None More Metal............

Dynamo to Alternator Conversion

Phil took the blue Bus to Cornwall whereupon the dynomo seized and he came back to Halifax the next day on a low loader.

We looked into the price of a replacement dynamo but at £90 it seemed too pricey when a far superior alternator kit was £145.  With the alternator, the headlights don't dim when you plug in your telephone charger or turn on the radio.

But we didn't realise that to remove the dynamo, you need to take the engine out!

Experts can fit these kits in an afternoon, we were told.

It took me 3 days to get the engine out.  One day to remove the fan housing and another day to remove the dynamo: you need to remove the carburettor, inlet and exhaust manifolds, fuel pump, exhaust.

Reassembly isn't a reversal of the procedures.  Make sure that you get some instructions if you get a conversion.  The 'Just Kampers' conversion kit we bought was ok but there aren't instructions available.  Also make sure you buy an alternator clamp as the dynamo one won't fit the alternator.  I used instructions from this site: www.type2.com

As you may expect the exhaust had corroded at the fittings and the bolts sheared, requiring drilling and sourcing new ones.

I had a lot of help from more competent people than me for reassembly and refitting in the engine bay.

But we still forgot to replace the flywheel seal, so now there is clutch judder from the subsequent leak.

A worthwhile exercise but very hard work and some instructions with the kit would have been convenient.

The results from our maintenance foray are that we have a reliably charging battery, the heater now works, the carburettor is less likely to ice up and the engine bay is much tidier.