Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: easy electric q.
55ant

posted on 11/1/10 at 01:59 PM Reply With Quote
easy electric q.

hi all,

ok got a 4x4 thats driving ok but not starting. even after a 2 hour drive there's no juice in the battery,

im pretty sure the car has been in the water at some point, can this do a lot of damage to an altenator? and can they be repaired if it is this thats faulty. or is it the battery, probably goin to replace the battery anyway.

cheers, ant

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
snakebelly

posted on 11/1/10 at 02:13 PM Reply With Quote
just check the voltage at the battery with it running, is it somewhere between 13.5 and 14v? if so its charging
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ReMan

posted on 11/1/10 at 02:18 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by snakebelly
just check the voltage at the battery with it running, is it somewhere between 13.5 and 14v? if so its charging

Beat me!
As above this would indicate either alternator or associated wiring/earths.
Else its most probably the battery

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
blakep82

posted on 11/1/10 at 02:20 PM Reply With Quote
if it won't start but runs ok, then i'd say the alternator is fine (does the charge light come on?)

my BMW did this. would start sometimes other times i'd have to roll it on a hill, drive fine for ages, stall at traffic lights (i didn't have it long and wasn't used to the heavy clutch on it) go to start it and the battery had nothing in it at all.
new battery, problem solved





________________________

IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083

don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
smart51

posted on 11/1/10 at 02:22 PM Reply With Quote
Being in the water won't kill the alternator. Driving in the rain soaks everything under the bonnet and doesn't kill it.






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
55ant

posted on 11/1/10 at 02:24 PM Reply With Quote
hmm, ok ill go dig out the voltmeter jobbie, hopefully just need a battery.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
dhutch

posted on 11/1/10 at 02:35 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by snakebelly
just check the voltage at the battery with it running, is it somewhere between 13.5 and 14v? if so its charging

I would agree, charge voltage should be around 13.8 ish.
- An secondhand or recon alternator is a simular price to a battery and may not evern be much harder to fit but you do need to isolate which it is.

Presumably your jump starting it to get it going? If you put the head lights on full beam having got it running are they bright? Very crude but simple way of testing the battery voltage to given an indication.

Daniel

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
andyharding

posted on 11/1/10 at 03:17 PM Reply With Quote
I'd bet the battery is fooked





Are you a Mac user or a retard?

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
speedyxjs

posted on 11/1/10 at 05:29 PM Reply With Quote
Pretty sure that will be the battery. Thats exactly what my donor car used to do.





How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
55ant

posted on 11/1/10 at 06:42 PM Reply With Quote
ah well thats good news, how about once its stared it will run for 2-3 seconds the n die? still battery?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
twinturbo

posted on 11/1/10 at 08:20 PM Reply With Quote
Check the earth from the battery/body to the engine engine.

TT

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
wilkingj

posted on 14/1/10 at 03:16 PM Reply With Quote
Check the water level is above the plates in each cell. Top up with De-Ionised or distilled water. (ie not from the kitchen tap!)

Charge up the battery overnight, and take it to a tyre / battery service place and get them to do a load test.
This will tell if the battery is fooked or not. (Its usually a free test).
If the battery is OK, then look at the Alternator.

Usually about 12v without the engine running and about 13.5-14V with the engine running (at say about 2000 rpm, ie not on tickover)

As you say its a 4x4.... (its been subjected to loads of Mud and water mix?)
Before you go and lash out on an alternator, or battery, check ALL the connections at the Alternator, Starter Motor, and the Battery terminals.
If the Battery terminals have the green fur on them, then wash gently with warm water and it will disolve away.
Clean the battery posts, and the connectors. Grease with Petroleum Jelly (Vasseline), only use axle grease as a last resort. We have been using P-Jelly on battery terminals for 40 years at work (BT). Its the correct stuff.

Check the earth connections at the body, and the earth strap from the chassis to the engine. Make sure the chassis earthing points are clean metal and not rusty.
Again clean and grease as necessary.

Failing all that, its a new alternator and / or battery.
Basically eliminate what you can for nil cost. Then test the battery.
The check the alternator output.
The replace faulty component.






1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.