try to buff it out. Apart from the bad alternator documented in another thread (hopefully a one-off), the car has been great (especially in winter) - no leaks, no sunroof issues, buzzing, rattling, vibrations, etc.

Those alternators are damn near bulletproof, it’s the voltage regulators that crap out. If it were me, I’d keep the OEM unit, replace the pulley, and swap out the voltage regulator while I was at it.

First, if your alternator is putting out 13.8V while the car is running, your alternator is fine. Period. If your battery passes a load test after being fully charged, it is fine.

I've had 3 issues with the car: 3. recently - replace alternator (the car just knows I'm about to retire it).

okay so i installed an alternator in my car yesterday, boosted it, let the battery charge a bit, removed jumpers...car stalled.

Upon only 3 days of ownership, the alternator went out due to the battery going bad, that took out the internal voltage regulator.

the car is a 1996 golf gl, 5 speed, with A/C (this is relevant to the alternator spec) Original problem, car not charging and replacement alternators were no good

I have a 99.5 vr6 2.8 afp and missing a alternator ground i think I am getting 20 intermittent ground fault codes and the kid i bought the car from had a alternator put in.