THIS IS REALLY GOOD...THANKS for the advice, Powder Hound....BTW, I know it's cold up in Conkid N'Hampsha, I know, I live near Wista' But, you, some others and the Canadians, have a ton of good info.
So far I've learned:
#1. OEM means VW parts or whatever VW specifies is supposed to be in the Beetle, Golf or whatever type of TDI you have.
#2. Ah and CCA are two different ways to measure a battery. The Ah is the Euro way and teh CCA is the North American way. (What do the Mexicans use?)
#3. Gr 48 and Gr 91 are something related to the size of the battery....however, according to the chart dieseldorf put up here....looks like to me the gr 48 has something more......was it the reserve power? I can't remember, put take a look...the two are not the same.
So, which one is better?
#4. I am very interested in the part about the 14 volts from the alternator and why they often don't put out more than 12.5. I'd like to hear more intelligent discussion on this.
#5. I have yet to hear anyone discuss the toll a starter takes on a battery and how one would know a starter is drawing more than it should, thus depleting battery life?
Question: How would I know whether or not I should replace my alternator (other than asking a pro) and is this type of replace an easy job or not for a newb like me?
Thanks guys......I love to hear you guys talk.....it's fun.....!!!