Scalleys Dad
Active Member
I hate them more than you could ever know. It’s been a while since I have had to do anything major but out of the blue, after sitting idle for a couple of weeks, my battery died and would not recharge. Not surprised really as it was at least ten years old, even the Halfords life time guarantee receipt had faded away, and everything pointed to it being ‘at fault’. New battery in, hurrah, and I moved her closer to our house, the bane of new regulations on street parking, and we were set for a jolly next day. Next day. Flat as again. After following all the basics we presumed it was a parasitic drain and after using a power pack to start her up the voltmeter pointed towards the alternator. Now I don’t know if you have ever tried getting a alternator out thats been in situ for a very long time literally lying near a drain with the kerb restricting access one way and the idiot who parked too close on the other. When I eventually got the wire connecting plug off the smaller wire was clearly loose and it soon just snapped. I hadn’t seen the charging light on in years as the bulb holder fell out of its housing years ago and is somewhere behind the dash facing the wrong way but it did cross my mind that were this poor connection at fault for the battery drain my luck was running out. However everything pointed to the alternator.
New alternator arrives, on it went and after a supreme effort, blood loss and a few tuts from passing pedestrians we appeared good to go but two miles into a spin round the block she suddenly died. Absolutely nothing from the battery. The power pack started her up first time and we got back, different parking spot facing uphill which was a sod. Everything was checked and tweaked but the battery alone was never going to start her up so we got the fully charged power pack out again but after a few reluctant turns both battery and power pack were dead. My biggest mistake was unplugging the wire connector plug behind the alternator to check everything there as I have spent hours in all manner of contortions trying to get the damn thing back in. In the end I had to undo the alternator fixing bolt and loosen the belt tensioner so that I could get a better angle and actually see what I was trying to do. All the twisting and turning had made a mess of my plug repairs so I put the smaller wire on separately with a spade connector and ‘adapted’ the plug with a dremel saw and both wires are in. Now I have to try and reset the alternator before getting the power pack out. The battery has crept back up to 10.68 but that won’t be enough on its own. I am hoping the earlier failing was down to not pushing the plug in far enough but I am certain the voltmeter showed an increase in volts when she started up.
I have taken the opportunity to do a bit of wiring loom housekeeping and there are several new spade connectors on and bright and shiny terminals dotted about. Getting the alternator secured properly is going to be a ball ache but I’ll brace myself later on today if I can get under with a bit of leg space.
Two things I have learned though. I have had the landie for twenty years or so and scrambling around underneath used to be so much easier and despite being of robust design some of the finer details are getting beyond me as carpel tunnel and old elbow injuries seem to flare up when I’m trying to be nice. Maybe just maybe we might part ways over the summer
……….. if the bloody thing, love her dearly, fires up later
