69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

[ezbtr]

A buddy of mine has a 69 VW bus that needs generator replaced/fixed. It's 12 volt. Gen. light is on and bearings are noisy. How hard is it to replace? I've worked on lots of cars just not VW's. Should I just replace bearings and brushes in gen. or whole unit($100)? How difficult? Special tools? Where good place for parts/rebuild kits? Thanks, Heinz

 

[ndemge]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

not sure... but<br /><br />www.vannin.com is a van forum I'm on, they might be of some help.

 

[deofc]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Don't have a clue how to help you....but....my favorite car ever was a old 69 VW bus (hippy van). Sold it years and years ago when it needed another rebuild job and of course kids came along. Been through a little Toyota station wagon and a 9 passenger Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser and a Chrysler Minivan and a Suburban and other vehicles since then. VW van was by far the most fun. Sorry just reminiscing(sp?). wish I could help.

 

[jinx]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

See if your friend can locate a copy of "How to Keep Your VW Alive" by John Muir. It is a classic and the best guide ever done for the old air cooled VW's.<br /><br />BTW I had a '65 Bus and a '69 Pick-up, among a bunch of other VW's in my misspent youth.<br /><br />Jinx

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

if you've repaired starters on vehicles you can do the job. should not require special tools. replace bushings & brushes. can't remember -bolt in or have to be soldered in. i used to use a 6v battery with jumper cables & a carbonarc rod.<br /><br />if they want to keep the vw, i'd convert it to alternator. you could try to find alternator & fan shroud off another vw. i can't remember if the alt i put on my 69ghia had regulator built-in or external. if external, you'll have to swap that also. <br /><br />its been a long while since i worked on gens/alts so you'll have to verify all this with other sources

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Cut my teeth on Porsche/VW's before crossing over to Mercedes Benz.<br /><br />It's easier to remove the carburetor, remove the front half of the generator pully, loosen the clamp around the generator and stand. Take the two screws out at both sides of the fan housing. Carefully raise the housing just enough to remove the 4 screws at the outer plate.<br />This is a flatrate secret. Put a 36mm socket on a good ratchet, reach around the housing and place it on the fan nut. At the fan belt side and the rear half of the pully that is still on the generator, use a good wrench on it to loosen the fan nut holding the 36mm socket/ratchet in place.<br />The object is to remove the fan nut, leaving the fan in the housing, so the generator and the plate will simply lift out. Pay close attention , there will be shims between the fan and the hub. Put the same ones back when you go back together.<br /><br />ebb's right about the alternator, but I believe you have to replace the generator stand and clamp also.<br /><br />Last one I did was back in the early '80's and could do the entire job in an hour flatrating. <br />I can see it taking 3-4 hours for someone doing it the first time.<br />I could go blind today and still rebuild an old aircooled VW bumper to bumper.

 

[jimchere]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Ahh the air cooled VW. These things are a lot of fun to tinker with. Skinnywater did a good job summing it up. It isn't a tough job if you are somewhat inclined to working on cars and have basic metric tools.<br />Someone above mentioned the John Muir book "How to Keep your VW Alive." That's a good basic book for the novice and would get you and your friend up to speed on the construction/layout of the bus and basic tricks. If your buddy really wants to keep that thing ticking, though, he really needs the best book, which is the "Bentley's Volkswagen Station Wagon/Bus: Official Service Manual Type 2, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 by Inc. Volkswagen of America.<br />I've had a couple of bugs in the past and my daily driver now is a '74 VW Karmann Ghia. THe Bentley manual tells you everything you need to know and has very detailed excellent procedures.<br />Yes you can rebuild the gen, many parts sources are on the web. Of importance when you reinstall, remember its a gen, not an alt. You have to "polarize" it before reinstalling.<br />Here's a great old style bulletin board for ACVWs with very helpful people. Feel free to go to this site and ask questions, they're great folks:<br /> http://www.oroad.com/volkswebbin/wall/technical/index.mv

 

[ezbtr]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Got skunked, tried to loosen rear 36 mm, no luck even when using screwdriver to hold crank pulley. Tension on fan belt obviously not enough to break loose 36 mm by fan. Buddy was doing most, but I tried too, what did I miss? 69 VW 12 volt bus. Weird. Did get outer pulley off but no help. Manual wasn't real good. From what I saw have to leave outer on and get back first, damn tight in there. He's gonna take to shop, I kinda got "volunteered" into this , I've never worked on buses, a few Bugs years ago, mostly domestics and Toyotas. Heinz

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Heinz,<br />The generator pulley, take the nut off of it. Remove the front half of the pulley, the shims and the fan belt. Now you'll see a place on the back section of the pulley that has two flat sides. A wrench can be put there. <br />Loosen the 36mm nut by jambing the ratchet with the 36mm socket in place while loosening with the wrench from the front side at the pulley.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Just curious, which engine is it? Type I with the upright fan housing? Or is it the 2.0 pancake engine Type IV?

 

[ezbtr]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

It is type 1 with upward fan shroud, 4 cyl 1600? As far as I know all VW bugs/busses older 50's 70's are pancake 4's. Generator did NOT have a spot on front pulley to hold w/ wrench, thats why I took off front pulley to check. Weird! I've never been skunked before and I'm 39!

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Heinz, if the generator pulley doesn't have a the area I'm talking about then it has two metal tangs that protrude through the front half of the pulley. Reassemble the pulley. You notice two slots behind the rear section of the pulley. This is a place to jamb the pulley with a stout screwdriver to keep it from turning while loosing from the rear.<br />If that fan nut doesn't come soon, a lot more proceedure is needed to raise the fan housing far enough to remove the fan attatched to the generator. Possibly opening a can of worms in the way of josseling those old hard and brittle oil cooler seals into leaking.<br />I'll offer this to you. If you think those bearings will last up I-5 to RedBluff, I'll change out that generator right here in my garage, next Saturday, NO charge. <br />Keep me posted.<br /><br /> ebb, might as well bring that old Jeep over to!

 

[ezbtr]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Boy thanks for info, but boy it just wasn't happening yesterday I would have loved for someone who had experience for the help, my buddy would have greatly appreciated it, was only running car, think he got other one today., He's either gonna ebay bus or get mechanic to fix and then sell. Thabnks lots though, Heinz

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

yehaa! skinny don't tempt me i fired up the jeep over the weekend - now wifie sez it shakes the whole house, so i guess i will be converting it back to full exhaust sometime soon. i still haven't attmptd to fix the leaks on the rear axle. <br /><br />well heinz, i had deleted something in my 1st post - you really need to practice yoga before working on vw's, caz you gotta be reeeeeal flexible i did alot of electrical work, and helped a man who had a vw junkyard, on the side. if he had much to do to an engine, we'd just drop the whole thing out. 4 engine bolts, a fuel line, throttle cable & clutch cable. but you gotta be able to jack up the vehicle really high to get the booger out.<br />-it always seems the simple jobs are the hardest

 

[ezbtr]

Re: 69 VW bus , gen. bad, how hard to fix/.replace , what $ ?

Originally posted by ebb:<br />yehaa! skinny don't tempt me i fired up the jeep over the weekend - now wifie sez it shakes the whole house, so i guess i will be converting it back to full exhaust sometime soon. i still haven't attmptd to fix the leaks on the rear axle. <br /><br />well heinz, i had deleted something in my 1st post - you really need to practice yoga before working on vw's, caz you gotta be reeeeeal flexible i did alot of electrical work, and helped a man who had a vw junkyard, on the side. if he had much to do to an engine, we'd just drop the whole thing out. 4 engine bolts, a fuel line, throttle cable & clutch cable. but you gotta be able to jack up the vehicle really high to get the booger out.<br />-it always seems the simple jobs are the hardest

Trust me I was rdy to drop her! Lots easier to get to stuff, I just didnt have time, wife & kids coming home, you know thee drill, again, I have never been skunked, but I also didnt have the time I needed either Thanks tho, Heinz