Hi, I've not posted for a while, the Felicia hasn't really given any trouble except the ignition barrel needing replacing.

However, since coming back from 2 weeks holiday a few weeks ago, I noticed that at 3k rpm the battery light glows and goes out again if I go below those revs.

The connections seem OK at the alternator and battery, the belt seems OK too. There is no screeching from the belt.

Any ideas what else I could look for?

cheers

Edited 3 August, 201114 yr by myjalopy

From my browsing on here, i gather that over voltage can be an issue if the regulator dies. I would get a Volt meter across the battery and get a mate to rev it slowly up to 4k and slowly back down and keep an eye on the volts, if you see a steady 13-14 then its not the alternator/regulator. But if it drops at 3k then maybe the bushes in the alternator.. Else if it spikes really high i would say the regulator is gone and not "regulating" the peak voltage. I think some other ppl mentioned the light coming on during revving and it was this

hope it helps!

Courior

From my browsing on here, i gather that over voltage can be an issue if the regulator dies. I would get a Volt meter across the battery and get a mate to rev it slowly up to 4k and slowly back down and keep an eye on the volts, if you see a steady 13-14 then its not the alternator/regulator. But if it drops at 3k then maybe the bushes in the alternator.. Else if it spikes really high i would say the regulator is gone and not "regulating" the peak voltage. I think some other ppl mentioned the light coming on during revving and it was this

hope it helps!

Courior

Thanks, I'll try that, but I thought that the battery light only came on if the voltage was LOW?

I'd agree; this sounds like the regulator is going, and allowing the alternator to over-charge. If left long enough, you'll can fry the battery and even the ECU with this fault.

I'd agree; this sounds like the regulator is going, and allowing the alternator to over-charge. If left long enough, you'll can fry the battery and even the ECU with this fault.

OK, got a tester on it today and at idle its 13.4 v. Rev it up to when the battery light glows and it has gone down to 11.3v. Keep revving past 3k rpm and the voltage stays at 11.3v.

As it comes down past 3k rpm, the voltage increases again until it gets to idle again at 13.4v.

No high spikes and it doesn't suddenly drop when the light comes on, it gradually drops as the revs increase.

Alternator fault? I'll double check the connections as I only noticed the light after it was stood on grass for 2 weeks recently.

Definitely either an alternator or regulator fault; just not the usual one if it's the regulator.

Definitely either an alternator or regulator fault; just not the usual one if it's the regulator.

OK, checked all connections again, properly and wirebrushed them. Still the same though. Just thought, I've not checked the engine earth though.

Daft question. Is the regulator part of the alternator?

I'm thinking that if I was to get a new alternator, cheap, that would resolve the fault without paying for new parts that may not be faulty.

OK, checked all connections again, properly and wirebrushed them. Still the same though. Just thought, I've not checked the engine earth though.

Daft question. Is the regulator part of the alternator?

I'm thinking that if I was to get a new alternator, cheap, that would resolve the fault without paying for new parts that may not be faulty.

Just looked at Jorily and see that the regulator is joined to the alternator, but do alternators come with regulators attached?

Edited 18 May, 201115 yr by myjalopy

On this car, the regulator can be changed separately from the alternator.

On this car, the regulator can be changed separately from the alternator.

Cheers.

They are £20 +postage from Jorily and I have a possible chance to buy a recon alternator for the same money. Just need to make sure it has the regulator with it.

How would I be sure it's the regulator or the brushes or something else without taking it to an auto sparky? It's not that I'm tightfisted, but I'm running 2 cars and the other is a money pit Renault Scenic. :(

Is changing the brushes easy?

Not done anything with the alternator yet, I only use the car 4 days a week for quite short journeys.

The light still comes on, but noticed that if I have a load, such as lights or wipers then the light glows at a slightly later point.

Does this mean anything to anyone, as I don't want to fork out for a regulator and brushes, only to need a new alternator afterall.

I've pulled the regulator out and the 2 x brushes on it look fine, not worn right down or anything. One is more firm to push in than the other though, so it might be that the other loses contact at higher revs?

Other than that and the not quite as good as I hoped MPG, this little car is great.

Edited 21 July, 201114 yr by myjalopy

Turn on electrics, use more of the alternator output running them, have less to overcharge the battery.

This issue on these cars is almost (90%+ certainty) the regulator box (electronics which control peak charge level). It can, and quite possibly will, fry the ECU if you don't fix it!

Turn on electrics, use more of the alternator output running them, have less to overcharge the battery.

This issue on these cars is almost (90%+ certainty) the regulator box (electronics which control peak charge level). It can, and quite possibly will, fry the ECU if you don't fix it!

It's just that the regulator brushes looks fine and there seems to be very little else, so what fails on them? Is it inside the regulator itself?

I should fix it of course, but my other car is a mk2 Scenic and is getting all the problem solving attention at the moment. :(

Then again, I don't want to give myself more problems with the Skoda...

Just a quick update.

In order to see if the alternator or just the regulator was broken, I was on my way to an auto sparky when the I realised the light wasn't coming on since I had taken the regulator off yesterday. I didn't do anything, just had a look and put it back on.

BUT...

just as I thought about turning around and going back home, the engine started to clatter like something was hitting a metal blade.

Lifted the bonnet and the engine sounded like a little dwarf was smacking it from the inside with a tiny hammer. Revved it and it got louder.

I turned the engine off then back on again to drive to the nearest garage so they could have a listen. It was now not as bad, only sounding noisy above 2000rpm.

Got to the garage and when the engine was started again the noise was gone.

It sounded like it was from the back of the engine, it didn't get louder with the oil filler cap off, so does anyone know what it could have been?

I would guess the noise was the chain jumping the cogs; how long ago was it changed??

Re alternator, it could be the winding insulation in breaking down; I had this on an old renault, up to about 3000rpm everything was fine, but then suddenly the battery light came on. This was when the voltage inside the alternator was high enough to bridge arcoss the windings and so reduce the output to zero. The 11.3 v you were reading would have been voltage back feed from the battery.

If you leave it, the light will come on at a lower and ower rpm, until the battery is not charging at any rpm.

I would get a recon alternator asap, or you may find yourself strsanded somewhere by the side of the road, ditto, check and sort out any slack in the chain, or get a chain replacement kit from Jorily.

Sorry for any spelling errors, tapping this out on my tiny netbook while in deepest, darkest China.

Hello China!

The battery light isn't coming on now, but the clank, clank noise which went away last night returned this morning all the way to work and most the way home. It had stopped by the time I was at home.

I don't believe the chain has ever been changed, the car is on 51k.

The timing chain is on the belt end of the engine isn't it? The noise certainly seems to come from the opposite side and at the rear.

The pushrods are at the front of the engine I believe, so I've discounted these. I don't know what's at the back of the engine and do not have a Haynes for the car to give me some clues.

It's odd why the noise comes and goes. :wonder: Makes it hard to let a garage hear it for any diagnosis.

The light came on at low revs tonight all the way up to 2000 rpm, then went out. Airbag light came on, indicators went odd. Stopped the car at home, it wouldn't start.

Bumped it and it started, then wouldn't start again on the key.

I took the regulator off, put it back and bumped it again. Turned it off, it started fine. I did this a few times and it started nice and strong each time.

I reckon it IS the regulator, but for just over £60 I can get a recon alternator on ebay, so if it isn't the regulator afterall I won't have wasted £20 on one.

There are 70 and 90 amp alternators for the Felicia. I imagine the higher output one is for mpi with PS, but could someone tell me if I'm right?

cheers

OK, no answers to the post just before this one, so perhaps someone could help me with the removal of the alternator?

I have just found this information and wonder if anyone could say if it's right or not?

"If its a petrol with power steering and an MPI engine then you are in for an even bigger shock as I have only just discovered. Removing this type of alternator requires a special tool. Without the special tool IT CANNOT BE REMOVED.

The procedure is to undo the nut which holds the belt retentioning roller to the engine mounting. Sure, both upper and lower bolts can be removed however, without releasing the tension from the belt the alternator can neither be moved nor removed.

The problem exists due to the positioning of the alternator and the belt retentioning roller - there is only 1/2-inch clearance between the bolt-end of the roller and the wheel-arch.

The tool is not available for public use. I have spoken to Skoda who have confirmed this. Even if you could buy the tool it would cost somewhere between £40 - £70 (confirmed by Ashley Down Motors, Bristol, UK).

If you could get the car over to a garage who has the tool then you might be able to persuade them to undo the belt retentioning roller nut so that you can fit the alternator yourself on the roadside - although, they might not be happy about this so phone them first. It may also mean offering a token payment of say £10 or so."

Sorry, internet has been down for a few days.

I would suspect the larger ampage is for the diesel.

£20 for a regulator?? When I bought one from JoRily last year it was about £12

I am a bit hazy on the specifics, but I dont remember there being any problem removing the alternator on my sons 1.3mpi.

PS Halfords still do the Haynes Felly Manual , or you can order direct from Haynes in Yeovil.

Noise from the back of the engine-_ sorry, my bad. As a partial excuse I will say I havew been suffering a bit from sun stroke; 41c in the shade today!!

hi GG

Even in China, you are still on the forum. Thanks.

That noise is got to be linked to the electrical trouble, I'm sure, so once I've sorted that it will all be fine again.

The regulator price IS from Jorily, plus postage it's £22, but as I think it may well be the alternator itself I'm going that route. I hate to spend money, but hate to waste it even more.

I'll be having a go at getting the old one off today again, but it's held on by the tensioner somehow.

Been trying to find a way to get the alternator off and with removing the tensioner it isn't going to. I've read about removing the drivers side engine mount, jacking the car up and all that, but I can't see how that's going to achieve anything. :wonder:

So, I set about cleaning ALL the electrical connections, including the earth strap, even though they had been done not that long ago by myself. Went to start the car and the battery light was slightly glowing even BEFORE I started the car.

In a fit of pique, I took the regulator off and one of the brushes fell off, leaving the spring behind.

The car starts fine with the regulator off, but the charge at the battery stays at 10.89v even when revved. Not sure what that means.

I can't get the alternator off, the regulator is now fooked, so I'm ordering a new regulator and see what it does.

I am here, but not all the time, we are very busy getting ready for the wedding on the 19th, and the heat does not help.

Luckily today there was some rain and plenty of wind; the wind was cooling, but not as much as going out and standing in the downpour!!!! Everyone was saying "But its raining!! you'll get wet!!"

I am surprised no other Felly owner has been in with a better answer than mine; perhaps they are all on holiday. If in doubt, go look for the haynes manual and have a read before trying to take the car apart, they may have a method that avoids the special tool, or the post that has you worried may be a red herring. My local Halfords had 3 copies last time I looked, so they are about, even if your local branch doesnt have one. Sadly, they were the slightly more expensive hard back versions.

Hi GG

Congratulations on the wedding, not sure if it's your's or not.

In the end I just undid all the bolts and the coilpack. Wiggled it until it came off. Getting it back on may be more difficult.

I decided to get another alternator as my thoughts are that the regulator controls the maximum voltage, not the minimum. If it was faulty, I'd be getting high output, not low.

Couldn't get a new or recon. one for less than £120, so ordered a scrappy one off ebay for £28 all in.

It'll be here early next week, so see what then.

Sorry, yes, it is mine .

I would keep the old one and look out for somewhere that does a recon exchange; that way the price is usually lower as they are getting your old unit to refurb and sell on.

Having said that, I think the prices are a rip off, it is only an electric motor wired up backwards; perhaps asking around local electric motor rewinders would get a better price.

I could probably walk down the road from where I am staying and get it done for about £5-£10, but the postal charges would be quite high!!!

(A hand made gold silk jacket, with black silk trousers is costing me £32 and the wife-to-be ordered 2 hand made silk Qipoa to wear for the wedding and the wedding party for a grand total of £20)

I would keep the old one and look out for somewhere that does a recon exchange; that way the price is usually lower as they are getting your old unit to refurb and sell on.

The £120 price IS the recon price, the real price is £180.