Jonathan Kay

Thanks Andy. Do you think it might have been Beesleys'/ Tool Shop UK? Jonathan

... can anyone recommend anyone who can repair one? Jonathan

Deleted because of incompetent duplication Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 29 Dec 2011 13:55:51

Quoting Bricol: I run mine through winter - heated seats, heated screen, heater, stereo, headlights on in a morning and evening commute, with a Banner - no problems. Alternator, in good nick, is easily capable of powering all that lot. Another thread describes the problem of alternators whose pulley wheels run them too slow to charge at low revs. But AFAIK that would be revealed by the ignition warning light staying on. Jonathan Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 29 Dec 2011 13:56:16 Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 29 Dec 2011 13:56:41

£12 Jonathan

£12 Jonathan

£14 Jonathan

I don't know about those specific hoses. I found Classic Silicone Hoses very helpful. Jonathan

Halford's Christmas Sale One day only... and I'm sure they'll never have another sale. Jonathan

£5.00 Jonathan

£8.00 Jonathan

What David said. I cut my hex key down till it was just a straight bit: no right angle. Jonathan

I've heard that some 7s have a cross-member in the way but don't know which. Another way is to fill through the top either with the plate off or by using a plate with a filler tube. But I don't know how you'd set the level that way? Dipstick? Cracking open the plug? Jonathan Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 18 Dec 2011 18:42:28

Advice from Alcester Racing 7s What I do is use a cut down hex key in a ring ratchet spanner. Jonathan PS: The first time I did this I just wanted to check the level, not change the oil. I didn't bother getting the oil tray and mat. I used the type of spanner that reverses the ratchet by turning the spanner over. Great gush of oil from box, fluid was obviously unnecessarily full, just need to tighten the plug... can you see where this is going? Not only could I not tighten the plug because of the ratchet, but I couldn't get the key and spanner out because the plug had now been wound out so close to the panel that there wasn't enough clearance. All I could think of was the Now I use the type that has a little lever to reverse the ratchet.

... presumably you're trying to do it up from underneath and round the side rather than from the passenger footwell? Jonathan PS: Now why did that remind me of

As above: the big question is whether you want to pay extra and have drawers on bearings. You can add dividers and liners later. Also worth checking Machine Mart Is there a Club discount on all Halfords stuff? Jonathan

Well done Jonathan

I think the consensus is that it's better to keep a conditioning charger on all the time than to allow deeper discharges... Jonathan

Quoting tiddy1: I do not have an earth wire on the alternator but the but the continuity between the battery earth and the alternator case is good so I should not need one. Testing continuity like that does not guarantee that the connections can take a high current. This could still be part of the problem. I suggest fitting an earth strap and cleaning the connection surfaces. Jonathan

Thanks. For this test I suggest you forget about earth and continuity. What I don't understand is why you get 12V between alternator terminal (the one which we think should go to the indicator bulb) and battery live, but the bulb doesn't light up when connected to the same two points. But I don't think that's quite the test you have done. Jonathan

Quoting Paul Deslandes: I've been following the thread but not quite understood what was going on. If the bulb has zero volts on one end and 12 on the other (at the same time) it should light up, unless its blown or has a diode in series. Simon: Apart from the pulley and the earth strap and the regulator we really need to sort this issue about the bulb. There are two reasons for this. At the moment you're trying to debug a fault but can't be certain that the test equipment is OK. And once it seems to be working you won't know if it's charging properly or not until it's flat again. I'd still recommend you measure voltage from point to point, not through the fuse box or any wiring. Then I'd try the bulb assembly and wiring the other way round. Then I'd take that bulb assembly and wiring and try them (both ways round) in a test rig that has nothing to do with anything on your car. Jonathan

Quoting batteredoldsupersport: The alternator voltage will never rise above that of battery positive, as they are directly connected and as soon as the alternator spins up it raises battery +ve along with alternator +ve. The diode in the circuit is a new one on me though. If the alternator is charging the battery there must be a PD or the electrons wouldn't know which way to go. But I'm sure you're right in that will be very small because of the low impedance of the connecting wires. Jonathan

Welcome back Paul. I was hoping for someone who knew more... Does that circuit usually/ often contain diodes? I can see why they would in order to stop the bulb lighting up when the alternator output voltage goes above the battery live... but I was getting there from first principles. Jonathan

Here's the bit I don't understand... if you have 12V PD between battery positive and alternator terminal with the engine off why doesn't the bulb light up when connected in the same way? Some thoughts: You're not testing between exactly the same points in the circuit and there is a fault in the wiring that is different between the two tests. Your bulb and wiring are directional! Could it be an LED, or is there a diode somewhere. Could you try the bulb etc the other way round? Probably easiest to test this directly to a battery. Jonathan

You're way beyond with me the Denso alternator. But it sounds to me as if you're reading all voltages with reference to chassis earth, and that's why you're expressing them as paired values, and why you mention the dash. I suggest you do that test again with point to point measurements with no wires or earth involved. I don't understand why the bulb isn't lighting. Have you connected a battery across the wires leading to the bulb holder so that you can test those wires, the bulb-holder and the bulb all at once? Jonathan