Alternator Repair

pocketvenus · 21-09-2010 6:13pm #1

Ok so I have recently being getting a red battery light on my Toyota Yaris which indicates there is a problem with my alternator. I am guesssing it is a loose wire and not something more serious.

Anyway the place where I get my car serviced does not have equipment to check it so does anyone know of a garge that can do this. Someplace reliable and won't rip me off in the city. My NCT is due in 2 weeks so need to get it done before then.

I have tried a garage one garage who does deal with this but they won't take car as they do not have a lift so they say they cannot work with toyota car's.

mike65 · 21-09-2010 6:39pm

I dunno if they are still around but the guys on Waterside (Lucas) used to do this sort of thing for me.

Dick mcNamara is the name (051) 873551

pocketvenus · 22-09-2010 8:35am

mike65 wrote: »

I dunno if they are still around but the guys on Waterside (Lucas) used to do this sort of thing for me.

Dick mcNamara is the name (051) 873551

He is the one I went to and said to me that he did not have a lift so he could not to do and if I could take alternator out of car and bring both down to him he maybe able to do something then. !! WTF
I mean how can you drive a car with no alternator.

mike65 · 22-09-2010 8:42am

Okay then try Peter Nolan in Graces Lane off Morgan Street phone no 051 876736.
http://waterford.ratemyarea.com/places/peter-nolan-auto-elec-122431

pocketvenus · 22-09-2010 2:03pm

Thanks I give him a try.

robtri · 22-09-2010 8:33pm

if not try one of the breakers yard and pick up a second hand one... last altenator i picked up was €50.....

pocketvenus · 23-09-2010 11:09am

Am going to drop car over as explaining problemto him he thinks it may be a loose wire or battery problem as light goes on and off - give it a good drive and it seems to go off but then comes back on if you leave car for a day. Car is only 2006 so should not be an alternator.

Have to get it hooked up to see. Def hope it not a big problem as no way I can afford €800 + for a new one.

robtri · 23-09-2010 8:50pm

pocketvenus wrote: »

Am going to drop car over as explaining problemto him he thinks it may be a loose wire or battery problem as light goes on and off - give it a good drive and it seems to go off but then comes back on if you leave car for a day. Car is only 2006 so should not be an alternator.

Have to get it hooked up to see. Def hope it not a big problem as no way I can afford €800 + for a new one.

sounds like a battery problem....

jimmyw · 23-09-2010 9:13pm

pocketvenus wrote: »

He is the one I went to and said to me that he did not have a lift so he could not to do and if I could take alternator out of car and bring both down to him he maybe able to do something then. !! WTF
I mean how can you drive a car with no alternator.

Get a loan of another car, or get someone else to bring it, or go with them.

pocketvenus · 23-09-2010 9:22pm

jimmyw wrote: »

Get a loan of another car, or get someone else to bring it, or go with them.

Aren't you funny.!!! It was a rethorical question

But just for you - So I am supposed to drive my car to another garage get them to take it out, get the car towed to this garge and then trot on over there with an alternator. !!! Yeah I have that much € to throw away.

pocketvenus · 23-09-2010 9:25pm

robtri wrote: »

sounds like a battery problem....

Yeah I am thinking that but since it was in for a service a week ago as NCT is in 2 weeks I would have thought a battery problem would have been picked up then.

How long would you get driving from a situation like this as won't do any un necessary driving over weekend before I hand it in Monday? Might check do Nolans open Saturday as could drop it over then

honeybadger · 23-09-2010 10:13pm

you could test the charging circut with a digital multi-meter just to be sure its the altenator thats failed,,and as for the driving situation its like asking how long is a peice of string but if you do most of your driving during daylight hours you should be ok for a few spins,,its the lights that really drain the battery

jimmyw · 24-09-2010 9:02pm

pocketvenus wrote: »

Aren't you funny.!!! It was a rethorical question

But just for you - So I am supposed to drive my car to another garage get them to take it out, get the car towed to this garge and then trot on over there with an alternator. !!! Yeah I have that much € to throw away.

Jeez:eek: I was not trying to be funny.I was serious, you would not have to do all that. if you were not able to get the part off yourself, get someone else (friend/relative/neighbour) to do it and then they or someone else could bring it in.That's what I used to do and bring it in myself with ANOTHER CAR!!.Thought it was obvious, but must be just me.Sorry to offend, but was not ment to

pocketvenus · 25-09-2010 12:25pm

jimmyw wrote: »

Jeez:eek: I was not trying to be funny.I was serious, you would not have to do all that. if you were not able to get the part off yourself, get someone else (friend/relative/neighbour) to do it and then they or someone else could bring it in.That's what I used to do and bring it in myself with ANOTHER CAR!!.Thought it was obvious, but must be just me.Sorry to offend, but was not ment to

Apology accepted.

Seriously what kind of garage offers a electrical service and then does not have half the equipment to do that sort of stuff. To me a proper garage can take a car in, do all that needs to be fixed or checked with it and then have it ready for me. You pay enough for repairs etc.

jimmyw · 25-09-2010 9:29pm

pocketvenus wrote: »

Apology accepted.

Seriously what kind of garage offers a electrical service and then does not have half the equipment to do that sort of stuff. To me a proper garage can take a car in, do all that needs to be fixed or checked with it and then have it ready for me. You pay enough for repairs etc.

Why, who did you go to? and what did they say?

pocketvenus · 26-09-2010 7:40pm

jimmyw wrote: »

Why, who did you go to? and what did they say?

Basically as I said in my original post I am getting a red battery light on car past few months it goes on and off so it is either an alternator problem or battery problem. Anyway my mechanic does not have the equipment to check alternators etc so he told me to go to McNamara on the Waterside. I went over with car and he was so rude first he ignored me for 5 mins and then when I explained the problem he said he could not deal with my make of car due to where alternator was, that he did not have a lift to raise cars anyway so it would be up to me to take alternator out if I wanted it looked at and even then he may not be able to do anything with it depending on what the readings said or whether my alternator was suitable with is equipment. I have a Yaris.

To me that is bad service and not a proper electrical garage. I am going to try Nolan's next week as checked and he has no problems with checking any car.

jimmyw · 26-09-2010 8:38pm

Oh sorry yeah,I thought that something else had happened since your first post. Well I am very surprised at McNamara giving a bad service.I never had any problems anytime I went to him.I can understand to a degree why the regular garage may not have the equipment.Look, if you have a multimeter you can do a quick test with it on the volts scale.If you put it on the battery terminals with the engine running, and see what the reading is. Then turn on as many accessories as possible like headlights, Heated rear window,fan etc and see if the reading drops or not.Roughly the battery reading should be about 13-14 volts.This proves that the alternator is ok.Then get the battery checked out.You will probably need to go to the Nolan chap, but I am not all that gone on him, but that's just me.

pocketvenus · 26-09-2010 8:45pm

jimmyw wrote: »

Oh sorry yeah, well I am very surprised at McNamara giving a bad service.I never had any problems anytime I went to him.I can understand to a degree why the regular garage may not have the equipment.Look, if you have a multimeter you can do a quick test with it on the volts scale.If you put it on the battery terminals with the engine running, and see what the reading is. Then turn on as many accessories as possible like headlights, Heated rear window,fan etc and see if the reading drops or not.Roughly the battery reading should be about 13-14 volts.This proves that the alternator is ok.Then get the battery checked out.You will probably need to go to the Nolan chap, but I am not all that gone on him, but that's just me.

I would be useless to do any kind of check on my car, my knowledge is limited to water for the wipers and a quick oil check.!!!

To be honest I know of people who have said same thing to me about Nolan but then again have heard same about McNamara also. All I really want is somEone who will not rip me off and can do a check with NCT at weekend I am under pressure to get it sorted.

jimmyw · 26-09-2010 9:18pm

You cant trust anyone these days:rolleyes:.The reason I am a little iffy about Nolan is a few years ago i had a car that kept draining the battery with I knew was beacause of the central locking cause I could hear the door locks clicking when i connected the battery conections.I went to him and he said he would not be able to do it??.Well I eventually fixed it myself by replacing a control unit in the drivers door with a one from a scrappy

.Maybe I am a bit unfair, maybe its just alternators, batteries, and starters he does.

P.S could you not get someone like friend or neighbour who is familiar with cars to check?

Alternator Repair

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