Voltage Regulators - Alternator Internal

Tom,

I'm not attempting to hijack your thread, but I have an odd question relevant to your post; do you have any idea how hot your Bosch alternator runs (or what an acceptable temp is for an alternator)? After my alternator rebuild, I've been checking mine after driving, and it seems hot (to hot to touch hot). As that's something I never really thought much about in my years of driving my Bug, I have nothing really to go by, so I'm curious what you've experienced.

Thanks,
-David

Only alt Im runnin is on a Baja ! Just too add to this post here ? It doesnt get Hott !
Just how hot are you guy's talkin ?
  Does it smell like a Drill Burnin up ! Cause you can smell Solder right before it Liquify's !
  Also Bronze Bushing's have a distinct smell to them also !
  Also like to add here that an Imbalance in the Cooling fann can cause heat in a Gen/ Alt ,
  The typical scenario here is a Vw will runn for 2 or 3 year's around town , short trip's etc.
  Then Jump out on the freeway , and Runn 70 MPH trying to get out of State as in Burn a Tank of Fuel at 70 MPH Stop , re- fuel go again ?
  This is where the out of Balance fann will manifest itself , as a burned up Bushing ! You can smell um when they go ! Especially if the Heater is runnin !!
  Can tell you , that almost all Alt / Gen's that keep goin out periodically as in I just put a rebuilt Gen on my Ride last year and it's out again ! Rebuilt Gen's / Alt's are Junk Statement's !
  Been my experience it's an imbalance or bent / warped fann ! This is typicall V.W . Woe ! Minute some one start's tellin me that they putt 2 or 3 Gen's on there V.W in the Last 2 or 3 year's and it keep's blowin them out !
  My brain say's it's the Fann !!
  Balanced and welded fann's are availiable ! Good investement if you want too really drive your V.W. as in Cross Country Mardi Gra or Wood Stock etc.
  Also I should mention here that the Slot in the fann shroud plate has to go down too cool the Bearing and the Exterior Hole in the Fann shroud plate on a Alt goe's up !
  Also it is best to use a presett Impact on the Fann shroud Nut ! This eliminate's some one having to crank it down with a large wratchett or breaker bar as this can warp and or bend both fann and Alt / Gen Shaft !
  I flipp pulley end up in a Vice then hit the fann nut with an impact ! Great care should be used when installing the fann !
  Other trick's I use is a dabb of Permatex aviation on the key way and fann dog over the shaft !
  Other thing's to also consider here are both the crank and Gen/ Alt belt pulley's !
Cause they runn for year's around town , and the Local Vicinity's !
  But jump out on the Freeway and try to Leave the State , where Higher steadier RPM' is Sustained for 3 - 5 hour's at a wack ??
  Chance's are you will be replaceing the Alt / Gen about your second or third tank full !
   Typical V.W. Woe !
                                              Sean

Hi Sean,

Could you help clarify that for me? I have the slot pointing down, but don't understand what you mean by the exterior hole in the fan shroud plate (sorry, the coffee's just not kicking in today). Oh, and the fan is straight and torqued down to 45 lbs.

Burr, I'd say the alternator's as hot as the dipstick (bear in mind that the only time I could do the "dipstick test" was when I had kitchen calloused hands, so the dipstick has been "too hot" in not only my own car but other VW's I've used that test on over the years now). There's no hot smell, and I'm getting a good reading from my volt/ohm meter.

Thanks,
-David

The Mexis use a "fan-pulley" on the alternator to aid in airflow through the alternator and cooling. This is available from aircooled.net also.