High Voltage

[bartesque]

Getting an EFI fault code 4 Battery reading at dash with engine running is varying between 14.5 to 15.7 with engine off high 12's to 13.

voltage appears to reduce with engine revs sometimes appearing normal but is also accompanied sometimes by engine spluttering.

I have checked earths and fuses battery connections etc so I am guessing the voltage regulator in the alternator has failed or am I overlooking something else more obvious.

All advice greatfully received

[VARLEYHYD]

Two issue I think.

1. EFI 4 & low rev splutter. Service due or 1500miles + since last one?

2. Voltage reg on alternator on it's way out, needs sorting soon I think


G

[bartesque]

Thanks Graham

trip to power methinks

Nick

just to add I was not sure if the voltage could confuse the ECU that there was an issue so replacing / refurbishing the Alternator might fix the lot?

Edited by bartesque on Monday 28th December 14:32

[VARLEYHYD]

Not sure, but always worth a diagnostic reset every 1500-2000 miles for little cost

g

[LeeT350c]

Hi Nick

Mine did this when the alternator failed. Would stop charging giving a low reading and after I charged the battery showed a high reading producing the same EFI fault as you describe. New one fitted and all was well.

Cheers

Lee

[bartesque]

Thanks for the replies

Any ideas if the Alternator is from another car

RG and Clevor Trevor have them but was going to see if I could source one on the rock as I could get it fitted this week

[T350 Al]

No idea if the alternator is from another car, but RG were able to overnight my alternator when I ordered one from them. It arrived by 0800 the next day, fantastic service.

Double check the 100amp fuse before you go out and spludge a couple of hundred quid on the alternator though! When it goes, or is about to go, it causes some weird symptoms!

Edited by T350 Al on Tuesday 29th December 12:06

[bartesque]

Cheers Al

I have got the uprated 125amp fuse fitted so should be ok difficult to check without sawpping for another

will swap one first though

[bartesque]

New Alternator fitted

solved the electrical problems car running fine

however when I switch off the ignition I am getting a fault code 245 power supply and the pod light stays on even with ignition switched off

I have pulled the ecu fuse out but does anybody have any ideas what has gone wrong

edited to add

I have reset all the fault codes

Edited by bartesque on Monday 11th January 19:21

[shep1001]

bartesque said:

New Alternator fitted

solved the electrical problems car running fine

however when I switch off the ignition I am getting a fault code 245 power supply and the pod light stays on even with ignition switched off

I have pulled the ecu fuse out but does anybody have any ideas what has gone wrong

edited to add

I have reset all the fault codes

Edited by bartesque on Monday 11th January 19:21

Faulty ignition barrel? I get the same code if I turn off too quick.

Shep

[bartesque]

shep1001 said:

Faulty ignition barrel? I get the same code if I turn off too quick.

Shep

Does the pod display stay lit up? display lights up some time after switching off

[shep1001]

bartesque said:

shep1001 said:

Faulty ignition barrel? I get the same code if I turn off too quick.

Shep

Does the pod display stay lit up? display lights up some time after switching off

No just the error code on the display. The only way my pod stays illuminated without the ignition on and the key removed is if I turn off without switching off the lights, pod powers down as soon as the lights (from side or dipped beam) are turned off.

Shep

[T350 Al]

bartesque said:

shep1001 said:

Faulty ignition barrel? I get the same code if I turn off too quick.

Shep

Does the pod display stay lit up? display lights up some time after switching off

We had this a few months after getting the car. If memory serves, the ECU was shagged and had to be repaired. We were running around with a Tamora ECU for a couple of weeks! If someone local to you is willing, it might be worth trying a quick swap over to see if that solves it?

[bartesque]

Thanks Al that is just what I didnt want to hear (bank account still recovering from the rebuild) but keep the suugestions coming

had the car on the accumate all night had to remove a number of fuses to stop the dash lighting up rear fogs etc but something must have still been drawing power as I had to break in again this morning

I am not a happy chappy

Nick

[NCE 61]

This fault has been discussed on the Tuscan forum before as the MK3 has the same dash/ECU, and although not a fix for the ECU the dash light could be switched off by pressing the break pedal.

[bartesque]

NCE 61 said:

This fault has been discussed on the Tuscan forum before as the MK3 has the same dash/ECU, and although not a fix for the ECU the dash light could be switched off by pressing the break pedal.

Thanks plenty of interesting stuff on the Tuscan forum

[Tamster.]

bartesque said:

Thanks Al that is just what I didnt want to hear (bank account still recovering from the rebuild) but keep the suugestions coming

had the car on the accumate all night had to remove a number of fuses to stop the dash lighting up rear fogs etc but something must have still been drawing power as I had to break in again this morning

I am not a happy chappy

Nick

Had this 245 code power supply problem on a Tam when the passenger side door/window ecu was suffering from water ingress, unplugged the ecu located in the passenger side footwell and the dash lights/error code went off, could also be the drivers side door/window ecu located in the drivers side footwell, i cleaned the multi block connector which was shorting out, dried out the ecu, repositioned the multi block connector and ecu and all was well, maybe worth a look!

Are the fog lights coming on at random?

[bartesque]

Tamster. said:

Had this 245 code power supply problem on a Tam when the passenger side door/window ecu was suffering from water ingress, unplugged the ecu located in the passenger side footwell and the dash lights/error code went off, could also be the drivers side door/window ecu located in the drivers side footwell, i cleaned the multi block connector which was shorting out, dried out the ecu, repositioned the multi block connector and ecu and all was well, maybe worth a look!

Are the fog lights coming on at random?

Thanks Tamster my car is back at the garage, they have taken out the dash pod and tested the battery which apparantly is not the best but still ok. main ecu has been unplugged but I will get them to check the doors ecu as well from recolection drivers door had been a little difficult to open of late.

Although I am still not convinced that they did not spike the ECU changing the Alternator, maybe I am too suspicious but it seems too much of a coincidene that the car is fine except for the alternator overcharging and then she comes out fixed but with a worse problem than she went in with

just got to love these TVRs

edited to add

No problem with fog lights other than when I removed fuse 18 to prevent battery drain the rear fog light came on!

Edited by bartesque on Tuesday 12th January 23:27

[T350 Al]

bartesque said:

Although I am still not convinced that they did not spike the ECU changing the Alternator, maybe I am too suspicious but it seems too much of a coincidene that the car is fine except for the alternator overcharging and then she comes out fixed but with a worse problem than she went in with

I can understand your suspicions, but can't see how that could happen unless they disconnected the battery when changing the alternator then re-connected it wrongly. I changed the alternator on our car with the battery still connected - ECU was fine. The only thing I was worried about when doing it was being very careful not to short the positive lead on any chassis parts (I had it wrapped in electrical tape but was still worried).

I think you've just been a wee bit unlucky! Fingers crossed it all gets sorted soon!