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alternator bad? 850

posted by dewey on Thu Jan 31 15:23 CST 2013
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last visit: Tue Feb 5 12:04 CST 2013

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I noticed my battery getting weaker over a couple days. This morning it to weak to start the car. jumped it and tested the alternator. With the lights and fan on hi I was putting out 13 volts, the car was at idle. 13v seems ok. ANy ideas? Battery is brand new.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by KlausC on Tue Feb 5 10:38 CST 2013
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last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014

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You also might want to look in the trunk to see if the light is on. Or perhaps the glove box light does not turn off. Don't forget the simple things.
--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

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alternator bad? 850

posted by dewey on Tue Feb 5 12:06 CST 2013
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last visit: Tue Feb 5 12:04 CST 2013

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Glove box off. I'll check the trunk when I go back out. Put the Fluke clamp current tester on the battery and got 15 amps with no load. Turned on a bunch of stuff and got 55 amps. Does this sound correct? tested battery voltage today adn it was 12.6 volts.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by B.B. on Sat Feb 2 23:19 CST 2013
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last visit: Mon Oct 6 13:15 CST 2014

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You should measure about 13.8-14.0 Volts at the battery terminals with the car running. That's normal alternator output that will charge a 12.6 Volt battery
13 volts sounds too low, and maybe the regulator brushes are toast. If the charge
volts are higher than 14V, then you'll be blowing out bulbs faster.

Get a Hydrometer and you can check each cell of your battery, if a cell flunks
out with the hydrometer, it's time for a new battery

You can have a good alternator and battery and cruddy resistive battery cable
ends or connections to foul up the works. It's a good idea to service your
battery cables and connections.

Don't be in a hurry to buy parts until you diagnose what's the real problem.

Bill

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alternator bad? 850

posted by dewey on Mon Feb 4 12:18 CST 2013
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last visit: Tue Feb 5 12:04 CST 2013

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Got the new battery in and did a voltage test. Car off 12.6 volts. car running at idle 14 volts at higher rpm 14 volts. At idle with all accessories on 13.9 volts and high rpm 13.9 volts. SHould I be testing current also? If so can someone explain how to test it. I have a nice clamp on fluke to use.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by B.B. on Tue Feb 5 05:01 CST 2013
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last visit: Mon Oct 6 13:15 CST 2014

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Sounds like the battery and alternator are fine.
If the starter is struggling then look at the battery cables and
cable ends. Pay attention to the crimp connections at the cable ends (+ & -),
they can go bad. Note that you have a pair of ground wires (-) from the
battery to the engine/frame.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by 1sciroccofahrer on Sat Feb 2 09:31 CST 2013
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last visit: Sat Mar 8 19:17 CST 2014

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You need to test the alternator (with a multi-meter) directly...

I should state, you need to do this with the car running.

This will tell you the voltage which the alternator is producing.

Then test the battery.

If the alternator is producing 14(+) volts, and the voltage directly at the battery is less than .5 of that of the alternator, you are losing (too much) power between the two.

My parents' 850 had this issue, and it turned out to be the positive cable from the starter to the battery.

If the alternator is producing less than 14 volts, then there is a strong likelihood that the alternator is bad.

I hope that everyone's weekend is most brilliant! :)

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alternator bad? 850

posted by Tapsa on Fri Feb 1 00:45 CST 2013
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last visit: Sun Oct 19 13:29 CST 2014

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Hi,
few years ago my 850/94 started to blink warning lights when I took my foot of from gas or at idle. My alternator was a Bosch and I could renew only the voltage regulator unit with brushes for some 25$. Changing the regulator was possible by keeping the alternator in it's place.
br Tapsa

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alternator bad? 850

posted by dewey on Fri Feb 1 15:48 CST 2013
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last visit: Tue Feb 5 12:04 CST 2013

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I haven't got any warning light. I think my battery may be toast. it is only a month old. I let the car run for an hour yesterday. When I rtried to start it after just turning it off there was not enough battery power to turn over the motor. ALso, the alternator has 220k miles on it so I would be tempted to replace it as the bearing would propbably be ready to go also.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by guysaab on Sun Feb 3 00:01 CST 2013
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last visit: Mon Jun 23 13:24 CST 2014

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1-Have the battery dealer load test the battery
2-I would still start with the voltage regulator.
3-Then move on to the cables and cable end clamps.

I have a 740 with 322k mi and the original alternator. Just on its' 3rd or 4th voltage regulator.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by dewey on Sun Feb 3 07:44 CST 2013
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last visit: Tue Feb 5 12:04 CST 2013

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I took the battery to NAPA yesterday and it measured mid 11 volts I think. They did a load test and it failed. This is the second battery in 15 months. When I get back to school Monday I'm going to some current and voltage testing with my meter.

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alternator bad? 850

posted by KlausC on Thu Jan 31 19:53 CST 2013
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last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014

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Probably one of the 2 brushes has worn out. You need to be producing around 14.5V, especially with a weak battery. A trickle charger left on over night will prolong the life, but not much longer.
--
My name is Klaus and I am a V♂lv♂holic

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