Splash9

I've got an F reg Tipo which has had electrical problems lately.
The car itself has always been a superb starter and runner but recently after a few miles or so (it can be 3 miles or 30) the battery will start to drain. The dash, being digital, will dim and eventually the radio will fade too low to hear. At this stage the engine will also become lumpy and lose power as it struggles to fire sufficiently. Once the engine is running it will usually continue until switched off but should you try to restart it the battery will appear totally dead. Should I try to start it a few hours later or the next day it is quite likely to burst into life again. As a result I have taken to carrying around a spare fully charged battery which will always start everything up again but this is obviously less than ideal.

The dashboard also dims whenever the lights or any other high load item ie heated rear window, gets turned on.

I have changed the alternator twice for exchange scrap items but the same fault persists, so the symptoms suggest something other than the battery or alternator. An earthing fault appears most likely but which, where and how do I isolate it ??????

please, please help ... ((

Pete

Hellraiser

"Splash9" <pete.splash@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:1aeaa067de0dc78c4778d557a90d45c2@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> I've got an F reg Tipo which has had electrical problems lately.
> The car itself has always been a superb starter and runner but recently
after a few miles or so (it can be 3 miles or 30) the battery will start to
drain. The dash, being digital, will dim and eventually the radio will fade
too low to hear. At this stage the engine will also become lumpy and lose
power as it struggles to fire sufficiently. Once the engine is running it
will usually continue until switched off but should you try to restart it
the battery will appear totally dead. Should I try to start it a few hours
later or the next day it is quite likely to burst into life again. As a
result I have taken to carrying around a spare fully charged battery which
will always start everything up again but this is obviously less than ideal.
>
> The dashboard also dims whenever the lights or any other high load item ie
heated rear window, gets turned on.
>
> I have changed the alternator twice for exchange scrap items but the same
fault persists, so the symptoms suggest something other than the battery or
alternator. An earthing fault appears most likely but which, where and how
do I isolate it ??????
>

Sounds like a typical dodgy earth problem - had exactly the same problem on
my own F reg Tipo a while back. Changed the battery as it was knackered
anyway, changed the alternator and it still did the same. A good test is
when it wont start, connect a jump lead from the earth on the battery to the
engine block (there is a nice lug on the top near the oil cap that will do)
and try it then - if it fires no problem then you have a dodgy earth, check
them, clean them, tighten them and slap some thick grease on to stop water
ingress. Also, check the fanbelt sometimes these slip sufficient to provide
low charge whilst not causing the battery light to come on.

Hellraiser............>

Splash9

cheers Hellraiser
This might sound obvious but where do I find all the earths to clean them up? From reading other posts on here they are all over and dodgy earths in the strangest places cause these problems. There is the obvious one that goes from the battery straight onto the side of the block but how do I locate all the others ??

Splash

Hellraiser

Hmm, from memory there is one on the underside of the battery tray, there is
one on the side of the gearbox, can't remember where the rest are - just
have a poke around

Hellraiser.........>

"Splash9" <pete.splash@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:0017175e207820b8abf98cf61e657b43@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> cheers Hellraiser
> This might sound obvious but where do I find all the earths to clean them
up? From reading other posts on here they are all over and dodgy earths in
the strangest places cause these problems. There is the obvious one that
goes from the battery straight onto the side of the block but how do I
locate all the others ??
>
> Splash
>

Splash9

Cheers Hellraiser ... I think I'm poked out for tonight so I'm going for a beer and will contemplate poking in the morning. Watch this space tomorrow.

Splash

Splash9

Ok .. I've had a good poke .. taken off the strap to the blockwhich also bolts on just below the battery to the bodywork and I've given everything a good going over with a wire brush. I've measured the resistance between the earth terminal and the block & also to the body and in both cases it shows as being 0.00 ohms ... but even with the third change of alternator it still only shows as kicking out 12.86 volts.

HELP !!!!!!

Hellraiser

"Splash9" <pete.splash@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:eaedc2040013221190e4d54542b19029@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> Ok .. I've had a good poke .. taken off the strap to the blockwhich also
bolts on just below the battery to the bodywork and I've given everything a
good going over with a wire brush. I've measured the resistance between the
earth terminal and the block & also to the body and in both cases it shows
as being 0.00 ohms ... but even with the third change of alternator it still
only shows as kicking out 12.86 volts.

Is that at idle or with a few revs? Slipping fanbelt or insufficient tension
of the belt could be another cause - replace the fanbelt (or "alternator
drivebelt" to give it its proper name). I used an aerosol can of that "Belt
Dressing" stuff, spray it on the belt and it basically makes the rubber on
the belt more sticky, certainly worth a try. New belt is a must though

Hellraiser..........>

Hellraiser

"Splash9" <pete.splash@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:eaedc2040013221190e4d54542b19029@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> Ok .. I've had a good poke .. taken off the strap to the blockwhich also
bolts on just below the battery to the bodywork and I've given everything a
good going over with a wire brush. I've measured the resistance between the
earth terminal and the block & also to the body and in both cases it shows
as being 0.00 ohms ... but even with the third change of alternator it still
only shows as kicking out 12.86 volts.

Ought to add that whilst the resistance is measured at 0.00 ohms, once you
start to draw a lot of current that reading may change - as an example, if
you were to loosely connect the battery earth it would read 0 ohms to
ground, but once you tried to turn over the engine it would most likely go
high resistance (or even completely open circuit) - get someone to turn over
the engine whilst you are measuring the resistance for a more accurate
picture.

Hellraiser...........>

huxleyg

Did you ever find the fault causing the battery drainin after changing the alternator and battery, - was it the earth fault ? As I have one doing exactly the same. Any help would be appreciated.