battery light on car running ok

[basemanuk]

i have done about 300 miles over the past few days and my LC has been running fine then just last night i went out to see a few fireworks and the alternator light kept flicking on and off and stayd on at higher speed. The car has been running fine though. im going to pop out and check the belt ect. but will it be ok to keep driving till iv sorted the problem. Also if i cant find any probs with belt is it just eaiser to replace alternator and if so any suggestions on cheapest place to buy!

i surppose the main question is can i still drive it or will i do more damage!!!

 

[DPJ]

Could be the clutch on the alternator has gone. You'll get a good second hand alternator from one of the online scrappers for around £75. Needs to be 120Ah, I think.

 

[Mo Arif]

I've had similar issues with previous car's, it seems your alternators gone

Basically what happens is that the alternator stops charging / doing what its suppose to do.... the car battery has enough charge to keep the car running without it until..... STOP, battery flat, no working alternator to charge it!

Get it checked ASAP, you don't want to be stranded

 

[GlanzaV]

I've had similar issues with previous car's, it seems your alternators gone

Basically what happens is that the alternator stops charging / doing what its suppose to do.... the car battery has enough charge to keep the car running without it until..... STOP, battery flat, no working alternator to charge it!

Get it checked ASAP, you don't want to be stranded

Yep light on is indication there's a break in the charging circuit somewhere. Usually the altenator... but not always.

 

[LEE69]

If it does stop charging the first thing that went on mine was the throttle pedal, hope you got AA/RAC.

 

[basemanuk]

just went and cheked the car the belt seems tight but when i started the car one of the pully arms was rattling and making a ticking noise i have got a pic of the pully arm if that helps

 

[LEE69]

Not sure how the pic will help unless you think the alternator is falling apart?

 

[basemanuk]

this is the pic of the pully arm that is making all the noise it rattles and tickes and twitches around is that normal

 

[LEE69]

Yeah taking the auto tension all the time, if the one on the end of of the altenator, i'd be worried

 

[basemanuk]

so this pully arm which is making the noise and moving is normal yeh!! prob just need a new alternator

 

[LEE69]

Bearing might have gone in it?
Tried spaying it at all?

Checked to see what charge the battery is getting? 14.4v is what you're looking for.

Mine went slowly, was on acceleration that the light came on and progressively got worse.

 

[basemanuk]

think it is the beaings in the alternator. what else does the belt drive other then the alternator. diddent know if the alternator stoped and the belt wasnt turning what else would stop working too

 

[basemanuk]

Any idear

 

[LEE69]

Why not look at what the belt goes around and follow the pipes?

Air con and possibly power steering are run of the belt

Not 100% on power steering ages since i looked.