Alternator Help.

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Hey there guys,

 

I think my alternator maybe shot in my STDT. It's been fine except one morning where it took maybe a second longer to fire up than usual, thinking nothing of it I drove back to my house from where I was and slightly later that day went to start the car and there was just a clicking and nothing, the ignition startup lights were lit however,.

 

I took the battery out and charged it and sure enough when I put it back in some hours later it fired up first time, I'm not 100% sure what alternator to buy though, will a 1.8D XU7 alternator be enough for the XU7T engine?

 

Is it worth buying the part to get fitted or just get a garage to supply and fit? If supplying it myself is cheaper/faster will this be good enough?

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300566668733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

Best wishes

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

Have you tested with a MM ?

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Hey farmer, I haven't as of yet. I meant to take it to my local battery centre to get them to test the alternator. I guess I'm assuming it's that... It doesn't appear to be a drain from what I gather since it's let me drive it for a few days now without the battery going flat.

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

I had a similar issue last week which I thought was the alternator, but I think it was just a bad earth as I fully charged battery and has been good since.

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

I guess it could be just that. I have found that my central locking sticks trying to lock - it'll lock by itself after it tries 4 times or so when I recharged the battery it didn't do that which maybe coincidental... Also the car would fire up straight away but now I'm a couple of days later it takes maybe a second or so more which sounds silly but I wonder if it's connected to the issue somehow....

[jackherer 543]

It sounds like you both have weak batteries to me. If they are more than a few years old and you're getting these symptoms it's almost certainly time for a new one.

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

Mine was new last year and worked fine till last week.

 

It looks like I have resolved the issue....

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Okay so the car wouldn't start again the other day whilst parked in Sainsbury's. I had a replacement battery with me - put that in and still nothing.... I had to get the car jump started to which it fired up straight away and was fine after that... What do we think the cause is?

[welshpug 1,657]

What do you meab by nothing?

 

No dash lights? Click from starter? Turning but no attempt to fire?

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Sorry, that was a bit vague wasn't it!

 

The dash lights, electric windows etc are fine, the glow plug light comes on and goes out as it should, I then go to turn the key but all I get is a click - the engine doesn't even attempt to start. I thought it was the alternator but after putting another (fully charged, albeit GTI battery) in there and getting the same thing, I'm thinking something else is up, I took it to my local battery centre who said the alternator was strong as was the starter motor.... I'm stumped.

 

It's done it twice now, I'm wondering if my central locking is draining it? When locking the car it always seems to take around 4 attempts by the car itself to lock.

Edited September 18, 2013 by forbeslongden

[welshpug 1,657]

See what happens when you whack a spanner or screwdriver across the starter terminals to bridge from the permanent live to the solenoid, wear gloves and mind the rad, make sure its not in gear!

 

May be the usual voltage drop from a corroded solenoid wire or bad connection under the dash due to alarm or similar.

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Sounds like a plan

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

As Welshpug said, it could be a corroded wire affecting the starter solenoid.

 

Just brace yourself, it still s*its me up when I cross the terminals on the starter

 

You can fabricate a solenoid setup to solve this problem.

[MikeC 10]

Might be no help, but i had something similar with my starter solenoid cable. A new end did the trick. Would happen during the night, and no start in the morning, bloody parents moggy disconnecting it

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Okay, so I took the car down to an electrical garage and they said that there is too much delay between turning the key and the engine firing up, at one point the car did what it does to me and didn't start and clicked in the engine bay instead. He was torn between the starter and the ignition switch, he then went into the bay and disconnected a wire with a blue end on what I believe was the starter and crocodile clipped a lead from there to the battery where the car fired up so he insisted it wasn't the starter and went on to say that somebody had struck a spanner across it at some point before (not me). To put this into perspective, the car has been running when I've used it that day so it seems a random occurrence.... At one point a few days previous to taking it to the garage I visited my Mum who lives on a steep hill (the car was parked nose up) I went to talk to her for around 20 minutes, came back out put the key in the ignition and there wasn't anything, no dash lights no life on a key turn - nothing. So I tried again, nothing. Then on the third attempt it fired up.

 

So, from what he said what am I looking at getting to replace the ignition switch, is that the barrel or something else? I've no problems replacing anything and everything that relates to this so could you guys fire at me what I would need?

Edited September 26, 2013 by forbeslongden

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Sounds like you will need a new ignition switch on the back of the barrel. Easy to take off. Remove the column shroud, put key in turn to accessory position, remove the tiny nut/screw on the outside of the barrel (if it has one) and push the metal thing sticking out underneath it and pull on the key, it should come out with a bit of influence. You might have to feed the wires through as they are quite stiff. You will see how the switch at the back is fixed on. Seperate it from the barrel then stick a screwdriver in 80's style and see how it starts then.

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

Sounds like you will need a new ignition switch on the back of the barrel. Easy to take off. Remove the column shroud, put key in turn to accessory position, remove the tiny nut/screw on the outside of the barrel (if it has one) and push the metal thing sticking out underneath it and pull on the key, it should come out with a bit of influence. You might have to feed the wires through as they are quite stiff. You will see how the switch at the back is fixed on. Seperate it from the barrel then stick a screwdriver in 80's style and see how it starts then.

 

Ah! So it's something on the barrel! The guy in the garage wasn't amazingly clear to be honest. I know he knew what he was referring to - I didn't though!

Is it worth getting a new barrel?

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

It will mean having another key, but you could just swap over the switch on the back and keep your barrel. Try the screwdriver test first see what happens oh and while your there find the massive connectors at the other end of the ignition wires and unplug em a few times to rule that out too. Tarnished connectors have been known to cause this problem recently on here, might save you some time and messing about.

[welshpug 1,657]

if you suspect the switch is playing up then a new ignition barrel assembly is the only option, I have not found a source of the switch separately even though you can separate them very easily.

 

you can strip the barrel down as well, so you need not run with a different key for the ignition only.

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

It will mean having another key, but you could just swap over the switch on the back and keep your barrel. Try the screwdriver test first see what happens oh and while your there find the massive connectors at the other end of the ignition wires and unplug em a few times to rule that out too. Tarnished connectors have been known to cause this problem recently on here, might save you some time and messing about.

 

 

if you suspect the switch is playing up then a new ignition barrel assembly is the only option, I have not found a source of the switch separately even though you can separate them very easily.

 

you can strip the barrel down as well, so you need not run with a different key for the ignition only.

 

That's great, I really don't want to have more than one key! One of my 205's has three separate keys haha! I bought the switch cable lead to replace the one that's in there too

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

I bought this.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IGNITION-SWITCH-DOOR-LOCK-BARREL-BOOT-LOCK-SET-FOR-PEUGEOT-205-83-97-LS10-/360684018869?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3A205&hash=item53fa715cb5

 

Or try this for the switch at the back of the barrel.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IGNITION-SWITCH-CABLE-LEAD-FOR-PEUGEOT-205-309-AL-MODELS-NEW-/370543785357?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item564621758d

[forbeslongden 32 13 Cars]

I bought this.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IGNITION-SWITCH-DOOR-LOCK-BARREL-BOOT-LOCK-SET-FOR-PEUGEOT-205-83-97-LS10-/360684018869?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3A205&hash=item53fa715cb5

 

Or try this for the switch at the back of the barrel.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IGNITION-SWITCH-CABLE-LEAD-FOR-PEUGEOT-205-309-AL-MODELS-NEW-/370543785357?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item564621758d

 

That second link is the thing I bought I'm glad I bought something that may help towards solving it haha!

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

Worth a go,just take your time fitting it.

[welshpug 1,657]

Aha! Those buggers at neat autos are always digging up cool stuff you thought you could never find!

 

Sure gsf used to list them years ago.

[MikeC 10]

I got a lock kit off a company, and found out that the ignition barrel key is different. Is it possible to re-configure the barrel to suit the rest of the locks?

Or as is on my car, the passenger lock is bust, can it be repaired?

Sorry to be tagging onto this post