Simes 248 2 Cars Posted July 7, 2007 Stopped for petrol. Restarted engine, starter motor was barely able to make one rotation...car wouldn't start. Managed to bump start and continue. Notice radio has no power. Noticed that the indicator relay wasn't clicking very loudly. Indicators very faint. Within 1 mile car miss fires slightly. 0.5 mile later lots of miss firing and back firing. 0.2 mile later car finally cuts out. Lights are all very dim. Tried restarting, all I get is clicking sound of the solenoid and fuel pump relay. All lights very faint. (Mi16 on Motronic) I have some ideas but does anyone else have any ideas to whats causing this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 244 3 Cars Posted July 7, 2007 Battery & alternator death combination? Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dee205 3 Posted July 7, 2007 Alternator, battery, loose connection or bad earth on either. Damien Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TEKNOPUG 3 Posted July 7, 2007 Yep - as above. Battery most likely cause and the easiest to fix, so I'd start there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
travill 0 Posted July 7, 2007 I'll put my £10 on alternator Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toddy 7 Posted July 7, 2007 Sounds like the alternator has failed and is not recharging the battery, check you are getting 14v to the battery when the engine is running. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peetypug 5 Posted July 7, 2007 Sounds like the alternator has failed and is not recharging the battery, check you are getting 14v to the battery when the engine is running. as above really charge your battery first then get a multimeter and see what your battery charge is while its running anything over 13 volts is ok but it should be closer to 14 if thats fine then its not your alternator, its the battery hope that helps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boombang 2 Posted July 8, 2007 Obvious one, but make sure you actually have an aux belt fitted. Seen it before when a guy was getting misfiring out on track. First look into the engine pay showed no belt on it at all... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simes 248 2 Cars Posted July 8, 2007 (edited) Thanks for your help. I guess it was the battery and alternator but why would they suddenly fail? Edited July 8, 2007 by Simes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pugrallye 0 Posted July 8, 2007 Its normally the regulator on the end, can go at any time, just got hot once too often lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simes 248 2 Cars Posted July 8, 2007 Removed battery - showing 11.7v, so on charge. Once charged I'll refit and try to get the car started and measure the voltage to determine state of alternator. It all happened in a very short space of time....grrrr...alternator is only 3 years old. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simes 248 2 Cars Posted July 8, 2007 Charges the batery. 12.3V when running Drops to 11.7v when I turn all electrics on. I guess it's the alternator? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
welshpug 1,657 Posted July 8, 2007 sounds likely, it should read around the 13.5 to 14 volts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matty_gti 20 Posted July 8, 2007 Charges the batery.12.3V when running Drops to 11.7v when I turn all electrics on. I guess it's the alternator? IIRC it should be over 13v near to 14v so sounds to like the alt. exact same thing happend to me in my 1.1 and happend in about 3miles of driving, first the sterio, lights dimming, missifre, loud bangs and then rolled to a stall and traffic lights Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number2301 1 1 Cars Posted July 8, 2007 Odd, when I had an Alt die the car didn't display any of the symptoms described, just started to lose power gradually until it stopped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey S 29 1 Cars Posted July 8, 2007 Charges the batery.12.3V when running Drops to 11.7v when I turn all electrics on. I guess it's the alternator? do a charge test direct to the back of the alternator itself. its not uncommon for the terminal to go or the wire itself, after all it is french! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianthemagical 1 Posted July 9, 2007 same thing happened to, i oulled out the drive for my 1hr drive to work and noticed the battery light was on very dim. i stopped for petrol and it wouldn't restart. we bumped it and even using the indicators made the engine missfire, just pulled into a carpark as it died. the insulation on the terminal had melted and insulated the alternator and wires. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 244 3 Cars Posted July 11, 2007 I agree, check both the battery & the alternator. I had an alternator die on one of my previous cars with no indication except for when I went to start the car to drive home it was dead. I borrowed a battery of one of the works vans & drove home only to have the same problem the followign morning meaning I had to take an emergency day of work. I fitted another spare battery & got the car & once it was running checked the voltages, the alternator was only charging about 11v iirc but even under load the battery light wasn't lighting on the dash. (On a diesel btw) Ended up costing me a new alternator, battery & day off work. Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony 1,003 Posted July 12, 2007 Alternator. Sounds like the usual way they seem to die on me - no warning, no indication or warning lights, you just drive along and run out of electricity Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dino 3 Posted July 12, 2007 Alternator all the way mate - has happened to me on a couple of occasions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simes 248 2 Cars Posted July 12, 2007 Sorry yes it was the alternator! Fixed it a few days ago...an old forum member bailed me out with one. Just got to fit the top mounts now and we're ready for another european road trip next week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
