GrosAffe

It is fixed now ! I swapped the regulators and now it charges at approx. 13.5 volts ! I was very lucky the junk yard alternator's regulator was not faulty, and the brushes were not worn down (one was shorter than the other - and both were shorter than my original ones, as my Felicia was only gone 90,000 km in 27 years). So now I have spare brushes and other alternator parts if needed... It feels good to have saved a lot of money not going to a professional repair shop / garage, and fixing it in 10 mins (excluding research and your help!) 🙂 Thanks again, and bye for now...

Thanks again for your help !! BTW, I have just found this video, that I think is the best I have found yet about troubleshooting the charging, when you know the basic things (mechanical and connections) are ok... :

Thanks again ! So I guess my next step is just to try to replace the "semi-external" voltage regulator using the one on my new (used) alternator... D.FYLAKTOS you write it's just unscrewing the 2 bolts (and unplugging the white "sense" lead...) and replace it ? No tricky springs getting loose / lost, and easy to put the brushes back in ? Of course I can practise on the "new" junk yard alternator... If I need to go to next step of removing the alternator, am I right that on my old model, there are no complicated pulley-drive-train adjusters - it is simply a case of mounting it with the right tension and tightening the nut(s) ?

Thanks for your reply. I have not yet removed the alternator, so I haven't been able to test continuity in windings, etc. Today I have received a replacement alternator with regulator from a junk yard (approx. 70 £ !), and I will try to test it before removing my original. Also, as some have pointed out in this forum earlier, it should be much easier just to replace the regulator without having to unmount the alternator?! I have noticed the following: When starting the engine and idling, the dashboard battery warning comes on - but when I rev the engine it goes off again - but I still only measure approx. 12,5 volt - so it is still not charging! How can this be explained ? I did not put a big load on the system - only headlights - do I need to stress it more to provoke charging (if possible), when the battery is full ? Thanks again for your help!

Hi, My Felicia 1,3 from 1996 has stopped charging. I have done some Google research, and narrowed the problem down to the alternator OR (semi-external) regulator. However, I wonder if I can isolate which of the two is faulty ? The alternator is still mounted in the car. Some facts: Battery fully charged before testing. When starting engine NO rise in voltage - measuring battery terminals voltage is same as alternator B+ to ground (very small voltage drops both ground and B+) There is continuity between alternator B+ and lead connecting to battery + terminal => I conclude there is no fuse blown, or anything preventing current from alternator reaching the battery (am I right?) I have not yet tested if the green wire "bundled" with the thick red + wire also supplies the correct battery voltage - would that be a problem? As I understand it, 0 volts here would prevent the rotor coils from being magneticed / excited ? Or am I mixing it up ? Screwed to the alternator is also a white box which seems to be another rectifier, which nobody mentions the function of - or how it would malfunction... ? Finally I am wondering: is it likely that there is a single break in the stator wiring (or solder connections) - and would a single break prevent the alternator from generating any current at all - even if rotor / excitation and voltage regulator works ? A lot of questions from me - a forum newbie, so be gentle with me :-)