FastLife91

I replaced the drop links on my car yesterday as I hit a pothole about 2 weeks ago which damaged the old ones.
got tracking done this morning at suspension shop , they didn't use lasers just some sort of hand tool.
all was well up until a few hours later, battery light was staying on but everything felt fine.
got in my car again about an hour ago, battery light stayed on still but then the ABS would come on, then off, then on e.t.c. next the power steering light came on and my steering felt very heavy I could hardly turn the wheel !

I rang said suspension shop who said they cannot think of how doing tacking could cause this but to try and bring it in and they will have a little look, but now my battery is flat and my power pack is flat also so that is currently on charge !



any ideas why the battery, ABS and power steering light would all come on after getting the tracking done ?

thanks to all in advance

gcfcos

Sounds like the auxiliary belt has come off/snapped? Or it's a smart charge alternator and that's up the spout. I seem to remember u saying u had loads of probs with a flat battery

Adam-M

There's some good advice in the tag section

FastLife91

hi
thanks for your kind reply.

I was on my way back to suspension shop around 2 hours ago ( driving very carefully) but as we got not far from it all the lights on the dashboard come on and temp gauge fluctuating up/down and the speed meter wasn't showing my speed, just showed 0. then while driving show the car just shut off. I had to park car and walk to suspension shop, as my car was a few streets down and once I told him everything he said what I thought that perhaps the alternator, I bought a brand new battery from a shop around the corner that was almost ready to close ( cost £75, £23 more than my local shop) and was able to drive it home, kwik fit tested the charging and said it wasn't giving any charge at all so said it could be alternator.
Since putting new battery on everything has gone okay, steering fine e.t.c. but battery light has strayed on.

I am now looking at used alternators and will prepare myself a week or so though hopefully it'll take much less time for me to fit a new alternator on my car.


any advice ?

cheers in advance

FastLife91

advice on replacing alternators, where is the tag section ??

cheers

wayne1001

Yes fit new alternator or first check belt is still attached ok,job done

smiley

Burn it

gcfcos

If it's a smart charge alternator try to fit new instead of second hand. Seen many been fitted and not lasted long at all

FastLife91

hi

not sure if it is a smart charger alternator or not.


After having brand new battery fitted all lights went off apart from battery light, kwik fit tested for free, said no charge was giving out so possibly alternator.

how do I check the serpentine belt is in good condition ? do I get under the car and turn the belt somehow to make sure it hasn't slipped off anywhere, do I tighten the tensioner ???

thanks

Caddyshack

Does it say "triggers broom" on the log book?

studabear

The garage have sabotaged your car, demand that they put it right as its clearly their fault.

FastLife91

Hi, nice to see you both.

is it possible it is a slipped serpentine belt, how would I check for this ?


thanks in advance

Caddyshack

Bound to be the belt, just look for a pulley without a belt on it

andy888

might be a stretchy belt/belts on that car

DangerousBryan

Alternator is toast mate. Auxiliary belt has a tensioner on it so it's not a stretchy belt. Power steering is run by an electric pump under the drivers headlight and is the first thing to stop when the alternator dies. It is a smart charge alternator and I really would advise getting a genuine one.

FastLife91

hi, thanks for replying

if the pulley does not have the belt on it does that mean the belt has slipped off ?
when I get under the car, remove the under shield, how do I turn the belt to inspect it ?
how would I put on the belt if/were it has slipped off ?

thanks

FastLife91

power steering light came on, then abs, then every other light came on, then the speed meter stopped working, then driving at low speed the car cut out and when trying to turn the key all I could hear was a loud clicking noise like machine gun. bought a new battery from car parts shop and it turned all lights off apart from the battery light, had a shop check for alternator failure, he said the charging system was putting out zero charge and said it may be a bad alternator.

could all this be due to a bad belt and not a alternator ?

thanks

power steering light came on, then abs, then every other light came on, then the speed meter stopped working, then driving at low speed the car cut out and when trying to turn the key all I could hear was a loud clicking noise like machine gun. bought a new battery from car parts shop and it turned all lights off apart from the battery light, had a shop check for alternator failure, he said the charging system was putting out zero charge and said it may be a bad alternator.

could all this be due to a bad belt and not a alternator ?

thanks

zetaboostboy522bhp

Use a belt from your jeans to replace the snapped belt , but be warned it may run a little lumpy as buckle runs over the pulley
Hope this helps

Cheers Paul lol

stevieturbo

So possibly blaming someone doing wheel alignment....vs the 7893752 hours of butchery you've done to the poor car over the past year or so ?

Seriously, just get rid of the damn thing !

DangerousBryan

If the belt had snapped it would of overheated as it runs the waterpump as well. It needs an alternator and there not cheap.

FastLife91

hi, thanks again.

the temperature gauge did fluctuate going near red then back to half way, but I think system has airlock somewhere but also I notice it is not blowing hot air since this problem started, only cold air.

what if the belt hadn't snapped but just came off slightly ?

I will fit alternator myself if it needs doing and can get a used one from Ebay for around £30 and a serpentine belt for around £10

thanks

gcfcos

This just gets better and better. I'm 99% sure now it's a wind up surely. Pmsl at Belt Buckle

Eigdoog

How much has this build cost? Time and parts.

Ill guess at 22k.

Upload some pictures! Be great to see what this forum is building.

155lee

iTrader: (10)

I'm surprised a garage would take on any work from you,I guess you prob haven't been in before.

markie t

like i have said before take it to a garage, if you cant afford it then you should not have a car as unfortunatly running one is an expensive business, doing all these bodge up repairs makes you a danger and menace to other road users,

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Your not Edd China are you?????

Martin-Hadland

iTrader: (2)

Where were you trolling previously?

Caddyshack

PMSL....very good

mechanic28

iTrader: (5)

what car?

mechanic28

iTrader: (5)

scrap that just seen other posts its a focus 1.8 diesel

charlie luciano

iTrader: (3)

Err wtf is a serpentine belt?? The only serpentine I know is a section of the Thames river in London where you can go for a swim.

Maybe you should go there with a couple of buckets big enough to fit your feet in and a bag of ready mix concrete, it will solve all your problems

slammedorion

Tags are full...
Booooooooo

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

A serpentine belt is the name for 1 belt that runs round all the pulleys!

gcfcos

Yep

charlie luciano

iTrader: (3)

You learn something new everyday, never heard that terminology before, fan belt, timing belt, cam belt yes but not serpentine belt

ray barker

were thinking things are getting bad arround here. just imagine what its going to be like when the mot runs out

wayne1001

haha looking forward to that 😂

studabear

Serpentine belt aka auxiliary belt.

FastLife91

hi

As said I have spent over £9,000 on car repairs in almost 5 years. I easily afford to run a car , I always have my fuel tank full to capacity, I can easily afford to go to a garage but, why should I ? I've been ripped off enough and I actually enjoy fixing my car and seeing how it is all put together.

All the repairs I've done have been done to a satisfactory standard, in fact any problems I've had have been jobs previously done by other people, overall I would say I'm better overall when a repair job has been completed than the so-called mechanics who have ''fixed'' things on it in the past.

cheers

FastLife91

hi, nice to see you.

It seems the problem was the fan belt/serpentine belt.

I bought a new belt but am struggling to put it on, like when trying to slot the ribbed belt onto the ribbed pulleys when I let go it simply falls off ! how is one supposed to put the belt on without it coming off the second you let go ?!

I've improved access top and below so access is good, just can't figure how to get said bolt to stay on .


cheers