Volkswagen Alternator Rebuild / Restoration

This week i tackle the rebuild / restoration of an old Volkswagen alternator i had lying around.
It might sound like a simple job but there are lots of parts that all require different processes to restore back to there former glory so anyway lets crack on with the description.
First job was to actually find the alternator buried amongst all my other old parts, once located i took it the the bench and had a good look at it to make sure it was actually worth saving and obviously it was or there wouldn't be a video above this haha.
Once i knew the type of alternator i was dealing with i ordered up some new bearings, voltage regulator with brushes and a new capacitor. Then i set about tearing the unit down this was easy enough using a variety of sockets, hammers and impact screwdrivers.
Once apart it was very clear that this alternator has seen many hours and miles of use as the brushes were almost entirely worn away and the bearings were starting to grumble. The first job i tackled was the clean all the grime off the casings and stator ring before moving onto blasting them clean with the media blaster.
Then i moved onto polishing the casings up with several different wire brushes to restore the alloy to its pre used condition. This made a massive difference to the look and feel of the alternator.
After that i made up a rust eating solution with DEOX C and soaked all the fixings in it overnight to remove all traces of rust that would interfere with the finish and performance of the zinc coating in the next step.
While the rust eater was doing its thing i moved onto painting the stator , rotor and pulley but before painting anything that needed to be masked off was masked off, Including the face on the pulley where the fan belt runs as this would just get chewed up instantly y the belt when refitted.
I came back the next morning the retrieve the parts from the rust eater and to zinc plate all other parts that required a zinc and yellow passivate finish. After this was done i left the passivate to cure and came back the next day to start reassembling the unit with the new and restored parts.
And for those of you wondering if the unit works, I encourage you to watch some of my other restorations and ask yourself " would he really restore an item that wouldn't work again?" ;)
As always i hope you enjoyed the video and if you are interested there are several links below that may interest you .
RRC
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A new addition to my videos from now on will be a water mark and my channel name popping up in random places throughout the video as im getting rather tired of people re-uploading my content as their own i hope you guys understand.
If you like what you see and have any ideas for the channel or would even like to donate something to restore to the channel please get in touch. :)
And as usual if you liked the video please like share and subscribe and help the channel grow.
If you would like to help support the channel you can find my patreon account here- / rrcrestoration
More videos can be found here- / @rrcrestoration
#Restoration #Volkswagen #Alternator
Really Random Channel
Volkswagen Alternator Rebuild / Restoration

[@RRCRestoration]

Hey Guys, As you have probably noticed already i have updated the channel name and logo. The channel is no longer Really Random Channel it is now RRC Restoration. Just incase you were wondering why the water marks in the video still say Really Random Channel. Enjoy.

[@DarkFilmDirector]

5:19 is brilliant. No one else I've watched actually labels what parts we are looking at on screen. Really helps with understanding the process and how the parts work.

[@Fractal_CZ]

Besides the amazing work, I truly admire the amount of talking.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@jameznm]

It was nice not to hear crappy back ground music too.

[@Fractal_CZ]

James Mitchell indeed!

[@jasonphillips3865]

Your skills, patience and attention to detail embarrasses us lesser mortals.

[@RRCRestoration]

Aww shucks your too kind :)

[@PeteBeardsley]

@@RRCRestoration What Jason said! ^^^^^

[@ulrichpawlak5438]

@@RRCRestoration no

[@RonaldFinger]

Chucking the pulley into the drill press is a great trick! I wish I would’ve done that when I restored my crank and water pump pulleys

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you, Im glad i could share my knowledge with you. I like your channel lots of interesting content.

[@klave8511]

Ronald Finger. I recently had to replace a belt that was “stretched”. Turns out that one pulley had a rough surface and was eroding the belt. I now have to take it off to either replace the pulley or clean up the inside surface as was done her, it’s good to see a simple way to do it!

[@Tmrfe0962]

Wow....you always out do yourself and as a minor restoration guy, mostly cleaning...lol...I am in awe of your attention to detail and authenticity. Thank you

[@haithamkittana5411]

Good job man. I like watching people fixing and rebuilding things which has a huge benefits on my carrier. Thanks man a keep going forward.

[@coolissimo69]

I never though an alternator could be so pretty. Great job.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much :)

[@whiskeybluez]

I was going to buy new but after watching this vid I stripped mine. Got new Bosch regulator and bearings. Could have never done it without you ✌️✌️✌️

[@azizhachimi8744]

Did I tell you Sir that you are an ARTIST! This alternator is now better than original...it will produce higher voltage...! You deserve an OSCAR for restoration! Cheers from Montreal!

[@jaiprakashn9686]

You are amazing RRC, Restoration, no one given Demo like this, your equipment's superb to restoration any thing in machineries, excellent learning concept, 👍🏿

[@michaelmontgomery5818]

Clicked on it right away. This is the first alternator rebuild I've seen in any restorations vids. Beautiful, meticulous work from you, as always.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much, Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@verygoodvibes]

man, thats the best alternator restore and rebuild ive ever seen, and ive seen a few. you sir are a master plain and true. subscribed!

[@williamlee1429]

Your initiative to tear into that thing is incredible. I haven't restored one in 40 years I just buy a new one outright. They seem to be so common anymore they won't even take a core in. The 6 volt generator for my tractor oh, well that's an entirely different story.

[@bubblehead78]

Superb video! Very relaxing and well made; great camera work; no artificial sounds. I've subscribed and will be watching for more like this. Thank you.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you so much for subscribing it means a lot to me :)

[@mavos1211]

Such a great video, In a throw away society it’s great to see someone promoting Restoration.

[@RRCRestoration]

Nice to see you again, glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@persona83]

Thanks for the parts overview, and with part names. Most restorations videos forget this little detail.

[@RRCRestoration]

No problem, Glad you liked it :)

[@garymucher9590]

I did the exact same thing to a GM alternator. And it looks like new also. I even changed the commutator rings as well. But I don't have anything to put it on now. So I may try to use it to build a AC generator with a gas engine. Thumbs Up for your project!

[@djpat5998]

The damn alternator probably look better than the car it's going on.

[@RRCRestoration]

Not going to lie your totally correct its going on an old VW van haha

[@chrismoule1]

Most probably worth more than the van as well

[@keithameerali9474]

The inner core looks new because he did no t show if he replaced the commutator. Finally he should say or show if it works because the title mentioned :restoration : Do not your leave your viewers to wonder since you are asking for subscribers.

[@MrBlue-ib7oi]

@@keithameerali9474 you would ruin a wet dream, wouldn't you?

[@keithameerali9474]

@@MrBlue-ib7oi Hope you are not Martin Luther King reincarnated.

[@cosmicallyderived]

Superb restoration. I would have really enjoyed a bit more pedagogical annotations like you had with the acid bath and rinse captions. Some demonstration of testing the alternator as failed and which parts were failed would have been great too. I'm not too familiar with alternator design but you certainly seem to know your way around one. Good stuff.

[@bradleyleben7785]

Great restoration! That’s the way this old mechanic likes to see it done!👍

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@Oberkommando]

Yessss car parts restoration are the ones I like the most. Keep up the amazing work

[@RRCRestoration]

More car parts coming soon ;) Glad you enjoyed this one :)

[@michaelmontgomery5818]

I'm with you. I know jack about mechanics. I really love watching guys who know this stuff.

[@SE45CX]

It take some time to get there considering equipment, skill and good judgement what is best to do next.

[@cg9542]

I wish I had your equipment, knowledge and confidence. I am currently working on a 2.0 conversion on my mk2 golf valver. But I always seem to have such little confidence although I know I can do it I always wonder if I will remember where every nut bolt and washer goes lol. Great job man your videos are awsome 🤘👍🍺

[@jimflaherty2678]

A light coat of a poly clear will keep the die castings bright and shiny for years.

[@yvesdesrosiers2396]

Nice job! That was an empowering video. Doh!! Thanks for sharing.

[@timbarnes2884]

While I think your videos are amazing. I love your self confidence and how the guys with low self confidence try and shoot down your videos and it does not even generate a reaction from you! Your a machine!

[@macvanbus142]

Thank you for the in-depth details video, also what make it special is absence of background music. Good professional work.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much! :)

[@karenrobb9612]

another brilliant restoration! well done, sir!

[@AlanMedina314]

Excellent restoration. To the point and in detail.

[@gus6rocks]

Wow, you put that back together with new brushes on SERIOUSLY worn slip rings. Good job spoilt.

[@alexreeve]

its the paint and polish youtube thing. no one cares if it is gonna work or not, just has to look pretty :D

[@vonfleppestein]

the slip rings on those old bosch alternators are 6mm thick and only worn like 3mm it will last longer than the vw mk2 golf it will go on

[@CrazyCat229]

Yup, people watch youtube. Oh I can do that. I dont need no mechanic. Brings it to me on tow truck. I dont understand why it doesnt run, I did everything just like the youtube guy did... ?!?!

[@wetdedstuocm]

Now this to me was very interesting. I have refurbished generators, and magnetos, in my time but never a alternator.. Nice Work.. Peace

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you, Im very glad you found it interesting :)

[@EasternNCSportbikes]

Great video, glad to see someone else using some quality tools in these restoration videos lol.

[@willieessmann780]

Well done! The first person on the restoration channels I saw to actually use a bearing press!!

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you, If a jobs worth doing it worth doing well :)

[@ronaldyoungberg9933]

@@RRCRestoration that is a value my father taught me it is not taught to today's students at all.

[@jasoncdebussy]

Top quality work as always - love your videos! 👍😊

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank very much :)

[@jerryalexander3515]

I really learned a lot by watching your video. Great job!

[@jameznm]

Would have been great to see you spin it up connected to a multi meter :)

[@Portfelio]

Yea. Curious to see how much life it has in it.

[@cheriachenthoppil916]

Like your tool kit and neat handling of them

[@habakanaba]

Looks brand new!!! Wow! Great job man!!!

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much :)

[@another1commenter770]

Wow good restore. Overall 10/10. If you ever do one again however replace the slipring while you are at it. Also when reassembling the alternator fit the bearing to the drive end housing and fit its retaining plate and screws. then press the assembled drive end housing onto the rotor by supporting the inner race with the press fit washer that sits between the bearing and the fan. on disassembly if not too rusted its easier to press the rotor out of the bearing while its retained in the drive bracket then it is to pull it off after however if its rusted then deformation of the bearing retaining plate is at risk with the force of the press. The alternator is a bosch N1 series from the late 80's and fits a lot of 1985-1995 VW's and Audi's. The pulley changes between a lot of models but the core alternator is the same. They can charge when spun in both directions however the fan is directional and cooling efficiency will suffer when spun counter clockwise (when looking from the pulley side).

[@user-dx6pt9oo6h]

Hi bro 👋👋👋 glad to see your new restoration video, great job 👍👍👍

[@RRCRestoration]

Nice to see you again, I hope you enjoyed this video :)

[@rvandijk65]

beautiful. compliments!!! . better than new. regulator hopefully new as they are a common breakdown part.

[@chriswills9530]

As ever, intrigued and interested by the zinc plating and passivating to save the bolts and nuts. Interesting as well to see some pretty anonymous, work-a-day tools and plastic tubs and then a Snap On torque wrench. Interesting.

[@milanfanas]

It simply looks amazing

[@leehodge2415]

i have that 3/8" torque wrench. awesome job on the restore.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@jsking306]

Just found your channel and subscribed. You do amazing work...

[@MatthewPierce9]

Just found this. Thank you. These are awesome. Great rebuild work, editing, and camera work. What cleaning mix did you soak the nuts and bolts in?

[@gengenisis4410]

its always a pleasure to see your great work man. 100

[@JohnMcMahon.]

So satisfying to watch. It’s like watching the Germans with their attention to detail. I love it.

[@RRCRestoration]

High praise indeed ;)

[@gpz550a2]

Very therapeutic to watch. 🙂👍

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you ,Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@robozstarrr8930]

nice, from years of owning air & water cooled VWs, helps to add 2 or 3 extra ground wires ( 10/12 AWG ) to the chassis/engine and alternator, expecially if alternator " iso-mounted "( rabbits/golf vintage ) with that crappy single braided wire on the bottom of the Alternator exposed to road dirt/water, salt/ etc. ... ( design flaw ) Cheers

[@damiancristin1790]

The electric coil you placed directly on the metal when washing. Affects the insulating lake of wires

[@adriannesz3508]

My car MK2 (VW Golf in Mexico) uses that alternator.😃 Great job.

[@SportsHighlights20]

Awesome job keep up a good content love watching this video.

[@danielsonyShima5]

awesome work bro! luv all of your videos!

[@HashimMehmoodAhmed]

One of your best works... subscribed 👍🏽

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much for watching and subscribing :)

[@truegrip2281]

Please make a dedicated detailed video about your zinc plating process ! I'm really interested about the composition of your zinc bath

[@RRCRestoration]

Hi, Im planning on doing a plating video soon ;)

[@maycogaming5180]

Que gran trabajo aquí como siempre dando mi like para que sigas creciendo amigó

[@RRCRestoration]

gracias :)

[@mutley748916]

I always hold my breath when you spray paint haha

[@andreicleiton3565]

Só nice, great work man!

[@0sir1sBaez]

Told you people would love it brotha!!! Thank you for this video!!!

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you for leaving a comment and watching :)

[@McTroyd]

Very nice! Did you also happen to check the rectifier diodes (on the backplate you soldered to)? I understand those will burn out in a rough-used alternator.

[@horstszibulski19]

Oh yes, there is always one stubborn bolt, so true! :-D These regulators...I had one on a VW T3 diesel bus, always one of the flat copper lines broke from vibrations, left me with uncharged battery...check for it, if the generator light won`t come on by turning the key...easy fix with some soldering! Thx for the vid, great job! :-D

[@MrLuigi77047]

Beautiful job at restoration. But I would have loved to see some amperage coming out of that masterpiece on a test jig. After all functionality is more important than beauty.

[@lukeromeril]

Excellent video, superb calm approach. What was the solution used to clean up the bolts?

[@zafs3005]

Really enjoyed the video as I will be doing same shortly big help also if you could give us a bit more info on the zinc plating method ie: solution Degreasing Which acid for etching And which yellow passivate you used Would be great help because I have watched a few video on zinc plating but your finish is by far better. Thanks again

[@youssefnajih2196]

Bon travail je vous félicite👍👍

[@Ermakof]

Всё здорово, НО... Медные втулки (токоприёмники) нужно было выровнять. Щётки будут неплотно прилегать. А вообще их лучше заменить.

[@romanshmel6755]

и это самое важное, помимо проверки изоляции на сопротивление и замены щеток. не реставрация, а оцередное отмыл-покрасил

[@user-hu2ic6yq9g]

Хомячки схавают

[@ww321]

Use Mother's Back to Black on your plastic parts. I've been using it for years and it's the best I've ever found for bringing new life to plastic..

[@waterheaterservices]

Thank you. Will give it a try.

[@riky1113]

bonjour super travail magnifique quel professionnalisme

[@Garth2011]

Interesting cleaning job. What was the white powder used with the hot water for the bolts? Especially liked the yellow coating to make visible parts look new.

[@kevins.7990]

Love your channel you do amazing work. I enjoy seeing the things you bring back to life. I noticed you never put back the washer for the outer side of the large bearing on the pulley end. Unless it was done off-camera. I'm curious if you would share as to what solution you use to clean the rust off the bolts?

[@diabolo3506]

I also noticed the absence of this large washer during reassembly.

[@bojidarvasilev8854]

Super restoration 👏👏👏👍👍👍

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@johnblanton9969]

Excellent job....I always look forward to your videos....There are only a handful of "restorers" on youtube that I consider "craftsmen". You are one of them.

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much for your kind comment :)

[@luisgoncalves1964]

Amazing ! Well done !

[@manojarya9208]

Mastermind good awesome amazing Knowledgeable great Hatts off.....God bless u....

[@karguy1720]

Spectacular work!

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@BaoBao-yu5bu]

Yes, spectacular, very spectacular, but wrongly done. It's not a repair, just a show. Many mistakes, no controls, no tests, just a beautiful painting.

[@Kai77884]

Hello a great video and a perfect work👍👍👍👍from Germany 🇩🇪 👋👋👋Kai

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you very much :)

[@joevelasquez2090]

Great videos man! What did you soak the bolts in to clean them?

[@JS-ri2rx]

Excellent job

[@fargogemini694]

Did this for a living before I started training as a mechanic and never seen a pulley come off that easy

[@RRCRestoration]

I know exactly what you mean i was anticipating a fight with it but it genuinely came off that easy, Im as shocked as you are haha

[@another1commenter770]

The bosch alternators when made to suit a keyway and not using the key will tend to be easy to remove the pully. The washer that sits under the fan (above the bearing) is a different story, its a press fit component that acts as a space and dust/oil thrower. Most the time a press or puller depending on method is required for removal.

[@briangreen6602]

Love the work, but consider sending the ally parts out for vapour blasting ; the finish is like a just-cast fresh from the foundry look and would make it indistinguishable from a new item.

[@e.a.7265]

Satisfying to watch.

[@goodideas5659]

Nice job. As an ex auto electrician with hundreds of reconditioned Bosch alternators we used to machine the slip rings so as to reduce brush wear and possible contact issues. You didnt do that I noticed. Also as good as it looks, would be even better looking if you painted the aluminium housing silver as you cant buff out all the sections...

[@cheriachenthoppil916]

Nice work

[@nikitazak291]

A little bit confused. Contact rings of rotor have deep grooves. Are you sure that alternator is completely rebuilded?

[@javajav3004]

probably should have spun them with some sandpaper

[@eduardomendoza6411]

I thought the same thing... those slip rings are WASTED. And... did he test the rectifier?

[@johnperry5396]

Kind of wondering why you didn't pull out a meter to check your windings before going through this elaborate level of restoration.

[@gazlough]

Still love these videos done stuff like this most of my life but just love watching you man, do so addictive. 1 question though what was the mix you used when steeping the bolts.

[@RRCRestoration]

DEOX C ;)

[@NavinBetamax]

@@RRCRestoration .... Need more info on the white powder at 10:12.......i am a lesser Mortal ! (DEOX C) = ? in simple chemical term ?, Please. ------never mind....just googled it and found it to be a Brand Name.....no info on Chemical composition .

[@robtemple3445]

Navin Kotadia- Most likely Citric Acid, hence the "C" part, with additional ingredients such as surfactants etc.

[@bobtoh2285]

Lovely video. Great job. Can share what are the specs for the bearings please.

[@user-cf3sl7wp6b]

Завораживает. The best.

[@spinnetti]

You can get a much more accurate aluminum finish by glass beading rather than wire brushing - easier too.

[@rotor676]

I worked at an alternator rebuild shop for 25 years and can tell you that maybe 5% of bosch alternator like that one would ever come apart that easy. So good luck to anyone thinking of rebuilding one. Save yourself a headache and just go buy a rebuilt one, this particular alternator is old and thus cheap.

[@alejandroosorio8651]

Un trabajo de joyería los felicito y donde se encuentra un taller así?

[@jinksonyou]

Very nice bro, cheers from Canada eh

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@kapilapatikiriachchige5169]

Job well done!!!

[@milczorek4781]

Looks nice , nothing else ;) From an electrical point of view repair is done improperly . You didn't check the windings , you left slip rings that are almost worn , pulley is better to replace as it is worn and you haven't checked the alternator's efficiency after repair ;) I do not write this maliciously, but when fixing such a thing you need to do it professionally, so that the alternator doesn't break in the middle of anything in a short time . Regards to you ;)

[@BaoBao-yu5bu]

I have noticed in all his videos he doesn't take care of the repair quality, only the esthetic. Beautiful painting, metal plating, but nothing about real repair, just a show on YT to get some oh!, ah! wonderful!...

[@mrskinsxxx82]

What's the powder substance used to cleanse the bolts? Also is there any product that can be applied to the polished surfaces Ro prevent future corrosion? Great vid!

[@us351w]

Top work dude

[@RRCRestoration]

Thank you :)

[@electronicamarini]

Falta cambiar anillo colector,Muy buen trabajo.

[@davidlodge32]

Excellent! No distracting voice-over or moronic heavy-metal soundtrack! Three things, though. Is it safe to assume that the diodes are OK (I didn't see any testing of them), and also all the manuals say to use pliers as heat-sinks when soldering them; can we ignore that? And I didn't see any dressing of the slip-sings, although they looked shiny on re-assembly!

[@comienzo-al-saber4016]

saludos desde Venezuela muy buenos tus videos