Battery charging problems

Max_Damage

I'm having this on-going issue with my Escort Mk3. I got a new battery and alternator the other day and fitted them both. Started the car up, the battery light went out once the engine was running. happy days I thought. Just to be sure, I left the engine running for a while. I noticed when I switch the high beam lights on, the engine RPM doesn't dip at all (usually it does when their is a pull for current on the alt). Ran it for about 30 mins anyway, and switched it off. When I tried to start it again, the battery could barely turn the starter motor. BOLLOCKS!

Now I didn't test the alt with a multimeter, but I'm fairly sure it can't be the alt anyway. I'm wondering if it's a loose/damaged wire somewhere down the line. Any suggestions? The battery terminals are clean and new so their can't be anything wrong there.

The battery light didn't come on when the engine was running. It used to with the old alternator, hence why I replaced it.

Mr Benevolent

You're definitely going to need to stick a multimeter on the alternator to diagnose the problem. As you say, it's unlikely to be the battery.

ikb

Check your earth (ground/ negative) connections. Also is your ignition switch "really" turning off. Are there any circuits connected to the battery (Alarm?) not turning off.
Get a meter, and with the ignition off, watch the battery volts. Should not drop less 12.5 ish with everything off. If after a few minutes it continues to drop, start pulling fuses, one by one- may give a clue where the problem lies. May be the old Ford points closed issue??

spooky donkey

I got me one of them batttery alternator testers in ALDI for like a fiver a while back handy for checking battery and alternator. Pity your not going to mondello on sunday with the car we could check it out for ya three.

COB MGV8

Does the alt have a built in regulator or a seperate one ? Sounds like it could be the culprit if the reg is not integrated.

jimmyw

Max_Damage wrote: »

I'm having this on-going issue with my Escort Mk3. I got a new battery and alternator the other day and fitted them both. Started the car up, the battery light went out once the engine was running. happy days I thought. Just to be sure, I left the engine running for a while. I noticed when I switch the high beam lights on, the engine RPM doesn't dip at all (usually it does when their is a pull for current on the alt). Ran it for about 30 mins anyway, and switched it off. When I tried to start it again, the battery could barely turn the starter motor. BOLLOCKS!

Now I didn't test the alt with a multimeter, but I'm fairly sure it can't be the alt anyway. I'm wondering if it's a loose/damaged wire somewhere down the line. Any suggestions? The battery terminals are clean and new so their can't be anything wrong there.

The battery light didn't come on when the engine was running. It used to with the old alternator, hence why I replaced it.

Are you sure the light came on in the first place? If it didnt, then thats you problem.It should not come on when the engine is running if everthing is alright.

Max_Damage

When the ignition is turned on, the light comes on, when the engine starts, the light goes out, like it does in every other car normally.

The reg is integrated into the alternator.

Pity your not going to mondello on sunday with the car we could check it out for ya three.

The car can barely go a mile without something going wrong!

unkel

Max_Damage wrote: »

Ran it for about 30 mins anyway, and switched it off. When I tried to start it again, the battery could barely turn the starter motor. BOLLOCKS!

Could be a lot of things, but the way you describe it seems to point the finger at the alternator. You sure you got a new one? Or was it refurbished? A simple check (by no means conclusive) of your alternator is to check the voltage across your battery terminals while the engine is running. It should read over 14V

ivanthehunter

the speed at which it drained would point to a bad earth IMO..

I have noticed that on some cars that the Alt warning light can only be seen in low light conditions so you could be driving around in bright sunlight and not spot it..

Anyway its money well spent if you buy a good multimeter..

Max_Damage

Indeed I'll test it with a multimeter when I'm there next (the car's in Westmeath and I live in Dublin).

The wiring in the car is a bit of a mess, alot of badly done bodge jobs by the previous owners.

The light defo didn't come one when I ran it (the car was in a garage when I had it running).

If I can get those things sorted (along with a new clutch and driveshaft oil seals), that'll be the mechanical end of it done.

okistag

Max_Damage wrote: »

Indeed I'll test it with a multimeter when I'm there next (the car's in Westmeath and I live in Dublin).

The wiring in the car is a bit of a mess, alot of badly done bodge jobs by the previous owners.

The light defo didn't come one when I ran it (the car was in a garage when I had it running).

If I can get those things sorted (along with a new clutch and driveshaft oil seals), that'll be the mechanical end of it done.

Hi Max_damage

Try and give Alan a quick call, he is an auto electrican on classic cars, in Dublin. He may even just give you a guide over the phone or if you need him to look at it, PM me if you need his number.

Dades

First stop - what unkel says. Check voltage across battery terminals with engine off and on. Then, if the reg is internal, I'd be checking earths. Lastly, I don't know whether it's like a 924 but is there a possibilty of belt slippage?

Good luck!

Max_Damage

Thanks for the tips lads. I'll check it next week when I'm up there again. I've to bring it to a mechanic anyway to get a few other things done, so I might leave it with him if I can't get it sorted easily.

The belts are fine by the way. No slippage.

Max_Damage

UPDATE: So I tested the battery with a multimeter, and 13.8V is going to it when the engine's running, so it's charging fine.

It turns out overall the charging system is fine, the slow cranking is the starter motor being dodgy. It only slow cranks every now and again, and when it does, the main live wire going to it melts and smoke comes from it!

Anyway, brought the car to a lad my cousin knows in Oldcastle and he's going to sort everything out.

carchaeologist

Max_Damage wrote: »

It turns out overall the charging system is fine, the slow cranking is the starter motor being dodgy. It only slow cranks every now and again, and when it does, the main live wire going to it melts and smoke comes from it!

Loose connection? Or maybe a bad earth from the engine to body,i had a problem like that in the Chevette,it would only start intermittantly,one day there was no spin on the starter but i kept the key hard over while shouting obsenities at it and melted my nice newly fitted clutch cable in a cloud of white smoke coming up from under the dashboard,when i took my leg off the pedal it stayed on the floor...the cable was the earth and wasnt too pleased with taking a massive jolt of juice through it.
Puzzled me for a bit too!:p

Max_Damage

The original wire from the battery to the body was in poor condition (it had melted after the previous owner shorted the battery with the bonnet, don't ask!), so I replaced it with another wire from the spare Micra.

he wire going to the starter is fairly melted. Obviously the starter is taking too much current for some reason.

carchaeologist

Max_Damage wrote: »

(it had melted after the previous owner shorted the battery with the bonnet, don't ask!)

That would explain the duff alternator!

kasper

put a jump lead from the negative on the battery to the body of the starter and see if it helps , if a connection gets hot from a bad connection it will be current loss and over time fcuk up the battery and the starter

Max_Damage

carchaeologist wrote: »

That would explain the duff alternator!

Possibly, but the Lucas alternators in them were shíte anyway. Got a new spurious one from eBay, and it does the job fine it seems.

On another note, drove the car the longest distance (since I bought it) today to the lad in Oldcastle in Meath (about 15 miles). Driving quite well, does need a new clutch badly, but your man will do that, started on the button this morning too. Fuel consumption is horrendous, I suspect a fuel leak somewhere, although I've been told the old CVH's were known to be fond of the juice!

Max_Damage

kasper wrote: »

put a jump lead from the negative on the battery to the body of the starter and see if it helps , if a connection gets hot from a bad connection it will be current loss and over time fcuk up the battery and the starter

Thanks mate, I'll keep that in mind.