Weird Electrical Gremlin

[pgls400]

Hi all.

My apologies if this is farmiliar to things that have been covered in previous posts, but as the title suggests, weird things are happening with my car.

Just yesterday morning, upon driving to work, suddenly every warning light on the dash lit up, however all the needles on the dials dissappeared along with all the interior lights! I was now very worried.

I pulled over to observe the exterior lights (it was approx 4am, so therefor, dark), and they were on by VERY dim. Turned off the car, and then went to restart it and, you guessed it, it would not start, just the farmiliar click, click, click!!!

I then waited a few mins and tried again, and this time it started, although everything was still very dim, and all the warning lights were still on. So i managed to get it to work, and stuck a slow charger on it all day ( i am a bus driver, and so they had such stuff lying around in the garage).

Upon returning to the car in the afternoon, everything was fine. Then it did the same thing this morning, although this time as soon as all the warning appeared, i quickly turned off the stereo, demister and heated seat, and everything then returned to normal.

Is it my Battery or my alternator? If not what can it be???

Hope all are well.

Phil

[Mybikesacx500]

Sounds like your Battery isn't getting, or holding a charge, perhaps somebody in your garage can check the Battery voltage with the engine reving, should be around 14v Make sure your Battery termials/clamps and the earth wire are clean and making a good connection, also the earth wire for the engine (wherever that is)

Bad connections will give weird symtoms, make sure they are ok before replacing expensive batteries and alternators.

I once had a van with a bad engine earth, it looked like my Battery, starter and glow plug relay were faulty

[pgls400]

Thanks for that mate,

Will have a good rummage around the engine bay tommorow, and post what i did and find.

Phil.

[ROYT]

Check alternator output with heated rear screen and headlights on.

Should show more than 12volts, say 13.4.

If it does your Battery is duff!

[Manc]

if its not the original Battery, (they were good but i doubt it is now...) check to see if it has top-up caps..take these off and check the levels, they all should be a cm above the elements. If not top up to that level with 99p de-ironised water from any motorworld / land / factors, or Halfords etc

3 of mine were low and i havn't had batt trouble since.

If your batt is a self maintaining one then you will have to get someone to check the voltage anyway, they can then usually tell if its the batt or alternator.

But check the water levels 1st!!!!!!!! that is normally the issue and the Battery can be saved from an early death, and your wallet is saved a beating too :winky:

[pgls400]

if its not the original battery, (they were good but i doubt it is now...) check to see if it has top-up caps..take these off and check the levels, they all should be a cm above the elements. If not top up to that level with 99p de-ironised water from any motorworld / land / factors, or halfords etc

3 of mine were low and i havn't had batt trouble since.

If your batt is a self maintaining one then you will have to get someone to check the voltage anyway, they can then usually tell if its the batt or alternator.

But check the water levels 1st!!!!!!!! that is normally the issue and the battery can be saved from an early death, and your wallet is saved a beating too :winky:

Cheers for that, will do.

Phil.

[pgls400]

if its not the original battery, (they were good but i doubt it is now...) check to see if it has top-up caps..take these off and check the levels, they all should be a cm above the elements. If not top up to that level with 99p de-ironised water from any motorworld / land / factors, or halfords etc

3 of mine were low and i havn't had batt trouble since.

If your batt is a self maintaining one then you will have to get someone to check the voltage anyway, they can then usually tell if its the batt or alternator.

But check the water levels 1st!!!!!!!! that is normally the issue and the battery can be saved from an early death, and your wallet is saved a beating too :winky:

Cheers for that, will do.

Phil.

Hi all,

Just an update,

The symptoms are getting strange and unpredictable. I borrowed a very heavy duty charger from work, just to see of the Battery would and was taking a charge, and there can be no doubt there. After putting it on a slow charge for around 15 hours, i then put it back in the car, connected it up, and behold, the car lit up like a christmas tree. Everything was brighter than it had ever been since i got the car.

I proceeded to drive to work, i pushed my luck and had the heaters on, along with the headlights, and everything appeared OK. But just as i pulled into the garage, all the dash warning lights came on again, and everything went dim, but it didnt die on me, as it has previously. When i had finished work, i drove home, and made it about half way, and then, once again, eveything went dim. But i made it home, just.

When the warning lights first come on i had notice that this initially only happens while idling, then when i rev it, they go out and everything brightens up, so that makes me think that its not the alternator, and i have shown that the Battery is taking and capable of taking a full charge. However, reving only works for a short time, and everntually it makes no difference and all warning lights will then stay on and everything will eventually get darker and darker until it eventually dies.

I checked the alternator itself, although it wasnt much of an inspection (as it is a bit tight in there), and all connections seem fine, however i had notice that for some reason the bottom of the alternator appears to be caked in sludge, could this be that problem.

I dont want to go and replace things that dont need replacing.

Someone must have an idea? Has anyone experianced anything like this before? HELP!!!!!!

Phil.

[spacenase]

When the warning lights first come on I had notice that this initially only happens while idling, then when I rev it, they go out and everything brightens up, so that makes me think that it's not the alternator, and I have shown that the battery is taking and capable of taking a full charge. However, revving only works for a short time, and eventually it makes no difference and all warning lights will then stay on and everything will eventually get darker and darker until it eventually dies.

I checked the alternator itself, although it wasn't much of an inspection (as it is a bit tight in there), and all connections seem fine, however I had noticed that for some reason the bottom of the alternator appears to be caked in sludge, could this be that problem.

I'd say that everything brightening up when you rev DOES point to the alternator. I'm no car electrics expert, but it sounds as if your alternator is not putting out as much power as it should do and your electrics are partially running off the Battery until your Battery runs out of charge.

With regard to the sludge, I remember reading a number of threads on the power steering reservoir leaking fluid into the alternator and frying it. This might be what's happening here.

Good luck with finding the cause...

KEITH.

[Malc]

When the warning lights first come on I had notice that this initially only happens while idling, then when I rev it, they go out and everything brightens up, so that makes me think that it's not the alternator, and I have shown that the battery is taking and capable of taking a full charge. However, revving only works for a short time, and eventually it makes no difference and all warning lights will then stay on and everything will eventually get darker and darker until it eventually dies.

I checked the alternator itself, although it wasn't much of an inspection (as it is a bit tight in there), and all connections seem fine, however I had noticed that for some reason the bottom of the alternator appears to be caked in sludge, could this be that problem.

I understand too that Power Steering Box leakage ( thru' old age usually ) is a common cause of , maybe not so premature, alternator failure too.

Malc

I'd say that everything brightening up when you rev DOES point to the alternator. I'm no car electrics expert, but it sounds as if your alternator is not putting out as much power as it should do and your electrics are partially running off the Battery until your Battery runs out of charge.

With regard to the sludge, I remember reading a number of threads on the power steering reservoir leaking fluid into the alternator and frying it. This might be what's happening here.

Good luck with finding the cause...

KEITH.

[ROYT]

If everything brightens up when you rev up, it sounds like the alternator is charging.

Some don't charge at idle speed.

Try another Battery, if you have one bad cell this problem will never go away.

If the alternator is not damaged by PS fluid leaking, go for a Battery fault first.

[Mybikesacx500]

You really need someone with a voltmeter to check the Battery and alternator, an auto electrician can do a load test on the Battery.

Or as someone suggested, borrow a good Battery for a day

[bazgtr]

Phil it's your alternator packing full stop, No need to check anything else.

You have few options. Lexus for a new one, USA and import one, Various Motor Factors(£220 - 250 plus Vat) or get a used unit for around £90 with vat from a breaker.

You can also get your old unit rebuilt with new internals if got the time for the car to be off the road. Should only take around two days max to be done. There must be a local Battery centre near you that do alternator bosch rebuilds. Just ask a local garage who they know.