[T3] Re/ Car Wont Start

[Jim Adney]

On 25 Oct 2014 at 20:39, J. Jonik wrote:

> I lost a little screw...one that attaches a generator brush.   But
> another spare screw for that replaced the lost one.  Nothing missing in
> generator.    Trouble is...that little lost screw MAY still be in the
> generator, and won't shake out. I understand there IS a magnet or two
> inside there.  Is that right?  If that screw is stuck on it (or one of
> them), would that explain the Gen Light staying on?   (There's no
> binding turning the generator by hand.)

There's no actual magnet inside the generator, but the housing and 
pole pieces are slightly magnetic, so it's POSSIBLE that the screw is 
in there, but I doubt it.

> Will I have to take apart the generator to be sure that lost screw
> isn't inside?

I don't recommend it. There are tricks to taking it apart and putting 
it back together to get everything working correctly and not shorting 
out.

> Re/ Voltage Regulator.   I did happen to put a spare one in during the
> "discovery" process, but it had no effect getting car started.   Maybe
> it wasn't a good one?   Could the odd symptom of having DIM,
> headlights and tail lights have been caused by bad voltage
> regulator?   If not, what else?  

The VR and generator are completely out of the picture when you're 
trying to start your engine. They don't do anything until the engine 
is running. If ALL your lights were dim with the engine running that 
could be a bad VR. If ALL your lights are dim with the engine off, 
that would just be a somewhat discharged battery.

If only SOME of your lights are dim, engine running or not, that 
means there's a bad connection somewhere in the circuit that supplies 
only THOSE lights.

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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