Some notes for replacing the original 65A Alternator with a generic Bosch AL 33X 90A in a Diesel Vanagon.

Recap from earlier posts: My regulator brushes wore short some time ago. I was debating whether to just replace the regulator, rebuilt the alternator myself (new sliprings and bearings) or buy a rebuilt.

In the end I decided to upgrade to the 90A Bosch AL33X. There's also an AL27, which may have the same size. Both of those are supposed to be generic replacements (come without pulley) for 025903023EX that is the alternator in the newer gas Vanagons, but they are larger than the 068903017MX fitted in the Diesel Vanagon.

Fitting the AL 33X required some small changes:

The diametre is significantly larger than the original. I swapped the original cast mount for a mount I had found some time ago in another Diesel Vanagon. The second mount is wider and has two holes so that the belt tensioner can be placed at two different diametres. I still had to make a custom piece to mate the alternator with the tensioner.

The flange to pulley distance on the Al33X was a few mm smaller than the original so belts didn't line up. Luckily removing one washer from the pulley fixed this.

Then I struggled for a while to get the pulley on without wobbling. Thought the shaft of the rebuilt alternator might not be straight. However the problem turned out to be that the locknut supplied with the AL33X, while small enough to fit over the threaded part, it got stuck on the shaft beyond the threads. Changed to a larger ID washer and pulley was straight.

The belt needs to be slightly longer for easy fitting. Hope it will be possible to buy a 10mm or so longer belt. (In the local FLAPS they can only seem to locate parts based on vehicle type, not dimensions or specs...)

Electric terminals needed changing from the plug style on the 65A to individual connectors on the 90A, but that was easy.

Martin (and '82 Westy 1.9TD "Poppie")