lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 05:35 PM |
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Starting issues....bad alternator?
So....after having problems starting my car over the last few months (I thought it was heat-soak problem as the starter is so close to the exhaust
manifold) I fitted a brand new starter. Now on starting it occasionally clicks and when it does start it seems a weak start-up.....until I charged the
battery, then its fine!
Most of my journeys are just quick country lane blasts that rarely last more than an hour so with that in mind do you think the alternator just isn’t
charging the battery and the car is running on battery power alone?
The thing is that once home I always put the car on a trickle charge because I don’t know when I’m going to use it next resulting in me having a full
charged battery every time I go out in it.
I presume a Westfield can go quite a long way without an alternator especially if your not using the lights. What do you need a battery for...brake
lights, indicators...that’s about it!
I am completely useless when it comes to electrics, should I get the alternator checked out? I haven’t got a multi metre thingy....am I making sense
or am I missing something?
[Edited on 9/6/18 by lordbenny]
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scudderfish
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 05:40 PM |
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Does the alternator light on the dash come on and then go off when you start/rev the engine?
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lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 05:43 PM |
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Yes, it goes off when you start the engine. I presume that would suggest the alternator’s ok?
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lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 05:46 PM |
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By the way....on fitting the starter motor I took all the earth straps and battery earth to chassis and cleaned them all up. What I didn’t do was
replace the live battery to starter motor lead but I have no reason tho think that could be an issue.
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perksy
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 05:55 PM |
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Put a Voltmeter on the battery terminals and check what the alternator charge is
Are you using a conventional battery or a gel one ?
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lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 05:58 PM |
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It’s conventional.....I haven’t got a voltmeter. 
Can an alternator just be working at half mast so to speak. Can it be charging but just poorly and enough to turn off the big red light on my
dashboard on startup?
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perksy
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 06:04 PM |
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The ignition warning light doesn't mean a great deal when it comes to charging and a voltmeter (even a cheap one) will show what's going
into the battery and will help rule out the alternator if its ok
If is a conventional battery it might be that it has a failing or failed cell
With your previous starting issues it might well be that the battery has had a hard time and is now saying its had enough
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lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 06:07 PM |
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The battery has only done approx 1000 Miles!
I think my question has been answered in that I can’t do anything until the alternator has been checked.
Do you think my starting issues could be due to the circumstances in my original post?
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 06:09 PM |
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yes, alternators can fail, and still partially work. (diode fail)
though battery failure is more common.
one test you can do...
put the head lights on,
start the car, - they will dim as the car starts, but do they then get bright, (and hopefully brighter than before the engine was running)?
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lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 06:12 PM |
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To be honest I see no difference between the lights being on before the car starts and after.
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ian locostzx9rc2
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 06:29 PM |
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I would buy a cheap multimeter they can be bought for less than £10 and check the battery voltage with the car not running should be at least 12.3
volts when the cars running you should see 13.5 to 14.5 volts if that’s ok then a good battery test is without the engine running put the headlights
on and see how the voltage drops if it drops off below 12 volts then towards 11 volts within 1/2 mins it could be a weak battery then turn headlamps
off and see if the voltage recovers hope this helps
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lordbenny
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 06:53 PM |
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Thanks....do you think the alternator not working properly could be the reason for my problem?
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ian locostzx9rc2
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| posted on 9/6/18 at 09:40 PM |
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Could be alternator / wiring issue or battery but the tests I suggested will help diagnosis
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lordbenny
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 11:46 AM |
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So.....the alternator is fine and so is the battery and it’s a brand new starter!
I’m thinking now before I get an auto electrician in (at £75 per hour!) that It would make sense to replace the live feed from the battery to the
starter as it’s a cheap fix.....if that is the problem. How many amps rating should the wire be...I was looking at 110 or 170?
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scudderfish
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 04:02 PM |
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How good are your earth straps?
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lordbenny
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 04:10 PM |
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I’ve got one decent one from the starter casing to the chassis that I have taken off and filed down so good contact. I’ve also got the battery to
chassis earth wire which i have taken off any field the contacts so I’m sure its good too.
[Edited on 12/6/18 by lordbenny]
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starterman
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 06:57 PM |
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Take the alternator off and send it down. I'll check it over and send it right back. No charge, doesn't cost me anything to look and
test.
Cheers
Mike
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lordbenny
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 07:16 PM |
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Thanks for the offer Mike but I had I checked today and it and the battery are fine.
I’m sure the sarter is fine too, thanks for that 
I’ve ordered a new live cable, see if that makes any difference!
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02GF74
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 07:49 PM |
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Location?
To summarise, starter motor is sluggish after a short drive when engine is up to temperature.
If you connect second battery I. E. Jumptstart, will engine turn over.
When engine bay has cooled down, is starter motor sluggish?
Buy a dvm then measure bettery voltage when fully charged and when trying to start when hot, both cases engi e not running.
Lets take it step by step before replacing random parts.
Incidentally has it always done this, if not, what was changed.
[Edited on 12/6/18 by 02GF74]
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lordbenny
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 07:59 PM |
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Coulsdon, Surrey
At the moment even when the battery is fully charged it doesn’t start first time....usually but not always. I either get a click from the solenoid or
sometimes nothing at all. The engine does fire up with a jump start which suggest that power just isn’t getting to the starter doesn’t it? The battery
has been check as has the alternator by a pro and they’re fine. I’ve cleaned up all the earth straps.
It’s done this for a while which is why I changed the starter motor...it’s just doing it again with the new one which suggests it’s not the starter.
Could it be the live cable not getting the power to the starter? I’ve ordered a new one anyway.
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02GF74
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 08:24 PM |
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Too far from me to take a look.
What battery is it. (ah rating)
What condition is the solenoid.
Have you tried bypassing the solenoid with a jump lead.
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lordbenny
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 08:29 PM |
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It’s a big meaty, nearly new, Mondeo spec battery, more than man enough.
the solenoid is brand new, like the motor.
Bypassing the solenoid? No
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02GF74
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| posted on 12/6/18 at 08:38 PM |
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Do you have a set of jump leads.
Connect one end to bettery negative and other end to earth e.G. Gearbox casing near the starter.
Other lead first to starter positive and then the other end on battery positive, expect a big spark when initial contact is made.
If engine turns over you can rule out starter and battery.
Yhow is battery earth connected starter motor?
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starterman
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| posted on 13/6/18 at 07:08 AM |
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That's not correct. You won't be engaging the solenoid. the starter will spin but the bendix won't be engaged in the ring gear.
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DJT
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| posted on 13/6/18 at 02:38 PM |
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I had similar issues with mine. Even though starter was remanufactured when I took it apart there was hardly any copper left on commutator. I binned
it and bought a new geared one.
http://tigeravonbuilddiary.blogspot.com/
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