Breakdown and no Ignition warning light. Chim 450 Serp
Discussion
Broke down today for only the second time in 46 years of driving.....car started no prob this morning (did not check warning lights working) and I drove 14 miles to Bournemouth. Came out of shops and car was dead (hot start kit is fitted).
Called RAC who were very quick and used a slave battery to start me, however ignition light did not come on. Drove about 400 yards and car stopped. Fortunately RAC were behind me and investigated again. They lent me their slave battery and followed me 14 miles back to home.
Have charged my battery which is a 2 year old Bosch, car will start but still no ignition light.
Is it just a new alternator or is there something else I should check before ordering.
Thanks as always
Rob
Called RAC who were very quick and used a slave battery to start me, however ignition light did not come on. Drove about 400 yards and car stopped. Fortunately RAC were behind me and investigated again. They lent me their slave battery and followed me 14 miles back to home.
Have charged my battery which is a 2 year old Bosch, car will start but still no ignition light.
Is it just a new alternator or is there something else I should check before ordering.
Thanks as always
Rob
I don't know if this is the case on the Chim but seems likely. The ignition/charging light can be part of the charging circuit so I would replace the bulb first and then check with a multimeter that it is charging!
if this doesnt work your car is broken and I will gladly take it off your hands for a nominal fee!
if this doesnt work your car is broken and I will gladly take it off your hands for a nominal fee!
Thanks for replies,
I have checked the charge light bulb pita to get to !! all ok.
Power behind alternator showing 12.4 volts so 100amp fuse is ok plus all other lights and electrics are ok so no prob with 80 amp fuse.
Have ordered new alternator from Race Tech which will be here tomorrow. Bloody expensive so hope it cures the problem.
Rob
I have checked the charge light bulb pita to get to !! all ok.
Power behind alternator showing 12.4 volts so 100amp fuse is ok plus all other lights and electrics are ok so no prob with 80 amp fuse.
Have ordered new alternator from Race Tech which will be here tomorrow. Bloody expensive so hope it cures the problem.
Rob
Hold on a cotton pickin' minute.....
I have had both the 100 amp fuse go (twice) and the alternator fail, and think there are a few things to do before you unwrap that new alternator:
1. If the alternator had failed, the ignition warning light should have been glaring at you from the dashboard with the engine running.
2. You have tested that you can see the battery from the alternator - good 100 amp fuse test. Over 12 volts also suggests your battery has all cells working and is holding a charge.
3. You don't say you have then started the engine to check what voltage you are getting at the back of the alternator with the engine running.
4. So do that test please - should be around 14.3 volts if the alternator is working properly.
5. Have you checked the routing of your auxiliary belt? A slipping belt could cause the problem, and it is possible to fit it the wrong way (I have done it myself!). Viewed from the front of the car, starting from the top left corner, on a serp engine the belt should pass over the alternator from left to right and immediately go vertically downwards to pass under the big middle pulley. It is possible to thread it so that it goes to the PAS pump next, then the big pulley, so that it sits almost flat on top of the alternator pulley. In this position it can slip.
6. Have you actually taken the 100 amp fuse out of its holder? Worth doing, as they can crack and then give an intermittent connection. It can be difficult to see the crack in situ, but take it out of the holder (under the car, on the main chassis, next to the inner end of the rear arm of the bottom front offside wishbone), it will come out in two pieces if it is cracked.
7. Battery terminals - worth checking they are tight.
8. I assume that when it wouldn't start, it was turning over sluggishly and not starting? If so your battery may have been a bit drained and the hot starter cable would have had enough resistance to stop the car from starting. If you had total silence, it could still be the hot start problem - the time that you had to wait for the AA would have been long enough for the wiring to have cooled down and the resistance to have reduced enough for it to have started with the AA battery pack. The hot start mod is normally fitted when the original immobiliser relay is already knackered and the owner is getting hot starting problems. It buys you time, but I believe it doesn't permanently fix the issue. Your battery could have been a little low and then further drained by your attempts to start it? I had failing immobiliser issues a couple of years ago, and when Carl Baker replaced the lot for me he also booted out my 6 months previously fitted hot start mod.
Good luck and I hope you manage to fix the problem - it is so frustrating and I am so lucky to have a TVR that starts first time every time now. After that, I bet it won't start having sat outside for a week and needing to do a 70 mile journey in a couple of hours time!!
I have had both the 100 amp fuse go (twice) and the alternator fail, and think there are a few things to do before you unwrap that new alternator:
1. If the alternator had failed, the ignition warning light should have been glaring at you from the dashboard with the engine running.
2. You have tested that you can see the battery from the alternator - good 100 amp fuse test. Over 12 volts also suggests your battery has all cells working and is holding a charge.
3. You don't say you have then started the engine to check what voltage you are getting at the back of the alternator with the engine running.
4. So do that test please - should be around 14.3 volts if the alternator is working properly.
5. Have you checked the routing of your auxiliary belt? A slipping belt could cause the problem, and it is possible to fit it the wrong way (I have done it myself!). Viewed from the front of the car, starting from the top left corner, on a serp engine the belt should pass over the alternator from left to right and immediately go vertically downwards to pass under the big middle pulley. It is possible to thread it so that it goes to the PAS pump next, then the big pulley, so that it sits almost flat on top of the alternator pulley. In this position it can slip.
6. Have you actually taken the 100 amp fuse out of its holder? Worth doing, as they can crack and then give an intermittent connection. It can be difficult to see the crack in situ, but take it out of the holder (under the car, on the main chassis, next to the inner end of the rear arm of the bottom front offside wishbone), it will come out in two pieces if it is cracked.
7. Battery terminals - worth checking they are tight.
8. I assume that when it wouldn't start, it was turning over sluggishly and not starting? If so your battery may have been a bit drained and the hot starter cable would have had enough resistance to stop the car from starting. If you had total silence, it could still be the hot start problem - the time that you had to wait for the AA would have been long enough for the wiring to have cooled down and the resistance to have reduced enough for it to have started with the AA battery pack. The hot start mod is normally fitted when the original immobiliser relay is already knackered and the owner is getting hot starting problems. It buys you time, but I believe it doesn't permanently fix the issue. Your battery could have been a little low and then further drained by your attempts to start it? I had failing immobiliser issues a couple of years ago, and when Carl Baker replaced the lot for me he also booted out my 6 months previously fitted hot start mod.
Good luck and I hope you manage to fix the problem - it is so frustrating and I am so lucky to have a TVR that starts first time every time now. After that, I bet it won't start having sat outside for a week and needing to do a 70 mile journey in a couple of hours time!!
Edited by QBee on Friday 21st November 05:05
rabowman said:
Thanks for replies,
I have checked the charge light bulb pita to get to !! all ok.
Power behind alternator showing 12.4 volts so 100amp fuse is ok plus all other lights and electrics are ok so no prob with 80 amp fuse.
Have ordered new alternator from Race Tech which will be here tomorrow. Bloody expensive so hope it cures the problem.
Rob
Is that 12v to the small wire at the back of the alternator as well as the main battery lead, the small wire comes from the ign light and feeds the initial current to excite the rotor. If you earth that wire with ign on then ign light should come on and if it doesnt that pretty much confirms your diagnosis of the Alternator being faulty.I have checked the charge light bulb pita to get to !! all ok.
Power behind alternator showing 12.4 volts so 100amp fuse is ok plus all other lights and electrics are ok so no prob with 80 amp fuse.
Have ordered new alternator from Race Tech which will be here tomorrow. Bloody expensive so hope it cures the problem.
Rob
Good luck getting it sorted.
te !!! fitted new alternator and zero charge.Challenger C4s said:
rabowman said:
Thanks for replies,
I have checked the charge light bulb pita to get to !! all ok.
Power behind alternator showing 12.4 volts so 100amp fuse is ok plus all other lights and electrics are ok so no prob with 80 amp fuse.
Have ordered new alternator from Race Tech which will be here tomorrow. Bloody expensive so hope it cures the problem.
Rob
Is that 12v to the small wire at the back of the alternator as well as the main battery lead, the small wire comes from the ign light and feeds the initial current to excite the rotor. If you earth that wire with ign on then ign light should come on and if it doesnt that pretty much confirms your diagnosis of the Alternator being faulty.I have checked the charge light bulb pita to get to !! all ok.
Power behind alternator showing 12.4 volts so 100amp fuse is ok plus all other lights and electrics are ok so no prob with 80 amp fuse.
Have ordered new alternator from Race Tech which will be here tomorrow. Bloody expensive so hope it cures the problem.
Rob
Good luck getting it sorted.
Again, sorry for mistake. Too little sleep last nite.
Edited by Challenger C4s on Friday 21st November 17:56
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