aLt trouble brewing? - aLL red dash lights

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 9:07 am

Uh, oh, wondering if trouble is brewing in the L sedan. I got a glimmering of all the red dash lights on a start up last night, just 20 mins after a stop.

Gave the accy pedal a blip and they were off, glowered again next stop, never to show again after the drive off.
My little in dash clock hole Volts gauge with the $2 optional light on /off switch activated showed 14.1 V with lights on and driving, 13.8 with driving lights on, so looks healthy report. Slack belt maybe ?

FujiFan · Post by **FujiFan** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:51 am

I've had a similar problem recently. Was loose belt. I still had to replace battery as it had reached its useful life!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 12:16 pm

belt tightening a common thing at present

tambox · Post by **tambox** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:29 pm

Seen it when the brushes are worn in the alternator.
Less than $10 a pair, worth checking before it kills the regualor, then $$$.
Check the slip rings as well.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:27 am

wouldn't wanna be.....ashdowns rebuild probably just out of warranty...been OK, will watch it - nice thing about vehicle sensors and gauges. The Volt gauge is switchable betwen knock sensor monitor to battery volts

ajames · Post by **ajames** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:59 pm

Have a look at the wiring, I had a wire pulled loose by the mechanics checking my plugs and the volts only read 8 - 9 and only the ECS light showed up when starting

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:29 pm

it happened again with a red light emergency stop, quick blink. Fortunately no on has been near my electrics other than me , since at least 2006

None of these lights worked after the major fusible link catastrophe that very nearly ended its life prematurely in 2009. I had to reroute power to that section of the dash. Belt feels OK tension. Coincidentaly my little G220 GPS camera alert do dad blew the GPS side of it. 2009 event killed my Road Angel

Running a Wikango 700 now, that is a rechargeable unit , so not gonna die from bad things in the L's electrics

Trouble still brewing me thinks.....

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 7:53 pm

I'm asking for trouble, keep driving without fixing this problem. Still , the ignition lights only glimmer from time to time, the volts are healthy around 13.8 to 14.2 , but themn see 14.6 even a spike ? to 15.4.

OK, need Subydoug type brains .... are these warning lights glowing softly as a warning that eithr belt is loose - which it aint, or brushes are near worn out after just over two yar, or the inbuilt regulator is fujiing out ...... are the spikes coz the brushes are losing contact momentarily or weakly, ramping up the output.

Once saw a poindexter make up his own regulator and whacked it on the back of his Lucas alternator to smooth things out- think it was digital control.

Am aware of external regulators in history, can ya still get them new ? reliable ? did jaycar do a kit like poindexter biult?

Subydoug · Post by **Subydoug** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:20 am

Has anyone got a rough wiring diagram for the L series? I assume there is a diode in there somewhere?

My guess Would be a failing diode. I think the glimmering your seeing is from the diode leakage. Cant really specify much without a wiring diagram though. If its anything like the MY system,

Then it will be like this.

As you can see, When the alternator isn't charging, its output to the gauge is essentially a ground (that's why all the lights should come on when the engine isn't running). When its running, it goes high (to the charge voltage I think) and the lights go off.

The glimmering, I think, is when the alternator gets excited and goes too high (failing regulator circuit). Combined with crusty old wiring with droop and a failing diode, you can get a few volts across the light so It glimmers.

Id start by putting a new diode inline with the wire going from the alternator to the cluster, pointing towards the alternator (band towards alt) and see if it glimmers still. Id also have a look at the regulator and make sure its staying calm

.

Regards

Doug

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:07 pm

mmm, well, the MY takes L alternators so expect to be much the same. I rustled up another alternator I bought in 2002, buggered it up somehow after the white plug worked loose? Or it just died within warranty, was too crook to go back and whinge... only kept it coz it looked worth rebuilding, found another I failed to mark any condition on it. I used to mark such as only makes 12V,+ red dash lights on. So shoved her in and watched the internal gauge and red lights. Been good all day !

So, at least the problem was not elsewhere. I suppose autopsy is next - maybe summer when it does not freeze ma hands holding it !

Still, it is worth looking at a better external regulator some time and fit to all my Subes to prevent future damage, hassles.

I am picturing a big fat diode not the PN 4107? a number from memory, oh, not the output to battery wire ....

stork955 · Post by **stork955** » Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:04 am

This is often caused by a poor ground connection or a dirty battery terminal. A weak glimmer means a small current flow, but your volt meter indicates that the alternator is charging. If there was a crook diode in there it wouldn't charge or out put would be low. If it was one of the rectifier diodes the alternator would knock. Very unlikely as you say your alternator is relatively new and they are pretty reliable. Check your earths, battery terminals and other main power type connections around the car.

Cheers,

Stork

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:03 am

Another good suggestion thanks stork

One battery terminal saw some attention prior to the alternator swap, so may have been in it !

I remember being at a place still in business 25 years later with one of the auto elecs telling me a whistle coming from the Bosch alternator in my Ford was diodes on their way out and I should have it replaced. The brushes and replaceable reg died a few years later. Diodes may still be whistling