Club126UK

Fiat 126 Chat => Fiat 126 Mechanical Problem Solving => Topic started by: Gadge on May 06, 2017, 04:40:18 PM

Title: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Gadge on May 06, 2017, 04:40:18 PM

I fired the car up for the first time in a week and I've noticed a problem. The battery light never came on with the ignition so when it was running I put a multimeter across the battery and sure enough it's not charging (11.35 volts). I put a test light on the alternator and there's power going to it so is it a case of a duff alternator or is there something eles?

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: michaelodonnell500 on May 06, 2017, 09:23:57 PM

Quote from: Gadge on May 06, 2017, 04:40:18 PM

I fired the car up for the first time in a week and I've noticed a problem. The battery light never came on with the ignition so when it was running I put a multimeter across the battery and sure enough it's not charging (11.35 volts). I put a test light on the alternator and there's power going to it so is it a case of a duff alternator or is there something eles?

Have you checked the battery light bulb?  If that's blown you'll have an open circuit.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Gadge on May 07, 2017, 07:53:18 AM

Good shout I'll check that out :thumbup

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Gadge on May 08, 2017, 06:29:57 PM

Ok update - it's not the dash bulb. Strangely it uses a 501 bullet type side light bulb of which I have plenty of so I swapped it for a new one and still the same so I have power to the alternator but seemingly nothing coming out so I think I have a paggered alternator. I actually have a spare but it needs new bearings (grrrrr) so I've ordered some new ones and will refit that one and see where I'm at.

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Rusty's Uncle on May 08, 2017, 07:08:32 PM

Did you check out the carbon brushes as they are the components that are most prone to wear  :)

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Gadge on May 08, 2017, 08:56:08 PM

No not yet rusty how easy are they to remove?

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Rusty's Uncle on May 09, 2017, 07:15:24 AM

I don't have a Bis but I looked at the Panda manual which I guess would be similar and it looks like a fairly simple procedure  :)

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Darrell on May 09, 2017, 01:04:06 PM

Watching this as mine is doing a similar thing and the battery slowly gets too low to start the car.

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: Gadge on May 14, 2017, 04:40:50 PM

Sorted :thumbup I spent the morning fitting new bearings into another alternator I had lying around and refitted it only for the problem still to be there so after rechecking the fuses, relays and the dash wiring I removed the battery light bulb again and refitted it and hey presto it came on  ::) so it would seem the fault was perhaps the bulb holder not securely in place or vibrated out.

Title: Re: Odd alternator problem
Post by: mintex on May 14, 2017, 11:06:11 PM

Nice one  :good: i will have to remember that one if mine ever does anything similar.