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Jafia

Alternator or Battery?

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Ok, so I have just noticed an issue with my 1994 Fairlaine Ghia.

Just today, I noticed on startup that she is very weak to start, cranks slowly and then starts. Usually in my experience that signals something is usually wrong with a) the battery or  b ) the alternator... Joy.

 

Thing is I am not seeing any battery light come on which usually means it not the alternator, but, usually, the battery light in any other Ford and car for that matter that I've owned, when you turn the car to ACC, the battery light will come on and stay in until you start and then turn off. In this car, I can't for the life of me find the 'battery light' when I do this. So now I am starting to wonder, where is it for a start, and could the issue be alternator related.

 

Another issue is as well, the back dash light is blown, whilst I can still see the speedo, etc they are just dim, and well to get a light changed, I been quoted up here a ridiculous price of ~$200 due to the work involved of pulling out the dash, could this be an issue with the 'non-existent' battery light'?

 

Checked it just before, turned lights, etc on and started the car to gain further symptoms, and as I was expecting, as the engine slowly cranked and started, all lights dimmed significantly, high beams became park lights basically and the interior lights also dimmed. It signals to me that there is not enough charge somewhere. The battery is less than two years old, but I also know that doesn't always mean that it's not the battery.

 

Also if the alternator was not charging the battery properly, I would've thought that the battery would be completely dead after the amount of driving I did today, which leads me to think perhaps it's the regulator, although again that usually causes the battery light to come on intermittently.

 

I honestly feel like I am missing something obvious with the battery light issue... Any suggestions?

 

Obviously I will be taking the car to a mechanic as soon as I am able, I'm just trying to figure this out...

 

 

TIA

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most likely the battery is on its way out

 

- check distilled water levels in the battery by screwing battery caps off and topping up with water

- check battery with volt meter before and after car started to see if volts drop

- check battery terminals aren't cracked or corodid  too bad and clean with wire brush

 

if the alternator was stuffed the car would die when the car is running due to it draining the battery power

without recharging the battery

but if the car doesn't die after its started id say its a battery problem or a short in your wiring slowly draining

the car battery when the car is off

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i haven't pulled one of the clusters out, but its not going to be a $200 job to change a globe .. there would be a how to some where like here? google is your friend http://www.fordaustraliaforums.com/forum/showthread.php?30226-El-Falcon-Instrument-Cluster-Light

says in there its a 10min job to get the cluster out ..

 

i would say its the battery, autobarn were testing batteries for free.. i would also agree if your alternator wasnt working you wouldnt get far(30 mins ish?)

cooler weather makes batteries work harder, its when they usually fail.

if its maintenance free you couldnt have saved it, but if it has access to water, and its low.. that could have saved it.. at this point its probably too late but might buy you some time but usually not long..

 

2 yrs is all you get out of a basic battery.. 3 yrs for a good one.. (much longer can be had out of an optima battery for double the price)

 

i have only had the battery light come on when an alternator failed. got nothing to do with the battery in my opinion, maybe loose terminals would affect charging of the battery if the battery tests well and the alt is charging

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i haven't pulled one of the clusters out, but its not going to be a $200 job to change a globe .. there would be a how to some where like here? google is your friend http://www.fordaustraliaforums.com/forum/showthread.php?30226-El-Falcon-Instrument-Cluster-Light

says in there its a 10min job to get the cluster out ..

 

 

Yeah, I also thought $200 was a bit steep myself, but it's also the joys of very few auto elecs out my way that can deal with it and yeah, I could try and do it myself, but the problem that I face with cluster, is I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, despite researching, and don't want to pull it apart and find I stuffed something up. Hence why I still haven't got it fixed. It still lights up and is still visible. so that's what matters...

 

Been thinking it's the battery, Which is a pain, but with all the driving I do and the heat we've been getting up my way, wouldn't surprise me if the battery is on its way out, the main thing that confused me I guess is not being able to find the battery light at all. But I guess this one is different and perhaps the battery light doesn't come on when turned to ACC and only comes on when there actually is an issue

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Get hold of a volt meter and test them.

 

With engine off:  Battery should show between 12 and 13 volts.

With engine running at idle:  Battery should show 13.8 volts

With engine running at 2000 rpm:  Battery should now show 14.2 volts.

 

If the voltage doesn't change during idle and rev up, then the alternator is shot.

If the voltage changes during running, then the alternator is ok, but if the battery still shows low when engine is off, then battery is shot.

 

Next step is take it to a battery shop or Supercheap and have the battery LOAD tested to confirm.

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So it turns out both the battery and alternator are fine, the problem lies with the starter motor, it's on it's way out....

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So it turns out both the battery and alternator are fine, the problem lies with the starter motor, it's on it's way out....

how did you find that out? surprised i didn't mention that... i have changed battery, starter and alternator on My ute.. all in the last 6 months or less

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