Someone HELP!!!!!!

[Chris.W]

In desperate need of some help!!!

Been havin a nightmare! Car keeps dying, heres the sequence of events/symptoms

- First the abs light comes on of its own accord
- ayc warning light (not the 3 bars) comes on
- dash dials deluminate, needels still lit
- needels start flashing (sometimes whole dash strobes)
- Needels stop working
- engine stuters and looses power then dies.
- Wont restart, battery flat.

Initially i thaught alternator at fault, i have cx'd this for a cold spec item and run up the engine.
Same result, after a few min when starts to get warm the above list plays out again.

I am in desperate need of any ideas, have to have car back on the road by 29th to head off to new job.

Really starting to panic, anyone that has any advice please get back to me asap.

[swinks]

Have you checked voltage regulator? In most cases when faulty, it won't charge battery at all.

[Nick Mann]

Or the battery itself?

[Davezj]

My thought would have been battery issue.

If it wasn't for the issue you are having with the dash. I would have said it it could something o do with the temp sensor as you say it only when engine is warm that you get the issue.
The ecu uses the temp sensor value to modify the fueling and other peramiters then when it gets to a particular temp it uses other tables and switch table uses off and on (I am trying to be vague just to make a point).

[foxdie]

Yep I've had those symptoms before, especially the dash flickering, that's the battery not holding a charge ;)

[Chris.W]

Cheers lads, was a new batt just before crimbo.
Where dose the votage reg live?

[chugg]

At least the battery should be under guarantee then! The voltage reg is inside the alternator casing, not outside like some. If you have a multi meter you could try see what voltage you're getting across the terminals.

[Davezj]

measure battery voltage before you start the car, should be about 12V.
start car leave to idle, measure battery voltage should be about 13V-14V. if outside these valve higher or lower, then the alternator would be the prime suspect the voltage regulator as mention above.
over charging voltage is as bad as under charging voltage.
i know you said you have replaced the alternator already, but do you know it was a guarenteed working part before you fitted it.

[Chris.W]

The alt was removed from a working car so, fairly sure it's ok. Just waiting on the cavelry arriving with a multi-meter to check the voltages and a batt charger for the spare battery i just found amoungst a pile of random parts in the workshop.

[SEAN-NZ]

im my other car, had a similar, but no were near as bad, just flickering head lights and dash lights, in a ford cortina, alternator was trying to push out a bit over 17 volt, came right after change of regulator

[Chris.W]

Many cheers for the assistance lads.

Cold spec alt is now fitted, had a similar starting problem after but discovered that the 100A main engine fuse was toast, thinking power spike from old alt as it died.
Car now runs fine and have taken the operchancity whilst it was of the road to snip the speed restrictor and plumb in the boost controller. MMMMM nice.

Everything would be grand except someone seems to have helped them selfs to my headlight relay whilst the car's been laid-up in the workshop. Bugger!!