Dave Henshall

sitting in traffic the other night and the battery light came on when a puff of smoke came from under the bonnet that smelt electrical - thet acrid burn electronics smell...

checked all the connections today, all fine, the battery is even charging at 13.8 volts when running and drops back to 12.5 when the engine stops - so its obviously charging, but the battery light stays on on the dash all the time.

any ideas? fooked diode pack on the alternator? or is it a new alternator job?

Alvyn

iTrader: (1)

get it o/hauled or buy a new alternator time m8!

SafeChav

Is it just me, or does it always seem to be the people that have a good knowledge and can fix the cars themselves that have more problems

Have you check the wiring for the dash light, baring in mind, its a very thin wire, and also has the charging current running through it - maybe it shorted to earth.

Could explain a small amount of smoke/burning and the light staying on even though it charges fine

Dave Henshall

thats a good point

the smoke definately came from the alternator though, not from behind the dash. i'd have though that it would eb charging at just over 14 volts if the diode pack was 100%, its currently charging at 13.6...

ive ordered a exchange alternator, it is still on its original one - so i suppose its not done bad... will be glad to rule it out.


i think your statment about fair knowledge is BECAUSE we have older cars that do break and we fix them as opposed to selling a limb for a specialist - fair enough things like the mapping - leave that to the real experts, but basic machanical and electrical problems are easy enough... touch wood, ive not ahad a failure of anythig i've repaired on the car yet...

SafeChav

I meant the wire may of shorted somewhere in the engine bay

have you tested directly on the alternator to see if theres 12v on the battery light wire?

As for charging voltage, duno what it should be on that, 13.6 can't be that bad though!

davidnormanuk

Check the main starter wire that runs from the battery as I found the cover on mine had worn away causing the cable to short out on the gearbox.

Dave Henshall

will have a look 2nite, gonna whip the old one off and see what i can find

tabetha

The solder can sometimes melt, and cause this, you need a new RECTIFIER, as it can stop the charging process at any time, usually 3am on a dark wet counrty road!!
My dad has a similar proble but only when it went onto rollers, had been fine for 12 years before that, got new one soldered back ok ever since.
tabetha

Dave Henshall

cheked all the wires and all seems ok, started getting it off and saw the bosch part number: checked it against the QH cross refernce on the web, the one the local motor factors have given me is for a rs2000, but get this the web lists the same alternator and starter for the escort cosowrth 2.0 turbo 4x4 1992-1996 as the same alternatror and starter as the rs2000 and xr3i - FFS,

so this one has to go back and they'll have to get another one in, and looks like a job for saturday now - doh!

any tips on getting it out, its off, but i cant seemto find a route out from the engine bay, other than by getting the wheel off to get to the bolts for the airbox , not something i fancy in the dark when its raining

once this is done, i think i may look at selling again, focus ST-2 maybe....

lukes1

plus us mechanics think were getting a bargain when its actually a SHITTER, dunno bout any1 else but ive never bought a car that didnt need a whole lot of stuff doing, so yes we do have the most problems , i do anyway- bottom end, turbo, starter, misfire! to name a few!

Dave Henshall

update ( 2 days too late)

new (exchange) alternator fitted ( 90 bastid quid) and horay, light goes out the moment the engine starts, battery voltage as shown on the pod also improved was 13ish before, now nearly 14 volts when all electrics are off.

must have been part of the diode pack breaking down and allowing it to flow back.

SafeChav

2 days too late?!

Probably burnt one of the diodes out as you say

Dave Henshall

i fitted it the other day - but since then, ive sold the car now

SafeChav