Electrical Prob (Mini)

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

My GF's just returned home in Mini2, she had called me from the motorway saying dash is like a disco, and lost power steering, but she nursed it home.

 

I put code reader on and it said low voltage.

 

Car won't start, click, click, click. But I can hear fuel pump prime, and everything appears normal.

 

Put MM on battery terminals and it's 9.3V

 

She's now away in my car so can't put jump leads on.

 

Aux belt still on it.

 

Does this sound like the alternator has given in?

[dcc 855]

Sounds like battery or alt, jump start it and read voltage

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Cheers, must be alt as battery is fairly new. Was going to do as you say ????

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Car jumped no probs, with leads on and bothered running 12.6v at the terminals.

 

Disconnected my car, the voltage on Mini2's terminals dropped immediately to 11.5v and was then steadily dropping 0.1v every few seconds, and batt light on on dash.

 

Defineately alternator?

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

Sounds like it, another check to do would be to check the voltage straight out the back of the alternator on the large cable with it running, would rule out any wiring faults.

[welshpug 1,657]

did you give it a rev? could be the trigger circuit not working, but uf nothing then I would suspect the alternator.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Only thing I can really add to the above. Even though the battery is recent don't automatically assume its good. They can and do crap out. Disconnect it and give it a charge up for a few hours. Then remove the charger and let it stabilise for an hour or so, then measure the voltage with a meter. Leave it 6 hours and measure again. If its any good your readings should be more or less identical.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Will do Tom, but really can't see it being battery as it all happened mid journey.

 

I've ordered a 2nd hand alternator anyway, cheap enough at £33 delivered, might be a bit awkward to fit it if needs it right enough. Something to look forward to!

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

did you give it a rev? could be the trigger circuit not working, but uf nothing then I would suspect the alternator.

Nope, never rev'd it. I'm confident it'll be the alt.

[welshpug 1,657]

doh, typically giving it a rev will make it start charging when the excitor circuit isn't working, which would suggest its not the alternator but a wiring fault.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Replacement alternator arrived last night but it's been damaged in transit, fair play to the seller who refunded in full right away.

 

 

Think I'll try swap over the end casing from the other on to this one, unless anyone can think of a way to repair it?

[welshpug 1,657]

I'd take your original one to be tested/repaired, I had the OEM valeo unit on my BMW fixed for £35 recently, a direct replacement would have been £190!

 

swapping casings is often not straightforward depending on construction of the unit, you may have to do some cutting and soldering!

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTDErideqzqIZgWYgK-TMkQ

 

several very useful videos from this channel, if it wasn't my Daily I would have had a go at doing my alternator myself, got a few S16 units I'm going to have a go with

[steve@cornwall 100]

May be easy enough to swap the brushes from one alt to the other. They are a consumable item and worth a try

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Took the alternator off it yesterday, it was buried and the only way to get to it is by stripping the front end off. Not as bad as it looks but could think of better things to be doing.



Took the alternator to a local place this morning and they called me back after testing it and it had indeed failed.

Collecting it tomorrow....80 buckin quid .... a brand new one's only £110.

[welshpug 1,657]

ooft, diode pack as well as brushes slip ring and labour at a guess.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

ooft, diode pack as well as brushes slip ring and labour at a guess.

The mechanic who put me on to the place said I'd be £70 no matter what it needed..... he said 70's the new 40 ????

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Job done and all is well. They had even painted it (to justify the money!)

[dcc 855]

Always nice having good quality work

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

While you are there check the plastic intake pipe between throttle and supercharger for cracking.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

While you are there check the plastic intake pipe between throttle and supercharger for cracking.

Too late, i'm too efficient! I fitted and buttoned it up last night, mostly in torrential rain.

 

Never heard of any probs with cracking pipes and it idles spot on. If anything I probably should have serviced the charger oil while the front was off the car, but it's quick enough to strip/get at having done it a few times now.

 

Only one incident where a long 8mm socket fell off ratchet and landed somewhere at front of engine never to be seen again (I thought), but brought car to work this morn to make sure it's ok and heard a clunk at the first roundabout, I stopped and found it lying on the road.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

They do crack, I've changed one on the wifes cooper S.