Hi All.

I've just joined the forum as I have a real pain in the bottom problem on the felly.

It started last week when the ignition light came on whilst driving home.

I noticed that it was getting brighter as I revved the engine. I checked the usual suspects, all earth connections etc, and decided to replace the regulator.

I should also mention that I fitted a recon Alternator and a new battery around 8 months ago, so I was kinda dismissing those items.

I replaced the reg, but it's exactly the same. I have checked all earth leads, and I've even put another battery on as I'd read about this fault being caused by a faulty cell.

No change at all.

I'm now about to spend over £100 to replace the alternator as It's the rarer 4 lug type with the 6 ribbed pulley.

My question to you all is, Have I missed something?

I could really do without another spend on this as It only gets used when mother in law comes to stay!! She loves it!

Any help or advice would be great guys

Regards

Steve

Take it to a local car shop and get them to run an alternator test on it, that'll tell you if it is the problem - sounds like it to me, and could be other than the regulator...

do you have the Haynes manual?

there's a Fault Finding Programmes section that can help you test the alternator yourself.

on the other hand, what is the 'ignition light' ?

because the closest related warning light to your topic is the Alternator warning light.

Sorry Masster, showing my age a bit there.

It is the alternator light that's coming on and getting brighter when revved.

I have been lent a very trick Snap-On battery/voltage tester that goes across the battery terminals. It is telling me that when revving, the volts increase to 17.6 !!!

That is quite a high voltage I think. That is with consumables on like lights, heater etc.

It all points to the regulator I know, but its not because it is brand new, from Jorily. That's not to say that it couldn't be faulty, but what are the chances??

Also, bearing in mind that I fitted a new alternator and new battery not so long ago.

I don't have a haynes manual, but maybe I can source the info I need from web.

Anyway, thanks you both for you're replies, much appreciated.

Regards

Steve

How long ago did you fit the new alternator?

hi djay.

It was fitted around 8 months ago.

So is it not in guarantee then? Would be my first port of call...

Ahh yes, but the chap who fitted it is no longer around here and I have no idea where he purchased it from.

It all points to the regulator I know, but its not because it is brand new, from Jorily. That's not to say that it couldn't be faulty, but what are the chances??

believe me, there are.

it is also equally possible to have the regulator fried due to internal alternator issues (bad collector, shorted windings, bad diode bridge rectifier, etc.)

anyway, I am the advocate of "an image is 1000 words" so I compiled for you the most relevant pages from Haynes.

there could be more pages, but you didn't specify (why so many don't do that?) in your profile what type of Felicia you own.

As Masster says, internal issues in the alternator could have caused the demise of the new regulator, and given the output test, it's clear that something is wrong with it - it's the only part on the car that will do that, so it's time to bite the bullet and get another one, IMO. Sounds like it was a cheap/bad recon?

Hey guy's, thanks for that info. Masster, you're the Master!

Thank you very much indeed for those pic's. I reckon I could diagnose the fault armed with that info.

I will post a reply as soon as I know anything else.

Many thanks

Regards

Steve