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after recently changing the battery only a few days ago the car wont start. drove to mac donalds car park, got food tried to start the car and it wouldnt. it tried to turn over again but wouldnt do it. this is after a 10 ish 20 minute drive.
as we tried to start the car the dash really dimmed.
managed to bump start it and drive it home and did a bit or research and found it could be the ignition coil?
had a little go at fitting a new one today (with the help of craigmk4) but had the wrong part. ive taken the battery out over night to charge and the needle on the charger shows its really low, almost empty.
so could the altenater be suspect?

weve been able to bump start the car several times =]

any ideas would really be appreciated!

thanks joe

Hi Joe did you do the voltage check on the alternator?

yeah do a check on the alternator.

should be around 14v with the car running of course.

if it is the battery is most probally fooked!

i havnt had chance yet no. im taking it over to my friends tomoro. i have been planning to ask him to do a check on it, so hopefully ill have a bit more info then. i dont have a volt meter myself so i havnt been able to.

i may be jumping ahead of myself a little here but does anyone know a rough price of a new altenater?


ill let you know the results tomoro

Definately sounds like either a fault with the alternator, a grounding issue from the alternator (Or broken wiring somewhere between)

A new alternator is just under £150 exchange - not cheap! I think mine is on its way out, so Im saving for a new one lol.

Alex you say you think yours is on its way out. What makes you think this? are there early signs? Might be handy knowing in case mine ever starts to go and with the luck I have been having :/

The hunting when its idling when I put load on the engine ie headlights, air con, music etcetc

My revs drop when I put things like heated rear window and lights on, but as far as I know nothing dims yet, so I guess all is well.

Might stick a voltmeter across it later while its running just to check the output.

I noticed before that my sub uses so much power that if the cars not running and I have it on not too loud, you can watch the voltage in the battery slowly drop...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIGITAL-MULTI-MET ... dZViewItem

Worth getting one anyway..