Opel Corsa 1.7D problem?

acer_2010

Just wondering if anyone could help or maybe know of the problem I have encountered! I bought a brand new battery for her almost 3 weeks ago so it couldn't be the battery! The problem is, when I turn on the ignition the battery symbol light does not show up like it used to and the car is getting hard to start as the battery seems to have gotten quite lazy all of a sudden!

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated!

acer_2010

*Bump*

ZENER

I'm not an expert in auto electrics though I am a sparks by trade. I'd be inclined to suspect the alternator and/or it's associated components.

If you can get a lend of a multimeter set it to DC Volts and measure the voltage on the terminals with the engine off - it should be between 11.5 and 12.5 volts. Now start the car and with the engine running test the terminals again, the voltage should have risen to between 13.5 and 14.5 volts depending on what's switched on in the car, e.g. headlights, heaters etc.

If you don't have access to a meter then observe the headlights brightness as you push the accelerator pedal. If the lights brighten as the revs increase then the alternator is possibly ok. It's not a conclusive test by any means and depends on how effective the charging regulator is but on my own car there is a variation.

I'm sure someone more familiar with auto electrics or that specific car may be able to help further.

Good luck !!

Ken

macroman

I'd say the alternator has had it. Had to do one in a Combo last week (same engine as your Corsa). You should be getting 14.4v from your alternator.

I got the refurb alternator for €145 + the old alternator. Might get one cheaper from a breakers but you've no comeback. Check the condition of the aux belt too (any cracking replace it)

Two dudes above are 100% correct, your alternator is dead. That battery light should theoretically come on and stay on all the time if there is an issue with the alternator. However I have encountered this previously when the light didn't illuminate at all. You should consider the car luck to start at all, auto spark needed asap

jimmyw

Yeah but i would try to see if the bulb is gone first before going to the trouble of seeing if the alternator is gone by trying to connect the wire that's connected to the terminal marked possibly "IND" or "WL" to earth to see if the bulb will light up.

Tigger

your alternator belt is slipping or broken, easy fix

crosshair1

corsa b or c??

Eoin

acer_2010 wrote: »

*Bump*

No need to bump a thread after 9 minutes.

acer_2010

Thanks lads! Well guess what? The car would not start this morning! :mad: So I took out the altenator this evening but before I did I checked the voltage of the battery with the multimeter! This is what the results were like, with the engine switched off it read just 12.04V and with it ticking over and everything switched off it read up 12.34V. Does this definatly sound like the altenator has had it? Or could it be something else? Really want to know before I bring the altenator to a sparks in the morning!
And do ye have any idea how much it costs to recondition an altenator or how much a new one would cost?

shamwari

If that is a corsa B (Isuzu engine) sold up to 2000 and you are going to replace the alternator, you also have to replace the charge control relay. Its around €30, available from Opel, and located in the kick panel in the drivers side footwell. A dying alternator usually takes the relay with it.

bbarf

or maybe something is discharging your battery over night, maybe previous owner did some work on electric instalation and there is a result. i would try first charge the battery enough to start the car, disconnect it over night and try next morning

acer_2010

shamwari wrote: »

If that is a corsa B (Isuzu engine) sold up to 2000 and you are going to replace the alternator, you also have to replace the charge control relay. Its around €30, available from Opel, and located in the kick panel in the drivers side footwell. A dying alternator usually takes the relay with it.

Yes it is a Corsa B with the Isuzu engine. Awh you can't be serious? How can you check to see if this is gone? Or could that charge control relay go itself before the altenator?

jimmyw

acer_2010 wrote: »

Thanks lads! Well guess what? The car would not start this morning! :mad: So I took out the altenator this evening but before I did I checked the voltage of the battery with the multimeter! This is what the results were like, with the engine switched off it read just 12.04V and with it ticking over and everything switched off it read up 12.34V. Does this definatly sound like the altenator has had it? Or could it be something else? Really want to know before I bring the altenator to a sparks in the morning!
And do ye have any idea how much it costs to recondition an altenator or how much a new one would cost?

Those readings do seem to be on the low side.Try the same again but this time with the headlights and fan and heated rear window switched on and see what the readings are,if they are the same or lower then your alt is gone alright I'd say.

acer_2010

bbarf wrote: »

or maybe something is discharging your battery over night, maybe previous owner did some work on electric instalation and there is a result. i would try first charge the battery enough to start the car, disconnect it over night and try next morning

No I highly doubt that there is something draining it overnight! Why would the battery symbol light on the dash not come at all?

acer_2010

jimmyw wrote: »

Those readings do seem to be on the low side.Try the same again but this time with the headlights and fan and heated rear window switched on and see what the readings are,if they are the same or lower then your alt is gone alright I'd say.

Sorry I actually forgot to mention that I did turn on the lights and headlights and the voltage fell substantially to 10.43V..

alfastud

the oil seal in the back of these alternators leaks oil through from the pump and after a bit it makes ****e of the regulator and rectifier ,so you will have to get the alternator reconditioned by the sounds of it,i have one myself and it just happened about 3 weeks ago.

With readings that low with the engine running the alternator is defo not charging the battery. Defo defo defo the alternator. I was sure it was the alternator yesterday too

acer_2010

This is now the situation! I got the altenator reconditioned and the battery symbol light is now back working! So I charged up the battery and turned the key and up she started. Just as I thought everything was back working perfectly I took out the multimeter only to discover that the battery only had 11.76V while ticking over. That couldn't be right, could it? Anyway, it was given a rev to see if it would charge up and the altenator sent out 4 or 5 sparks so I immediatly switched off the engine! I'm baffled, I really don't understand it! This morning I went to try start it but before I did I checked the battery and it had 11.67V, this is more than enough to start the car, I turned the ignition and all I got was a very lazy start sound and after that just a click! So I had to jump it off another car and it started up no problem at all, when the jump leads were on both cars my battery read up that it had 13.46V. I disconnected the leads and left her ticking over. When I sat in to the car, the lights in the dash just above the radio were flickering like mad, the radios backlights were also flickering like mad, the heaters barely blew out any air, the wipers did not move and then I heard lots of loud ticking sounds coming from the fuse compartment! I drove the car to local auto spark and while on the way the battery light was vaguely flashing vigorously and the speedo needle just stuck at the 10mph mark!

Anybody have any ideas? Is this bad or really bad?

jimmyw

acer_2010 wrote: »

This is now the situation! I got the altenator reconditioned and the battery symbol light is now back working! So I charged up the battery and turned the key and up she started. Just as I thought everything was back working perfectly I took out the multimeter only to discover that the battery only had 11.76V while ticking over. That couldn't be right, could it? Anyway, it was given a rev to see if it would charge up and the altenator sent out 4 or 5 sparks so I immediatly switched off the engine! I'm baffled, I really don't understand it! This morning I went to try start it but before I did I checked the battery and it had 11.67V, this is more than enough to start the car, I turned the ignition and all I got was a very lazy start sound and after that just a click! So I had to jump it off another car and it started up no problem at all, when the jump leads were on both cars my battery read up that it had 13.46V. I disconnected the leads and left her ticking over. When I sat in to the car, the lights in the dash just above the radio were flickering like mad, the radios backlights were also flickering like mad, the heaters barely blew out any air, the wipers did not move and then I heard lots of loud ticking sounds coming from the fuse compartment! I drove the car to local auto spark and while on the way the battery light was vaguely flashing vigorously and the speedo needle just stuck at the 10mph mark!

Anybody have any ideas? Is this bad or really bad?

The above voltage is no where near enough (in red) to start the car, it should be at least 12.5 volts.Your alternator is still not right, you need to bring it back to who done the recon.The voltage should be at least 13 volts when running, even idling.Is your light still goin out?The volts in blue is perfect.I now see about the light.

shamwari

acer_2010 wrote: »

This is now the situation! I got the altenator reconditioned and the battery symbol light is now back working! So I charged up the battery and turned the key and up she started. Just as I thought everything was back working perfectly I took out the multimeter only to discover that the battery only had 11.76V while ticking over. That couldn't be right, could it? Anyway, it was given a rev to see if it would charge up and the altenator sent out 4 or 5 sparks so I immediatly switched off the engine! I'm baffled, I really don't understand it! This morning I went to try start it but before I did I checked the battery and it had 11.67V, this is more than enough to start the car, I turned the ignition and all I got was a very lazy start sound and after that just a click! So I had to jump it off another car and it started up no problem at all, when the jump leads were on both cars my battery read up that it had 13.46V. I disconnected the leads and left her ticking over. When I sat in to the car, the lights in the dash just above the radio were flickering like mad, the radios backlights were also flickering like mad, the heaters barely blew out any air, the wipers did not move and then I heard lots of loud ticking sounds coming from the fuse compartment! I drove the car to local auto spark and while on the way the battery light was vaguely flashing vigorously and the speedo needle just stuck at the 10mph mark!

Anybody have any ideas? Is this bad or really bad?

That ticking is more than likely the charge control relay I mentioned earlier. I think it's blue in colour, but a new (modified) one may be black.

Also on that alternator, there should be loom terminating in a three pin plug into the alternator. Make sure the plug is tight and that the loom is not physically damaged.

shamwari

Sorry, I didn't read all of the above properly. If you got the alternator reconned and it is sparking, I think you should bring it back from whence it came. The charge control relay will not cause this, but I'd say it may be wrecked now.

acer_2010

What I don't understand is, why did the lights on the dash above the radio and the lights in the radio flash on and off? And also why would the speedo needle just stick at 10mph and not budge? And the ticking noise in where all the fuses are, what the hell was that? Have I done lots more damage?
I am now buying a brand new alternator so I would be very grateful if you could tell me what else I may need to check before I even go about connecting the battery back up I.E. fuses, regualtors etc!

Thanks!

jimmyw

I'd say its just the low battery power causing them to miss behave a bit.Can you not go back to the re conditioner?

acer_2010

I did, I brought it back this morning and he said that the alternator had had it completely due to me starting it up and I blew something in the alternator and he also said that 2 wires shorted that go into the alternator! I am now getting a brand new alternator in the morning but I just want to know if I need to replace anything else while doing this?

jimmyw

Right so he is blaming you for the fault?:rolleyes:.What else did he want you to do? Typical:(.Did he fix the two shorted wires?He could not not be wrong, I suppose, perish the thought:rolleyes: no?Try to charge up the batt again to see if the clicking etc is there now.

acer_2010

Yeah, he said he was going to do the shorted wires alright.. I actually don't have the battery or car as its in the garage tonight!

shamwari

I know I have been banging on about the charge control relay, but if it is not checked and eliminated then you mechanic / auto electrician will be going around in circles trying to figure out what's wrong.

All of the early Isuzu engined stuff used by GM (Corsa B, Astra F, Vectra A & all had those relays, as had the Isuzu Gemini, Aska's, and WFR van's (who can remember those?) The relay nearly always failed when the alternator gave up the ghost, often due to overcharging/

It is highly possible that your wiring issue or even the alternator gremlins are still present and will need to be eliminated. This relay I speak of regulates the alternator output, and any shorts or anomalies with the alternator will wipe the relay out. It's should be behind the kick panel beside the accelerator pedal.

acer_2010

So I should check the charge control relay before attempting to start her or else I will damage the new alternator?
Also, if this relay did go, would that cause everything to flash and the speedo needle to get stuck?

shamwari

I would get the outstanding issues with the alternator and the wiring sorted first, and then I would fit a new relay anyway as they are known troublemakers.

You say your alternator sparked, and the relay will not cause this. This points to a problem still in the alternator. If you fit a new relay now with the other fault(s) still present then you risk blowing your new relay too.

I have had this relay cause voltage fluctuations which can give rise to lights going dull and bright. However, a fault with the alternator can cause this too (such as short somwhere, or a duff regulator)

valtra2

hi sorry to drag this tread back up by i am having same problems with my van, something is draining power, same thing is happining lights flickering and relay clicking, just wondering dose anyone have any awnser or did anyone find out what was happening, thanks

valtra2

bump