Initially does anyone know the cost of either a new, or a recon alternator? Is it worth going for a recon or are they likely to break?

Easy to fit (don't have haynes manual with me!)

The Ex's car keeps killing batteries after a few weeks and needs a jump start and charge to it running and then it lasts for a another couple of weeks. Initially I thought it was just a rubbihs battery (has been in there for the last 3 years - from when she bought the car). Changed the battery a few months ago, and all was fine till 2 weeks ago when it failed to start. Charged it up and all ok again.

When the engine is running there is around 14v across the battery (can't remember exactly), and with no engine, around 12v. Curently draw with engine not running and everything else off is around 10mA, iirc - clock I guess.

Is there a way to test the alternator?

Cheers,

Matt

You just have. 14v with the engine running sounds about right.

I should add that turning on headlamps, demister, fans etc does not overlly affect the voltage across the battery when the engine is running either.....

As cjb has said, 14 V sounds quite all right.

Could it be that something sucks charge from the battery when car is parked?

If you have a multimeter, remove earth cable from battery's minus pole (with engine off, of course!). Measure the current between battery and earth. It shouldn't be many mA (the clock, live to radio for keeping pre-set stations...) If there's a significant current running you could remove one fuse at a time to see what circuit/item that causes it.

Did that a while ago, and I *think* it was around the 10mA sort of reading, so not a great deal. Car gets used a few times a week, some short and some longer trips. However definately worth checking again.

Cheers!

I once got my dad's old Ascona to register a slight discharge, maybe 11.9V. To do it I turned on the radio, full headlights, HRW, and fan on full, with the engine off!

And your multimeter is accurate? Stupid question maybe, but if the meter's battery is old you can get incorrect readings (as I learnt when my meter said I had over 300V in the sockets at home :eek:, with a fresh battery it was back to normal)

Felicia 1.3L, I have had this same battery 'problem', replaced the battery,got the same sort of readings as you and the starter motor has been barely turning.

Yesterday first thing it wouldn't turn over:eek:, out with the voltmeter and getting 12V ! across the solenoid output when operated (wifey turning the key) ; bl@@dy should be millivolts , checked the connections and all looked OK, and now it all works OK, its the effin solenoid, effin sure itis.

Havent as yet removed the solenoid to try and strip it, but it is now working O K .

Had the batteries independently checked at 'Halfords', new one tests good old one iffy, but I am sure it is the solenoid.

IME the solonoid is sort of obvious, cos either you hear a graunching noise or the starter motor with no load on it.

Intermittent HR internal solenoid connection, Im sure it is (for me anyway ).

OK, you need to be methodical about this one - shouldn't be hard to fault-find.

First you need an _accurate_ meter. If it's a digital one with fresh batteries it should be plenty accurate enough. To check, measure the battery volts in someone else's car while the engine is running. You're looking for a touch over 14V.

Measure your battery terminals with the engine running - should be very similar to the other car. Anything under 14V is suspicious, it's usually a couple of tenths over, give or take not much at all.

If that looks OK, turn the engine off and keep the meter connected to the battery. Have someone operate the starter switch while you look at the meter. If the battery is discharged the voltage will drop - if the starter is going round sluggishly you'll probably see a voltage below 10V. If the voltage holds up but the starter is sluggish or non-responsive it's the starter solenoid.

The other thing is the ignition warning light on the dash. When an alternator starts to go this will usually glow _very_ dimly. Turn the engine on at night, with the lights off, and you may be able to see it. In daylight or with the dashboard lights on you may very likely not.

Any voltage from the alternator under 14V will lead to slow charging of the battery, and below 13.5V there's basically nothing going into the battery at all. On the other hand, anything over 14.5V risks boiling off the battery fluid (strictly electrolysing it off, but the end result is the same). I had the latter on one of my Estelles, years ago, which was fiendishly annoying because when it finally got to crunch point the alternator was putting out about 20-odd volts (this was due to a dodgy lead connecting to the regulator pack, which was external on the Estelle), the engine started missing, I put on the hazard lights (I was tanking up the A1 somewhere in rural Yorkshire), applied the brakes, and promptly blew ALL my indicator and brake lamps! A call to a local garage got me a new battery for about £80 including call-out charge (only roadside rescue I've ever needed in 21 years of driving), but I ran the next two petrol stations right out of replacement bulbs. Then two hours later on the same journey I got a flat tyre....

OK, you need to be methodical about this one - shouldn't be hard to fault-find.

First you need an _accurate_ meter. If it's a digital one with fresh batteries it should be plenty accurate enough. To check, measure the battery volts in someone else's car while the engine is running. You're looking for a touch over 14V.

Measure your battery terminals with the engine running - should be very similar to the other car. Anything under 14V is suspicious, it's usually a couple of tenths over, give or take not much at all.

If that looks OK, turn the engine off and keep the meter connected to the battery. Have someone operate the starter switch while you look at the meter. If the battery is discharged the voltage will drop - if the starter is going round sluggishly you'll probably see a voltage below 10V. If the voltage holds up but the starter is sluggish or non-responsive it's the starter solenoid.

The other thing is the ignition warning light on the dash. When an alternator starts to go this will usually glow _very_ dimly. Turn the engine on at night, with the lights off, and you may be able to see it. In daylight or with the dashboard lights on you may very likely not.

Any voltage from the alternator under 14V will lead to slow charging of the battery, and below 13.5V there's basically nothing going into the battery at all. On the other hand, anything over 14.5V risks boiling off the battery fluid (strictly electrolysing it off, but the end result is the same). I had the latter on one of my Estelles, years ago, which was fiendishly annoying because when it finally got to crunch point the alternator was putting out about 20-odd volts (this was due to a dodgy lead connecting to the regulator pack, which was external on the Estelle), the engine started missing, I put on the hazard lights (I was tanking up the A1 somewhere in rural Yorkshire), applied the brakes, and promptly blew ALL my indicator and brake lamps! A call to a local garage got me a new battery for about £80 including call-out charge (only roadside rescue I've ever needed in 21 years of driving), but I ran the next two petrol stations right out of replacement bulbs. Then two hours later on the same journey I got a flat tyre....

Sounds like you were having a rough day mate - thats not bad motoring in 21 years, only breaking down the once!

thats not bad motoring in 21 years, only breaking down the once!

Oh, I've broken down more times than I can count, it's just that was the only time I've had to pay a pro to come and bail me out. I used to carry a very good set of spanners in my Estelle, believe me, and I've done some roadside repairs in it and other older motors that I'm quite proud of! The distributor rebuild in a multistorey car park in Aldershot was quite a good one, as was fixing a leaking Transit radiator at the roadside with chewed-up paper.....

Just had my alternator reconditioned end of Dec o7.Cost £80 They are like new when done.I priced a new one from Butts of Bawtry they wanted £140 plus V.A.T..This new one included the pulley .As it happened mine did not need a new pulley, so the recond option was fine.Everthing now fine.

I got an alternator for about £100 reconditioned 3 years ago. Seemed good at the time - I didn't fit it, and ended up taking it back as the head gasket went, and so did something else! I traded it in for £350 and got my current car

Don't worry the garage knew the faults as well

Hello everyone!

I need Your advice.

My felicia 1.9.d 2001 is having a hard time starting in winter, when temepratures drop belov zero.

Also, only THE first start is the problem, early in the morning.

With the engine runing,the alternator is showing 13.86 - 14.11V.IS THIS NORMAL? IS THIS enough to charge up the battery

Due to heavy start in winter conditions, I`ve planned to buy a new battery.

Curent baterry is Banner 69Ah 520A and is 4 years old.

When I went to the battery shop, they`ve tested the battery, and said it`s ok, but charged only 36%, wich was normal, cause I`ve draind it trying to start the car that day.

I`m planing to buy a Tudor 72Ah 720A, for some better kick start, but I`m wondering if the Felicia can charge up this battery with the current alternator voltage.

If the battery is OK and has decent capacity I can't see the point in changing it. It's only 3Ah more than your current one.

When you say the car won't start, what does it actually do? Turn over slowly for ages and eventually fire? If so, do you know FOR SURE that ALL the glow plugs are OK? I say this from the voice of hideous experience (assuming the Glow Plugs I'd changed 6 months before were OK, they weren't, having tested just about every other component on the car!!!! Never use non-NGK plugs again). Other than that if it just turns over too slow to fire then look at the starter. All sorts of things get blamed on the battery (and indeed starter) that often are something else, and given them being correct the car will be on the button.

Voltage sounds fine to me. Battery capacity would have nothing to do with the voltage other than time to actually charge that battery.

sounds like a couple of glowplugs not working mate, I would start by checking each one before doing anything else.