[buzbox]

I just want a bit of reassurance that I is smart.

Went wheelin yesterday,
Drove through a few mud puddles and water
Comming back home and the lights were very dim, stereo cutting in and out as if the alternator was working but only sometimes. Engine would shut off If I put the lights on and even the indicator.

Typical symptoms that the alternator is cactus. right?

The thing is there was enough juice in the battery to get home, And the accessory lights on the dash would still work but not enough juice in teh battery to crank the engine over but I could still clutch start it.

I've just pulled out the alternator and a huge thanks to Shane for letting me borrow a replacement. I've chucked that one in but now the accessory lights won't come on. dead battery I presume. I've put it on a charger so it should be fine in the morning. I checked the main fuses and they're ok.

Am I missing something? or is I smarter than I thunk I is?

[royce]

yeah flat battery, just jump start it, let it idle up to temp and go for a drive and it will be charged and good to go again I reckon

[Built4thrashing]

alt is stuffed. Motors dont need alot of power to run so alt is prob making just enough for it but not enough for accessories or charging battery.

[buzbox]

It seemed like it started to stuff up as the water in the engine bay was drying.

I was going to reco it, but I might as well just get a Falcon alternator. Reading in the good tech thread and what jimbo tells me, I won't need to do much stuffing around with pully's and it's a straight fit

[buzbox]

Ok well I charged the battery and crossed my fingers, but no go. Accessory's won't turn on at all now.

Any ideas?

edit..

Ok I found something.. who can guess what it was?

[shane1992]

buzbox wrote:

Ok well I charged the battery and crossed my fingers, but no go. Accessory's won't turn on at all now.

Any ideas?

edit..

Ok I found something.. who can guess what it was?

Did your battery fall out?

[atari4x4]

loose earth lead somewhere?

[Scrawny]

You forgot to put the acc lead back on the battery

[buzbox]

None of the above.

The alternator fuse that I previously checked is no longer ok, Perhaps it blew when I was putting the battery terminal back on. Or maybe it was the cause of the problem in the first place?

It's always the simple things that cause headaches isn't it.

[buzbox]

Alright guy's.... I've just about cracked the shits and am ready to take it to the car elektricity doctor but thought I'd see if you guy's have any ideas.

Each time I replace the 60amp fusable link, and connect the battery, the fuse blows. I've gone through 3 fuse's so far so something else is going on.

Each time I put the battery terminal on, It sparks like a fireworks show then the fuse pops.

[zuk94]

So did the fuse blow first after you put the new alternator in ???
Try discoconnting the alternator and replace the fuse to see if it holds .

[zuk94]

... and tape up the wires so they don't short out on anything as well .

[buzbox]

Yeah, It only started happening after installing the replacement alternator. Not that it has anything to do with it but I'll be getting another alternator tommorow.

[buzbox]

OK I got it sorted.

It turned out the power lead was not insulated from the body of the alternator, basically the power lead was touching the body causing it to short.

Usually there is an insulator, a nut, power lead and another nut. The alternator Shane lent me doesn't have an insulator but the stud isn't long enough for one. It most probably had a fibre washer which must've got lost when removed.

Big headache but a very simple fix.

I also went to wreckers and checked out the EL Falcon alternator, the plug at the back isn't right and I'd have to modify the adjuster bracket and swap the front pulley.

[shane1992]

Bugger, is my alt farked ?
I seen you today (Friday) cruisin down to the shell, I was at the new shop transporting stock.

[royce]

you shouldnt need to do anything to the adjuster bracket or pulley at all

[buzbox]

shane1992 wrote:

Bugger, is my alt farked ?
I seen you today (Friday) cruisin down to the shell, I was at the new shop transporting stock.

Nah there's nothing wrong with the alternator, It just needed a fibre washer so the cable doesn't touch the body of the alt. I'll give you the pack that I bought.

Yeah, I went down to the shell to test it out, pump up the tyres and help a damsil in distress, Her supercharged commo was overheating so I lent a hand to top up the radiator and bleed the air out of it.

When I was down at the auto elecy we lined it up next to a falcon alternator, not sure what model it was out of, but the plug at the back of them definitly is different.

[shane1992]

buzbox wrote:

shane1992 wrote:

Bugger, is my alt farked ?
I seen you today (Friday) cruisin down to the shell, I was at the new shop transporting stock.

Nah there's nothing wrong with the alternator, It just needed a fibre washer so the cable doesn't touch the body of the alt. I'll give you the pack that I bought.

Yeah, I went down to the shell to test it out, pump up the tyres and help a damsil in distress, Her supercharged commo was overheating so I lent a hand to top up the radiator and bleed the air out of it.

When I was down at the auto elecy we lined it up next to a falcon alternator, not sure what model it was out of, but the plug at the back of them definitly is different.

Okay sweet!

Oh yeah sweet, I was gunna cruise down and say hello, I was in my boss's
forrester GT having some fun inbetween dropping stock off

Hmm guess the alt conversion isnt as easy as said...