ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

Here's my latest swap-meet find. A late model Alternator with stand.
Problem is...it needs a voltage regulator.

The part # seems to be "discontinued" through the VW Dealer...and nobody else seems to know where I might get such a thing.

Here's what I have....









It's not much use to me at all if there's no working Voltage regulator.

Any help is appreciated.

- Doug

One of these should work:

http://www.larrysoffroad.com/item106026.ctlg
http://www.mtmfg.com/cgi-local/displaycat.cgi?cat=155 (I've seen AL82X used for both internal- and external-regulator Bosch alternators, but since they say it's `75-`79 one would think they mean the internal - ask!).

Make sure the bearings (esp. the fan-end) are good before investing any money in it.

Thanks Marc, I was assured by the previous owner ( a co-worker and long time air-cooled VW Tech ) that this was a rebuild with new bearings throughout. It supposedly has a non-operational voltage regulator.

I'm new to Alternators, but everyone tells me that I should get the one with the "internal regulator"...I'm hoping that This alternator has the internal regulator ( I wouldn't want to buy a "brush-set" and still be without a working alternator.

I have been told by the Parts guy at the VW Dealer that the Motorola voltage regulators won't work with my unit...so I have to stick to Bosch.

Thanks for the reply...I'll research this more.

- Doug

Problem is, Bosch sometimes will use the same short number (like AL82) on two or more different products, which has made it so difficult to source the correct brushes and regulators that a lot of parts houses have given up. A regulator for a German alternator won't interchange with a Brazilian; there are at least two Brazilian units as well. The price of a new Brazilian-built alternator is so low these days that it's not too hard to upsell someone to a new one.
For example, http://www.actionimport.com/ has `em for $89
(Check out the picture there, note how much different the regulator/brushholder looks than on yours)
Even cheaper:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... p?id=99493

Here's an externally-regulated model, there's no confusing it with an internally-regulated one due to the three push-on connectors:

Thanks Marc,

It's tempting...but If I can find the 'correct' voltage regulator/brush set I'll be happier.

In the meanwhile, I still have my working generator and external voltage regulator.

- Doug