Bosch Alternator sounds like it is full of crickets

we have gen brushes, but not alt brushes. You may be able to source what you
need at an alternator rebuilding company (that's where I used to get mine).

John
Aircooled.Net Inc.

"KWW" > wrote in message
news:fBiud.217400$HA.21674@attbi_s01...
> Don't they have alt brushes on Aircooled.net or something? They do have
> generator brushes.
>
> I have checked and it isn't the fan shroud rubbing.
> It isn't a belt making noise... although my "custom oil misting" feature
is
> back even though I made sure the gen/alt stand, distributor, and fuel pump
> seals were in ship shape. Maybe the case breather hose is too stretched
and
> is gunked up with sludge. But I digress.
>
> The noise is definitely coming FROM the alternator. Another way to
describe
> the noise is a rhythmic version of the sound nails would make in a coffee
> can when you shake it. Sort of a metalic cricket noise.... constant
unless
> revving.
>
> I am hoping that it is not dying because the receipt for the alternator is
> one of a very very very small handfull of receipts I don't have from ALL
> purchases over the past few years (I keep EVERY receipt).
>
> --
> KWW
> '65 Beetle (Jenny the IOC)
> '64 Beetle (TBD the Blue Wave)
> "Seth Graham" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On 2004-12-09, Ben Boyle > wrote:
> >
> >> I went to a local alternator guy and he found some Mitsubishi brushes
> >> that would fit and sent me on my way for $15. I didn't have to locate
> >> parts, nor did I have to put them in. That is value to me.
> >
> >
> > Pardon the thread hijack, but I got a question about this. A ways back
> > I was given an alternator that was missing it's brushes (the entire
> > fitting that is) but had never been used in a vehicle. Not a bosch
> > rebuild either, was a brand new unit. Since free and new is a damn
> > good price, I didn't ask questions.
> >
> > At any rate, I've made some spotted efforts in the past to get just
> > the brushes so I could have a complete unit on hand as spare, with no
> > luck. I dug up the plastic piece at one point so I'm almost there.
> >
> > My question is if there is some "standard" to brushes that I could use
> > to find replacements. Can I use anything that fits, if I find it?
> >
> > Is there some readily available substitute that people commonly use?
> >
> > Every business I've asked has basically told me to just buy a new
> > alternator, which kind of misses the point.
> >
>
>

On 9 Dec 2004 20:08:42 GMT Seth Graham > wrote:

>Is there some readily available substitute that people commonly use?
>
>Every business I've asked has basically told me to just buy a new
>alternator, which kind of misses the point.

I have a number of different Bosch brushes. At one time I needed
brushes in a hurry and just bought a set at my local FLAPS. It's
possible that no one will carry them anymore, but I suspect that you
just haven't asked the right places yet.

Try looking in the yellow pages under automotive electric and call the
nearest shop to see if they can sell you what you need.

BTW, are you sure you just need the brushes? Only the very earliest
Bosch alternators used external voltage regulators; all the rest have
an internal regulator which includes the brushes.

What's the Bosch part # for your alternator?

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

On 2004-12-10, Jim Adney > wrote:
> On 9 Dec 2004 20:08:42 GMT Seth Graham > wrote:
>
>>Is there some readily available substitute that people commonly use?
>>
>>Every business I've asked has basically told me to just buy a new
>>alternator, which kind of misses the point.
>
> I suspect that you just haven't asked the right places yet.

A distinct possibility, or I am not persistent enough. I only
get pushy with things that I can use a wrench on.

> BTW, are you sure you just need the brushes?

As sure as I'm gonna get.. the plastic piece that holds the brushes
has no circuitry on it except for two push-on tabs that connect
to wires inside the alternator.

It's a Bosch AL82N (N specifying new, would be an X if it was a
rebuild).

On 13 Dec 2004 19:52:12 GMT Seth Graham > wrote:

>It's a Bosch AL82N (N specifying new, would be an X if it was a
>rebuild).

That's rather odd. New Bosch parts would have a 10 digit Bosch part
number. I thought that they only got the AL numbers when they were
rebuilt. Bosch generally funnels several equivalent OE numbers into a
single AL number when they rebuild them. None of my Bosch price lists
show an N suffix for these. They are all X, like you say.

I have seen new parts come thru sometimes as rebuilds. This was
explained to me as "priming the pump" when they ran short of cores.
They still came with X on them, however. Odd....

At any rate, I would need the Bosch 10 digit alternator part number to
cross reference a brush set for you.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

On 2004-12-14, Jim Adney > wrote:
>
> That's rather odd. New Bosch parts would have a 10 digit Bosch part
> number. I thought that they only got the AL numbers when they were
> rebuilt.

Well I'll have to admit my claim is based on some googling I did last
time I was looking it up. Since the internet isn't exactly a
storehouse of accurate information what I know may be suspect. Without
knowing better I accepted it as fact until better information could
present itself.

> At any rate, I would need the Bosch 10 digit alternator part number to
> cross reference a brush set for you.

Oh, if that's what you were driving at by asking for the number
I would have held off posting until I got all the info. I thought
you were just curious where the regulator was.

sorry.

Full part number is 9 120 080 122, it's Brazil made.

On 15 Dec 2004 16:30:55 GMT Seth Graham > wrote:

>On 2004-12-14, Jim Adney > wrote:

>> At any rate, I would need the Bosch 10 digit alternator part number to
>> cross reference a brush set for you.

>Full part number is 9 120 080 122, it's Brazil made.

That number doesn't appear anywhere in my Bosch parts cross listings,
but I DO see that number in the price list. There's no price next to
it, however....

The best I could do would be to get dimensions from you, but I still
think your best bet would be to take it (or just the brush holder) to
an automotive electric shop and let them find brushes that fit.
There's nothing magic about them; all you need is the right size.

German Bosch alternators used very few different brushes. I have just
2 or 3 different ones, and those may cover the whole range.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

On 2004-12-16, Jim Adney > wrote:
>
> There's no price next to it, however....

Maybe it's a freebie.. that's how much I paid for mine.

> think your best bet would be to take it (or just the brush holder) to
> an automotive electric shop and let them find brushes that fit.

That's what I've long assumed, but since the topic of brushes came
up in a thread I thought I'd ask anyways. Thanks for trying.