check charging voltage at alternator and battery.
if it's 'battery voltage' like say 12.3 volts..
the alternator is not charging.
assuming it's being driven by the belt and spinning away nicely.

I never check for voltage at that blue wire.

I believe you year van  can have a simple bad connection in the main 12
volt wires..
like juice gets to where it should to run things ..
but not connect to the alternator.
have read about it and seen it a few times.

the essential main battery connections are at the battery, at the
starter solenoid.
at the post in the black junction box in the engine compartment, and at
the alternator.
You could have a bad connection somewhere along that path.
I've even seen where just wiggling the main positive wire at the
alternator would make it work again.

always keep 'grounds' in mind too, just in case.

scott
www.turbovans.com

On 7/9/2012 2:35 PM, Gene P wrote:
> 87 Wolfsburg
> Runs fine, but battery & OXS lights on all the time = blue alt wire
> issue, right?
> But never mind the wire, there is no power to the spade terminal on the
> alternator that blue wire attaches to -- key on or engine running, no
> power to that terminal.
>
> Is there a better answer than alt gone over the hill?
>