7 days in, had my first breakdown!

[syncrosimon]

I use fully synthetic and have seen a drop in oil pressure at tick over, and the oil gets black quicker, would stay golden for 3000 miles, but now is nearly black at that mileage. I am just going on the assumption that fully synth gives better protection when the oil is either cold, or very hot. Overfilling can cause frothing and backfire type belches of smoke in my experience.

I have had charging problems on T3's caused by a breakdown in the cable between the alternator and the terminal on the starter motor where the charging current goes. I would definitely check that wire, I think it goes via a terminal post in the black flip lid box on the fire wall from memory.

[HarryMann]

Any ideas as to where I can get one of these?:

A good few years ago a nice AA man in Brighton supplied & fitted such a rectifier diode pack saying... ' yo're lucky, I've had this kicking around in the van for years, doubt if any of my colleagues would have had one'

A scrapper 2.1 DJ/MV T25 perhaps?

Synth oil... Can't really see hoe water-cooled VWs can change the laws of physics. One attribute is that it supposedly removes heat faster (synth, not mineral)
It's used in (air-cooled) motorcycles as well ?
Maybe minerals have other attributes, but don't think it's necessarily better heat removal.

Yes Simon, does seem to pick up dirt quicker, lubes better when hot, and flows better when cold. Think I might need a transfusion

[chuckle-bus-tom]

I swapped the regulator/bush pack and promptly drained the battery again. Back to the engine bay with my secret tool: a retired mechanic that lives two doors down. We tested everything and every test came back to the fact that the alternator is fubared. Anyway, shipped it off to be rebuilt and picking it up today!

Oil wise, it's still coming up out of the filler tube so going to have to change that seal and change the Crank seal at the flywheel.

[eatcustard]

this any help (as in the seller)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chuckle-bus-tom]

this any help (as in the seller)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm all sorted with a recon alternator now thanks, but that eBay seller is a great find and should perhaps be linked in the alternator section of the WIKI?

[Syncrobaz]

Synth oil... Can't really see hoe water-cooled VWs can change the laws of physics. One attribute is that it supposedly removes heat faster (synth, not mineral)
It's used in (air-cooled) motorcycles as well ?
Maybe minerals have other attributes, but don't think it's necessarily better heat removal.

My Harley runs on 20-50 mineral oil,I don't understand the alchemy involved, my misses' tt uses 0-30 fully synth!!!

[HarryMann]

I'm all sorted with a recon alternator now thanks, but that eBay seller is a great find and should perhaps be linked in the alternator section of the WIKI?

Good call.. will sort that out now!