ok. just preface this by saying I did a clutch replacement over xmas hols so there was earth cables disconnected etc but I did try and follow everything carefully and connect everything back the right way...

Anyhow, first time i tried to start car after the clutch job the battery was flat as hell. so i jumped it and it went ok. but i remember over the next week i did have to jump it a couple of mornings!

then ran well for bit. When we hit the snow there last week the car was sitting for bout 4 days i think without start. Went for a spin and it started no bother but the next morning i tried the battery was flat again Grrrrrrr

So today i jumped it and drove about 30 miles round trip. on the drive i had the ABS,traction control light and the handbrake light flash on n off quickly accompanied by 3 bongs. it did this a few times but it also did a weird thing of like everything shutting down for a split second...like engine was cutting out, all dash lights going, like it was dying on the spot but only for split second, then came back to life

The battery terminals are good and tight rite now

Would a battery normally go dead just because it is disconnected? Im thinking not...

The alternator was refurbished bout 18 months ago

Should i get a new battery and give that a go and see how she performs then or are there other things i can try also

thanks in advance!!!

this site has been awesome for me as a guy who had never really touched a a wrench before getting this car. I never would have dreamed about replacing a clutch on a car without having built up some confidence over the years from bits of DIY i did, usually following guides from here!!

anyways, all suggestions welcome

Check the fuse box on top of the battery first as they have a habit of melting the connections from the alternator. There’s a black wire in there but don’t get confused they’re all live wires. 

19 minutes ago, Skoda_Driver1972 said:

Check the fuse box on top of the battery first as they have a habit of melting the connections from the alternator. There’s a black wire in there but don’t get confused they’re all live wires. 

 

already did. its fine

thanks

Check that your alternator sense lead is not about to break on the back of the alternator - it may be just hanging on by a few strands. All the symptoms you have listed there are of a discharged battery, which may be because the alternator is not getting anything from the sensing cable to tell it to start charging.

Edited 8 March, 20188 yr by kentphil1

1 hour ago, kentphil1 said:

Check that your alternator sense lead is not about to break on the back of the alternator - it may be just hanging on by a few strands. All the symptoms you have listed there are of a discharged battery, which may be because the alternator is not getting anything from the sensing cable to tell it to start charging.

 

ok great thanks Phil. will check this in the morning

@huwants2no - I'd agree about the sense wire. The other diagnostic for this is if the battery light doesn't light up when you switch the ignition on.

Battery light is coming on when turn electrics on.

Can only see 2 connections at back of alternator, one big chunky one like an earth and that looks ok and the other just a normal plug in click connection also ok. Is one of them the sense wire You're referring to? 

Think ill get a new battery and go from there. Just waiting for lend of a multimeter to check it. Everything looks ok on the alternator end