Rule Number One.....

.....always ensure you have a tip-top battery before you even begin thinking about diagnosing a problem.

The number of threads/posts that contain references to '...the battery went flat....' or '....well the dash lights come on, but I know my battery ain't the best....' etc etc is increasing.

Rule One - Check battery condition and ensure output is top fecking nuts, Range Rovers HATE anything but pukka power.

are we allowed to add rule number 2

Buy a multimeter , lol

Gstuart, seconded on rule 2, used mine to great success on park sensors, who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks

A multi meter should come as a standard accessory in the glove box of all LR products

@Saint.V8 , Ant that needs to be a header on the page , every time someone makes an L322 thread.

Rule number one should be don’t buy an L322 unless you want to be insane and poor or you are insane and would like to be poor

holidaychicken said:

Rule number one should be don’t buy an L322 unless you want to be insane and poor or you are insane and would like to be poor

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or a poor insane nutcase covers it

oh hang on i’m describing myself

sheriff said:

Gstuart, seconded on rule 2, used mine to great success on park sensors, who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks

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great it worked , one of the best tools to have and so easy finding a break in a wire along with as rule number 1 testing how many volts u have in the battery , standing , cranking and running

mine runs up to around 15.5Vdc and just adjusts according to demand as i believe it does the same in urs having a smart alternator ??

gstuart said:

great it worked , one of the best tools to have and so easy finding a break in a wire along with as rule number 1 testing how many volts u have in the battery , standing , cranking and running

mine runs up to around 15.5Vdc and just adjusts according to demand as i believe it does the same in urs having a smart alternator ??

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15.5 volts with the engine running? I don't know the L322, but 14.7 volts is normally the upper limit. ALL alternators have a regulator that adjusts output to match demand.

Datatek said:

15.5 volts with the engine running? I don't know the L322, but 14.7 volts is normally the upper limit. ALL alternators have a regulator that adjusts output to match demand.

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indeed 15.5 Vdc with the engine running is perfectly normal for a D3 , dropping accordingly to load and battery charge condition ,indeed i didn’t explain it very well , lol

I like this Sealey pocket multimeter as a nice little compact one to keep in the little toolkit I transfer to whichever vehicle I'm driving. Fairly steepish @ £15 though.

gstuart said:

indeed 15.5 Vdc with the engine running is perfectly normal for a D3 , dropping accordingly to load and battery charge condition ,indeed i didn’t explain it very well , lol

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Full calcium battery would need that.

I would recommend one of these clamp meters. Certainly accurate enough for finding battery drain issues, plus all the usual other multimeter functions required.

I have never used a clamp meter so thought i would have a google and found this video on youtube. I then realised that the same guy doing the voice over did the voice over for Father Jose Fernandez, the Cuban Priest on Father Ted. Couldn't find a clip so have attached the episode below, if you cant wait then scroll forward to 0.40s - i loved Father Ted

wammers said:

Full calcium battery would need that.

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That's a new one on me in cars, all the info I have and all I can find on Google give an upper limit of 14.8 volts. 15.5 volts would be OK for a short time but continuous would cook the battery, so I assume that the alternator has a more sophisticated regulator. I used to fit regulators on boats that would rapid charge the batteries, they always had a temperature sensor for the battery.

Rule zero ( quoted in the days of steam railways) before you do anything make a cup of tea..

TheQ said:

Rule zero ( quoted in the days of steam railways) before you do anything make a cup of tea..

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I have had quite a few cups of tea brewed with the help of the steam from traction engines and had jacket spuds and gammons and cinnamon and fruit banana's cooked in the smoke box tis lovely

I thought rule no. 1 was don't get caught?

gymmaniac said:

I thought rule no. 1 was don't get caught?

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Always worked for me, and don't get mad get even.

I must be a bit slow cos her indoors caught me every time, tinkering with the car that is