Hello and help please (battery light on and smokein the cab)

Post by **Dodgy_Dave** » 20 May 2008, 23:41

Hi everyone just joined this club last week as i was purchasing a T25 camper i will post pics in a more apropriate area when i have some but i picked up my camper yesterday and drove all the way up the M6 with a humungous grin on my face from the start of the M6 toll road to Penrith, then was driving past keswick and the battery light came on but no oil light,... so not the belt i assume... phoned guy i brought it from as he is a bit of a vw guru no idea so decided to carry on driving and keep an eye on things had the lights on as it was dark bout 1/4 mile down the road i start getting choked by smoke and the smell of a electrical fire....pulled over into a layby straight away knocked ignition off and it seemed to stop to be on the safe side called the RAC out and got recovered home.

Any body have any ideas on this the smoke was coming from the front of the cab i got my poor baby recovered back to my house and later tomorrow well today being more accurate i will have a look at the problem but wondering if anyone else has had something similar happen to them so i know what to look for..

My plan of action is to take the front grille off and check the wires behind there for one arcing out on the body work or 2 wires rubbed together and the insulation has gone... and also remove the plastic in the centre of the cab and check the mass of wires behind there... hopefully a easy fix with a wire shorting out some where causing the battery light to come on... if not im kinda stumped all the fuses were fine and the van drove beautifully with no problems and i had the lights on for at least 40 miles before this happened...

All input appreciated

O yeah its a 1983 2.0L air cooled if that helps (with a lazy starter motor)

Many thanks in advance

Dave

Post by **T'Onion** » 21 May 2008, 06:58

Could be the belt , which would make the battery light come on , and cause the engine to over heat , the A/C alternator has a fan housing attach to it to help cool the engine , if the heater pods on the engine aren't working correctly ,this could be the source of the smoke in the cab .

Post by **ermie571** » 21 May 2008, 08:29

Have you looked to see if the belt has gone.....its really obvious....opne up the hatch in the boot....the alternator is immediately in fron of you to the right.

When mine went, there was a small "bang" and the battery light came on. The bang was the belt hitting the engine bay!

Opened hatch, and the belt was gone

Replaced belt.

all was well.

Em
x

oH - If you need a "new" alternator, have a couple of Aircooled ones in the garage! Am off to Bashtie friday for a week, though!

Welcome to the forum by the way....and you will keep that humongous grin!
cheers
Em

Post by **NeilC** » 21 May 2008, 09:18

Similar thing happened when I bought mine - smoke filling the cab. It was junk in the heat exchangers which burnt off after a while.

Post by **Dodgy_Dave** » 21 May 2008, 10:18

its the belt

it didnt snap it just came off but its twisted n stretched so trying to pinch a mates car as we speak to go and pick one up... then will check the smoke thing later on would take my motorbike but its blocked in by the land rovers and other vehicles on the drive

Thanks for the info will check the heater exchange stuff once i got a new belt on

Pics will be coming in a few days when i have a few hours free from work

Thanks again

Dave