Help with alternator fault

S

stjohn

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #1

Hi
My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a good
idea as I tell numerous kids on bikes! the charging light comes on. I have
also noticed the the rev counter is zero and would not trust the speedo
which does as it likes. The battery is fine and I have tried a replacement
but no go. Help please I want to go on holiday on tuesday.

please email me with ideas at [email protected]

Thanks

St.John

 

S

SimonJ

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #2

"stjohn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
> My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a good
> idea as I tell numerous kids on bikes! the charging light comes on. I have
> also noticed the the rev counter is zero and would not trust the speedo
> which does as it likes. The battery is fine and I have tried a replacement
> but no go. Help please I want to go on holiday on tuesday.
>
Duff alternator.
Check the wiring is all in place at the back of the alternator, if that is
all ok then go buy a new alt.

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #3

On or around Sun, 23 Oct 2005 10:44:19 +0000 (UTC), "stjohn"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Hi
>My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a good
>idea as I tell numerous kids on bikes! the charging light comes on. I have
>also noticed the the rev counter is zero and would not trust the speedo
>which does as it likes. The battery is fine and I have tried a replacement
>but no go. Help please I want to go on holiday on tuesday.
>
>please email me with ideas at [email protected]

alternator, or possibly drive belt. Or, if you;re really lucky, crappy
connections to the alternator. But internal failure of the alternator most
likely.

The rev counter is driven from the alternator, from an AC output.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; and
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee"
John Donne (1571? - 1631) Devotions, XVII

 

S

Stjohn2002 via CarKB.com

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #4

Austin Shackles wrote:
>>Hi
>>My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a good
>[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>>
>>please email me with ideas at [email protected]
>
>alternator, or possibly drive belt. Or, if you;re really lucky, crappy
>connections to the alternator. But internal failure of the alternator most
>likely.
>
>The rev counter is driven from the alternator, from an AC output.

Hi Many Thanks - I was hoping it was not the alternator I had fitted a
secondhand one Also a dud by the sounds of it StJohn

 

S

Stjohn2002 via CarKB.com

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #5

SimonJ wrote:
>> Hi
>> My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a good
>> idea as I tell numerous kids on bikes! the charging light comes on. I have
>> also noticed the the rev counter is zero and would not trust the speedo
>> which does as it likes. The battery is fine and I have tried a replacement
>> but no go. Help please I want to go on holiday on tuesday.
>
>Duff alternator.
>Check the wiring is all in place at the back of the alternator, if that is
>all ok then go buy a new alt.

Many Thanks - thats two that say the alternators duff

 

T

TonyB

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #6

"Stjohn2002 via CarKB.com" <u15123@uwe> wrote in message
news:56455fdd308fb@uwe...
> Austin Shackles wrote:
> >>Hi
> >>My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a
good
> >[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> >>
> >>please email me with ideas at [email protected]
> >
> >alternator, or possibly drive belt. Or, if you;re really lucky, crappy
> >connections to the alternator. But internal failure of the alternator
most
> >likely.
> >
> >The rev counter is driven from the alternator, from an AC output.
>
> Hi Many Thanks - I was hoping it was not the alternator I had fitted a
> secondhand one Also a dud by the sounds of it StJohn

Hang on a minute!! The charging light is only coming on with the lights not
under normal running. Before lashing out for a new alternator check that the
belt is not slipping - they need to be really tight, I can never get mine
tight enough. Dunno how the garage does it, HBOL says don't lever it but
there's no other way and I still can't get it tight enough!
Second, get a multimeter and check the voltage at the battery with the
engine off ( should be at least 12v, more like 13), then with the engine
running at about 1500 rpm, ( should then be above 13v ) and finally with the
lights on.

Might save you a few bob.
TonyB

 

O

Oily

Guest

• Oct 23, 2005

• #7

> Hi Many Thanks - I was hoping it was not the alternator I had fitted a
> secondhand one Also a dud by the sounds of it StJohn

Have the original tested while it's off. Most places will do this for
nothing. Have them both tested, then you *won't* be in the dark. ;-)

Martin

 

G

Graham Carter

Guest

• Oct 25, 2005

• #8

"stjohn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
> My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after dark - a good
> idea as I tell numerous kids on bikes! the charging light comes on. I have
> also noticed the the rev counter is zero and would not trust the speedo
> which does as it likes. The battery is fine and I have tried a replacement
> but no go. Help please I want to go on holiday on tuesday.
>
> please email me with ideas at [email protected]
>
> Thanks
>
> St.John
>
>
Hi,

If it runs fine until you put the lights on, could you have a fault in your
lighting circuit? Sounds like the circuit is drawing too much current but
not enough to blow the fuse, so could be something like a cable chafing and
is just starting to short. Or an earthing fault.

I had similar symptoms when towing a friends trailer which had a wiring
fault.

Cheers!
Graham Carter

 

A

Andrew Mawson

Guest

• Oct 25, 2005

• #9

"Graham Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "stjohn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi
> > My Disco runs fin with out lights, bu when using light after
dark - a good
> > idea as I tell numerous kids on bikes! the charging light comes
on. I have
> > also noticed the the rev counter is zero and would not trust the
speedo
> > which does as it likes. The battery is fine and I have tried a
replacement
> > but no go. Help please I want to go on holiday on tuesday.
> >
> > please email me with ideas at [email protected]
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > St.John
> >
> >
> Hi,
>
> If it runs fine until you put the lights on, could you have a fault
in your
> lighting circuit? Sounds like the circuit is drawing too much
current but
> not enough to blow the fuse, so could be something like a cable
chafing and
> is just starting to short. Or an earthing fault.
>
> I had similar symptoms when towing a friends trailer which had a
wiring
> fault.
>
> Cheers!
> Graham Carter
>
>
>

Rev counter drive is from the alternator electronics (or at least it
was on my Disco 300TDI), so combining the symptoms of 'charging light'
and 'no rev counter indication' I would conclude it's the alternator.
At least when it happened to me I was on a garage forecourt fueling up
and couldn't re-start. Stand by for high price of Disco alternators if
(as I was) you absolutely have to have the vehicle the following day
and only the local Landrover dealer has stock !

AWEM