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'91 Westie with '07 Forester 2.5

 

Hello all,
Hoping someone may have an idea, been working on this for a few days with little success, and of course we are supposed to be heading out for a 6 week trip across Labrador & Newfoundland.

Had the conversion done a year ago, everything was fantastic for last year's 12,000 km trip to the west coast of BC. (Should have done the conversion year's ago)

Couple days ago was heading to the garage for a minor upgrade, when things started to 'turn off', until the van was barely able to run, battery down to ~7V.? I have a battery switch to flip between vehicle and house battery, enabling me to go the additional distance.

We have tried 4 different alternators, with the engine running all of them max 12.4 V.? Have unplugged the alternator cables so no load, still only about 12.4V.? Take them out of my van, install in another, and they go up to around 14.4V.??

Belt seems ok, cam shaft pulley also ok.

Do one of the 3 connectors on the one plug of the alternator provide some kind of V sensing where if it isn't connected or loose/corroded, so max the alternator puts out is around 12.4V?? If yes, where is the other end of that going?

Any other ideas or thoughts are much appreciated.

Joel L
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Have you Tested the primary battery with a real load tester ? is it a ¡°upgrade¡± like OPTIMA or ??

?

BTW . West coast BC? AND Newfoundland ?WOW .

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of JoelLib via groups.io
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2025 10:01 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [SubaruVanagon] '91 Westie with '07 Forester 2.5

?

Hello all,

Hoping someone may have an idea, been working on this for a few days with little success, and of course we are supposed to be heading out for a 6 week trip across Labrador & Newfoundland.

?

Had the conversion done a year ago, everything was fantastic for last year's 12,000 km trip to the west coast of BC. (Should have done the conversion year's ago)

?

Couple days ago was heading to the garage for a minor upgrade, when things started to 'turn off', until the van was barely able to run, battery down to ~7V.? I have a battery switch to flip between vehicle and house battery, enabling me to go the additional distance.

?

We have tried 4 different alternators, with the engine running all of them max 12.4 V.? Have unplugged the alternator cables so no load, still only about 12.4V.? Take them out of my van, install in another, and they go up to around 14.4V.??

?

Belt seems ok, cam shaft pulley also ok.

?

Do one of the 3 connectors on the one plug of the alternator provide some kind of V sensing where if it isn't connected or loose/corroded, so max the alternator puts out is around 12.4V?? If yes, where is the other end of that going?

?

Any other ideas or thoughts are much appreciated.

?

Joel L

?
 

Forced retirement sort of gave us the time to do these fantastic trips, we're very fortunate.

Yes, it's been tested and was good.? Not the original but an upgrade, can't recall the make and can't check as it's at the garage being figured out.

Joel L



On Fri, May 16, 2025 at 3:20?PM Dr Mark via <mark=[email protected]> wrote:

Have you Tested the primary battery with a real load tester ? is it a ¡°upgrade¡± like OPTIMA or ??

?

BTW . West coast BC? AND Newfoundland ?WOW .

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of JoelLib via
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2025 10:01 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [SubaruVanagon] '91 Westie with '07 Forester 2.5

?

Hello all,

Hoping someone may have an idea, been working on this for a few days with little success, and of course we are supposed to be heading out for a 6 week trip across Labrador & Newfoundland.

?

Had the conversion done a year ago, everything was fantastic for last year's 12,000 km trip to the west coast of BC. (Should have done the conversion year's ago)

?

Couple days ago was heading to the garage for a minor upgrade, when things started to 'turn off', until the van was barely able to run, battery down to ~7V.? I have a battery switch to flip between vehicle and house battery, enabling me to go the additional distance.

?

We have tried 4 different alternators, with the engine running all of them max 12.4 V.? Have unplugged the alternator cables so no load, still only about 12.4V.? Take them out of my van, install in another, and they go up to around 14.4V.??

?

Belt seems ok, cam shaft pulley also ok.

?

Do one of the 3 connectors on the one plug of the alternator provide some kind of V sensing where if it isn't connected or loose/corroded, so max the alternator puts out is around 12.4V?? If yes, where is the other end of that going?

?

Any other ideas or thoughts are much appreciated.

?

Joel L

?
 
Edited

It sounds like you aren¡¯t getting a proper signal to the wire that excites the electromagnet. This is wire #1 (black and white) on the green plug. This runs through the warning light and I believe something as simple as the light burning out will cause this to not function properly. Check to make sure this light is working.?
 

Blue /red sense wire goes to the battery post on alternator or to battery post on starter or to + post on battery (with 10 amp fuse like Subaru has it)
TRy running a ground wire to the alternator bracket. Maybe? your engine grounds (intake to frame or trans to frame) are inadequate.
 

Try searching theSamba forum threads with something like Subaru alternator low voltage. Here's one: ?https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=744842&highlight=subaru+low+voltage+alternator
 

Thanks much to everyone,
Problem resolved.

About a month ago I had removed the instrument cluster to fix the odometer (little white gear had come off, didn't stay on long) and when I reinstalled it, seems I scrunched one pin on the connector to the blue foil circuit.? There must have been just enough contact for the alt light to still come on, although maybe slightly dimmer.? Not sure if it was shorting out but after replacing the pin, alternator is now in the 14.5 V range.?

One item we hadn't thought of, I have a complete solar system installed, along with a Renogy MPPT Battery Charger/Solar Controller.? They are great units, but with the ability of charging both house and starter batteries from solar, our thinking is the starter battery was always charged because of the solar setup.? Short trips never drained the starter battery enough to notice any difference.? It wasn't till I drove about an hour that things started failing.

Joel L



On Fri, May 16, 2025 at 9:31?PM Wayne Sitarz via <wesitarz=[email protected]> wrote:
Try searching theSamba forum threads with something like Subaru alternator low voltage. Here's one: ?
 

Good old alt light. Glad you got it fixed.?

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