Car cut out

[elenitro]

Hi All,

On the way home tonight my car started to do funny things and then just cut out on a hill. At first the indicators, which were giving me slow 'ticks' to turn left and fast 'tick's to turn right, then the temp guage dropped to 1/2 way between 40 and 80, then the speedo went from 50mph to 100mph and the rev counter was pointing towards 6pm!
It then just cut out. I gave it a min or 2 and tried to restart but just got the 'clicking' starter noise. As I was only 2 miles from home I waited another 2 mins and managed to bump start it in reverse, then just drove normally for about a mile and the same thing happened again. I managed to repeat the whole procees one more time to get me home.
I've checked every fuse/relay and they all seem ok and after leaving it for 30 mins and trying to start it I'm just left with the 'clicking' again but noticed that the fuel pump priming seemed slower indicating the battery is nearly flat.

Could this be a faulty alternator (Jetstream noticed a crack in it) which made the battery go flat whilst driving or just a battery at the end of it's life (only 18 months old!)

Any ideas what to check next? I've currently got the battery on charge.

Forgot to mention that I drove to work in the rain this morning and 10 mins after getting there I got a phone call from Tracker saying they had an alert from my car and was it secure.

Leon

[elenitro]

anyone?

after an overnight charge it started ok 1st time and dial and indicators worked as they should but I didn't fancy driving it anywhere.

[obes]

The only time I've seen anything like that was damp in the loom plug....hasn't really been wet recently though!

[Gadgeroonie]

measure the voltage on the battery whilst the engine is running

expect to see 13-14 volts if the alternator is charging

i suggest you get the battery/alternator tested by somebody who knows what they are doing

how old is the battery

[elenitro]

I'm in Wales remember...it always rains here!!
It did occur after driving to work in the rain but it was dry by the time i drove home.

Any other way to check the voltage without having to stick my arm down onto it with the engine running!?

Leon

[Adrian W]

Pull all the engine bay relays and fuses out and clean contacts and bases with switchclean.

[daddysumo]

elenitro said:

I'm in Wales remember...it always rains here!!
It did occur after driving to work in the rain but it was dry by the time i drove home.

Any other way to check the voltage without having to stick my arm down onto it with the engine running!?

Leon

Yep plug in your lap top and run the noble or easimap software, that has a volt meter built in.

Steve

[elenitro]

Thanks guys.

OK I've cleaned the fuses and relay's in the engine bay and then pluged the laptop in to see the voltage after a full charge.

It was reading 12-12.1 volts and dropping to 11.2 or 10.4 now and again whilst running. The battery is less than 18 months old.

Is it an easy job to get at the alternator wiring or is it best left to someone who knows what they are doing?

Leon

[The devil]

elenitro said:

Thanks guys.

OK I've cleaned the fuses and relay's in the engine bay and then pluged the laptop in to see the voltage after a full charge.

It was reading 12-12.1 volts and dropping to 11.2 or 10.4 now and again whilst running. The battery is less than 18 months old.

Is it an easy job to get at the alternator wiring or is it best left to someone who knows what they are doing?

Leon

i have jut replaced my alternator, like anythin on the Noble its not easy but if you have patience and can get the car high enough to get underneath its OK.

There is a wire which is fastened with a nut and the others are push on, the worst problem I found if you take it out is getting the bloody thing back in, its a bit of a wiggle and a squeeze

[daddysumo]

elenitro said:

Thanks guys.

OK I've cleaned the fuses and relay's in the engine bay and then pluged the laptop in to see the voltage after a full charge.

It was reading 12-12.1 volts and dropping to 11.2 or 10.4 now and again whilst running. The battery is less than 18 months old.

Is it an easy job to get at the alternator wiring or is it best left to someone who knows what they are doing?

Leon

Witht the car running it should be 13 to 14 volts so yes I would check the alternator.

Steve

[Metalman]

It sounds to me like your alternator has packed in, if your reading 12v that's from the battery, and then if it drops down when you turn something on (like headlamps) I would say it's your alternator. If the alternator is working and the wires are all intact you should see around 14v when the engine is running. Check the wires on the back of the alternator, mine had been badly connected by the previous owner, then the wires got hot and broke off the terminal on the back.

[Metalman]

Damn you guys are fast at this, beat me to it!

[elenitro]

The devil said:

i have jut replaced my alternator, like anythin on the Noble its not easy but if you have patience and can get the car high enough to get underneath its OK.

There is a wire which is fastened with a nut and the others are push on, the worst problem I found if you take it out is getting the bloody thing back in, its a bit of a wiggle and a squeeze

Is it easy to spot if one of the push on wires has come off?

When you say high enough to get underneath are you talking axle stands or garage pit/lifts?

It sounds a bit like changing the battery!!

What car is the alternator off btw?

Leon

Edited by elenitro on Saturday 10th July 18:25

[Jim O.]

Does the alternator light on the console light up when you first turn the key without the engine running, before you push the start button? If the light doesn't go on, the alternator won't charge.

[elenitro]

Jim O. said:

Does the alternator light on the console light up when you first turn the key without the engine running, before you push the start button? If the light doesn't go on, the alternator won't charge.

Yes, 3 red lights as normal (battery/oil/handbrake).

Leon

[Jim O.]

The wires are accessible through the triangular cutout in the floor - if you can reach the oil filter, you should be able to reach the wiring. You will need to raise the car high enough to get under, and safely support it. Easiest on a lift, but perfectly fine with a jack and stands. There are three connectors. There's the main output lead from the alternator, a three-pin connector, and a single wire that loops from a connector on the alternator to the three-pin connector. The first thing I'd do is check the single wire to make sure that it's connected properly and not corroded. If it's anything like the US Nobles, the wrong type of terminal is on the wiring harness, and just shoved onto the pin on the alternator. This makes a lousy contact that just gets worse over time. If this is OK, and the rest of the wiring going to the alternator isn't burned and crispy, most likely you'll have to pull the alternator.

[elenitro]

Well I managed to take a look today and everything seems fine. All the wiring is fine, good contacts so looks like I need a new alternator.
Anyone now what car it's off, nobleparts suggests it's a Valeo but mine has Motorcraft on it.




Leon

[daddysumo]

I'm pretty sure both Valeo and Motorcraft are suppliers to Ford.

[Metalman]

I just went to my local motor parts store and bought one for a mondeo, cost £140. I have a 3L but the alternator is from the 2.5. I guess yours would be the same?

[daddysumo]

ALL of the wires insulation in the pictures have heat fatigue, and need cutting back and replacing including the heat shielding with some decent stuff IMO, and you may find further down the harness things are crispy !

The Valeo part number is VA 423 for the correct one.

Steve