electrics died on the way to japfest :(, alternator?

[Chops]

Got a problem here, i was driving along to japfest playing catchup to the convoy, and my electrics went wobbly and the whole car cut out. only restarted with a jump pack, with my voltage reading 7.something while the engine was running. Stuttered up the motorway a bit more then died a death and was properly dead dead. i cant find any wires out of place or damaged, so im assuming its the alternator, though it turns just fine and doesnt seem broken. anyone able to gimme advice on what it might be? i hate electrics lol.

[mattyD]

Could just be a fucked battery??

[Chops]

dunno, didnt know a battery could do that. id have thought the charge from the engine running could sustain itself surely?

[rinseep82]

A battery can die whenever it feels like it haha I had one in my daily fiesta worked fine turned car of went into the shop come out and died wouldn't even start with leads on it that's how fooked it was

[Chops]

only bought it recently off a peep on here. im not sure it is the battery.

[rinseep82]

But they can go at anytime mate weather old new or what I changed the starter motor on the fiesta cause I dint think it was the battery it's either that or the alternator worth trying battery tho first innit only takes 5 min to change and see

Edited May 11, 2014 by rinseep82

[Chops]

But they can go at anytime mate weather old new or what I changed the starter motor on the fiesta cause I dint think it was the battery it's either that or the alternator worth trying battery tho first innit only takes 5 min to change and see

if u have a spare battery it is lol, true though.

[mattyD]

I had one go on my starlet as I was driving lol

and my fiesta, it just went so it is quite possible as said above

[enots]

Grab a multimeter and check the voltage on the battery dude chances are if the voltage was low while the car was running id point at the alternator.same happened on my celica recently changed the brushes in the alternator and its as good as new now

[Kyle_R]

From my experiences I would say it is the alternator. The battery is only used for engine cranking and ign1 acc while engines not running.

[daniel_g]

Check the voltage across the alternator when the car is running, should be around 14.7 volts.

Could also be the alternator belt loose.

[5e colin]

sounds like dead alt mate

[Chops]

I was booming along, then noticed the car was slowing down, the wipers were moving really slowly and my gauges were flickering and going mad. fucker stopped dead in the one place i couldnt get phone signal, on the chevrons of an on ramp, in the dark and the rain lol. never been stranded like that before, its not fun.

[mech5107]

Check the connector to the alternator that is all the way seated.

Also, is your battery light working?

Edited May 12, 2014 by mech5107

[Chops]

6y

true story!

are 4efte alternators the same as 4efe from uk cars?

[Tmdep82mos]

How did you get on with this issue mate

[Chops]

yeah, it was the alternator, possibly the built in voltage regulator i think. swapped it out for a newer alternator i was told came off a uk car, plugged in and runs well, perfect running voltage!

[Tmdep82mos]

Cool did it but the battery light on & water Coolant light on they flicker when on tick over but when you rev they go out. Did you loose your boost controller & everything till the car dies lol

[Chops]

whole car went dead suddenly, everything going one second and not the next. No lights or power anywhere, engine sounded like it was still going but that was just because it was in gear. when i messed about with it for a bit with a jump pack i managed to get it going for about 2/300meters of sluggish unhappy car before it went dead for good. got towed to work though sheer chance and replaced its alternator and battery a week later. battery wasnt completely gone, but it wasnt holding charge particularly well so i swapped it out too.