Modder_J

Hi all,

Yesterday I noticed that the battery light was on very very faint (but clear enough to see it) at any RPM under 2k ... above this and the light would go out.
After a few drives, I noticed the light doesn't come on straight away, it's only a few mins after starting up.

On my way home last night, it wouldn't go out at all under 3-4k RPM. Went to start it this morning and the light goes out over 1k RPM.

The car seems fine at starting and running.

Any ideas ?

bassboy

alternator is on its way out by the sounds of things

bassboy

MattyRST

Yes i agree with bassboy alternator

Modder_J

Looks like thats the last thing I'll buy from Halfrauds then.
The alternator is only a couple of months old.

MattyRST

Take it back and get your money back !!!!

MattyRST

Modder J where you from on the isle of wight ??

Modder_J

Sandown

I'd have to find the receipt ... lot of paper work to look through for that :S

MattyRST

My black S2 came from newport on the isle of wight, just wondered if you knew it ?

Modder_J

Possibly, I only know the S2's from the club, one has yellow mudflaps and I think the other (which I believe was sold recently) had girl racer stickers on (or something like that).

Think I'll have to get one from somewhere else, then when the current one is off I'll take it back
What amp'age should I be looking for ? Pretty sure I asked on here when the last one went, and I was told to get the higher amp'd one.

Any ideas how long it will last ?

MattyRST

I had mine from a young lad called steve chappell, G799 NBD think the car was in the RS club.

Dont know how long they should last but abit more than a couple of months

addiction

standard alternator is a 70 amp one! i think you can use the 90 amp version from a Granada but not 100% on that!
i run an 85 amp alternator on mine

Modder_J

Name doesn't ring a bell ... but congrats on the S2 ownership


I meant how long till it dies ? (I'm guessing it might be a how long is a piece of string question.

Just phoned Halfrauds, and they'll replace it as long as I have the reciept.
Hopefully I'll find it tonight, and get the new one tomorrow.

MattyRST

Cheers its my 3rd S2 !!! Glutten for punisment

I guess that alright if there gonna replace it hope it lasts longer than the last one.

Modder_J

What should the volts/amps etc be from the alternator ... and where should it be measured from ?

And what alternator should it be ? I'm sure there was a amp'd one that others recomended but I cant find out what it is/was.

antony215

Are you sure the belt aint loose or to tight

rswoza

check the wiring to and from the alternator in perticular the conections to the alternator.....seems unlikely the alternators at fault imo however could be wrong.

how olds your battery ? might be worth getting it drop tested as well

steven botes

if your alternator is not shielded properly , the heat from your exhaust downpipe will destroy your rectifier(small square finned box on the end of your alternator facing the downpipe)

bearings dont generally fail , i always have a spare rectifier in my garage

khanny

Sounds like a dodge earth to me m8 get a tester see if the alternator is putting enoth amps in when running i think its 13 when not running and 14 when it is but not 100% shaw of that

SafeChav

Hang on before you go steaming ahead and change the alternator......is this a MK3/Series 1?

The bulb glowing showing a very slight difference in potential, doesn't mean the alternator is goosed at all, probably not more than likely!

davsmith64

mine does this on my s2.. its had 3 different alternators on it including a new one and its still the same,
dont help with the wanking clifford alarm draining the battery for some unknown reason,,

its getting ripped out next week and replace with a toad Ai606

Modder_J

Me again,

Can't find the darned reciept grrrr

antony215 - going to try to tighten the belt in a min to give that a try

rswoza - think the battery is a couple of years old, I got the biggest that would fit in. The wiring seemed ok with the alternator was fitted (about May time)

khanny - Sorry for the silly question, but where should I measure the amps from on the alternator ? Some problems I've had before it's been suggested the earth is dodgy

SafeChav - It's a S2

davsmith64 - I've got a Ai606 on mine

Update from yesterday ....
Went out to see if there was a pattern for when the light comes on, and there isn't I'd say more than half the time I was driving yesterday the light (battery light) wasn't on at all, when the light isn't visible the dash and headlights are so much brighter.
I managed to get the light to go for about an hour shortly after accelerating in 5th at 40mph.
When I pulled up at home last night, as I drove into the drive the battery light was on, but when I came to a stop it turned off.

It is strange how the battery light comes on and off whilst driving, sometimes its clearer whilst driving than when idling (at one point it wasnt visible at all when idle, but came on when I pulled away)

Oh, and the battery light (when visible at all) is never as bright as the handbrake light when the handbrake is on.

Sometimes the battery light is on solid (very bright) when the ignition is turned (not to the firing point), but other times it isn't.

Could it be a loose connection somewhere?
I would of thought if the battery wasn't getting any charge then the light would get worse ?

DanRSturbo

Mine does this, I'm thinking my battery is on it's way out.

Modder_J

Just tightened it, and its not made any difference.

Going to pickup another alternator now.

khanny

HI m8 i would try a diffrent battery before messing with the alternator, u want a amp tester to check the volts about 3 quid from a car shop like halfords or somet, i think u stick the black lead to the shell on bare metal then the red to the live should read 14 ish when running that means its puting charge in and 12 ish when engine off check the main earth from the alternator to the block or just replace it for about 2 quid from car shop there known for cloging with oil and crap undo it and give the mating sefuce a good clean at both ends hope that helps m8 good luck


be hoped your rear window heater works, keep your hands warm while your pushing it F fix O or R repair D daily

SafeChav

Modder_J, right being perfectly honest with you i doubt very much such a new alternator is on its way out. I'd say you have a loose/corroded connection.

Look at the alternator, theres a thin blue wire, it has an inline plug aswell as plugging onto the alternator. Clean them all up and use some electrical lube first of, you've got to remember the alternator is in a very vilnerable place as far as moisture is concerned.

DanRSturbo, just a tip for ya, you could start your car and remove the battery and the light should never come on The main reason cars have batteries is so you can start the engine without a vintage handle

antony215

I cant see it being the alternator not if it's farily new do what safechav says and check/clean all the connections first before you shell out for a new one

I drove an old opel manta with no battery on it all i done was jump started it with another car did drive abit shit tho but that may have been something to do with what car it was

khanny

Ye but if the injection is electric it will need the battery to run wont it

SafeChav

antony215, it shouldnt really can cause funny running problems, but usually on an MFI RS no battery will cause extremely high idling as there is no load from the alternator charging the battery, and MFI's don't have idle compensation

khanny, no mate. An alternator is just a charger, once the car is started it will run forever until its either turned off or the petrol runs out

rsjay

must be alternator week, i've just took my 3 month old one back to the shop, only done 1000 miles ands its goosed! new one on with heat sheild so fingers crossed.
recon alternators can pack in anythime dont just think cause its not that old its not on the way out.
It wont be the battery, a knackerd battery will not bring the light on.

SafeChav

Resistance in ignition circuits can make the bulb glow, doesnt mean the alternator is knackered, it can be 100% functional.

An alternator costs about Ł25 to put back to a fully working state, unless the bearings have gone, in which case you will need a new alternator, but if not a new alternator is a waste of money.

khanny

Its just i had a astra gte and the alternator belt snaped it wouldnt run cos there was nothing to power the injectors so with the lights being on in the dark it only had the power in the battery then it died

rsjay

lol all i was saying was that mine has packed up before 1000 miles but do run a nice and hot 2.1 with t34 sitting 3 inches away from it so maybe my prob
Got heatshield on now so fingers crossed third time lucky

Modder_J

The light doesn't seem any different since yesterday.

Could dirty/dodgy connections cause the lights to dim slightly when the battery light appears ?
Tis quite strange driving along with the lights changing brightness every so often :P
... but when the light isn't on every light attached to the car is so much brighter than I can remember.

I'll pop to see if Halfrauds are open today to get a meter.

Wazzzer

right just realised who you are now so I've edited this

How you doin fella?

I ended up changin my alternator 3 times when I got them from Partco, if you can take the one you think is knackered to Lucas and they'll bench test it for you and tell you what the crack is

SafeChav

Dirty connections could cause problems! Give them a clean and put some electrical lubricant on.

Modder_J

Wazzer = Wes ? Car in the sig looks familiar ... I'm doing good, yourself ?


Ok people, another day another update.

Battery light hasn't been seen all day ! Running the car as normal, music on as normal slightly more use of the wipers and heaters due to rain .... but no sign what-so-ever. The healights and dashlights don't seem as bright as they were over the last few days ... but it could be me.

Going to try n get all the bits cleaned up tomorrow, if all is ok I 'might' take the alternator back, but might keep it as a spare ... choices.

Wazzzer

thats me bud

Be careful, I thought my alternator was fine one day, turned out the blue wire had broken so I had no idea the battery light should have been on, half way home the battery gave up and I was stuck in the middle of nowhere