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ALTERNATOR OR SOMETHING ELSE?

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Hello chaps,

I need your assistance. I replaced the battery assuming the battery was weak because she wouldn't start. Then she broke down on me a few days later because of losing charge. Therefore i had the alternator replaced for a reconditioned unit from German and Swedish.

The battery went flat again! I replaced it with another new one and had the system tested from auto electricians who tell me that the alternator is not recharging the battery! I will of course take the car back because the alternator is still under warranty and i have hardly used the car since.

The problem is compounded further because the battery light in the dasboard does not display any more. So i assumed the bulb may have fused so i replaced it and it still do not illumintate! I noticed a strange thing though when i earth the bulb with a metal part of the dasboard it illuminates!

Regardless of whether the battery is fully charged or not or whether the engine is running or not the battery light does not illuminate!

On this basis is it a logical conclusion to make that the alternator is not earthed correctly and if so, will this drain the battery?

I don't have a lot of confidence in the person who repaired my car and hence any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.
 
I am no expert on auto electrics but having had loads of trouble with 911 cxharging I can tell you that the bulb is essential to excite the alternator eg. if you remove the bulb you alternator stops working.
Hope this helps.
 
The battery light does not come on at all! Regardless of the position of the ignition key!
 
i have read my manual and it states that if the battery light does not light at all it is one of the following problems:
1 The bulb has burned out.
2.Regulator has failed
3.DF wire is disconected or broken at alternator.
4.alternator has failed on internal windings
Personaly i would first check that the wires are conected as you have had a new part fitted and it is quite possible the wires are not conected properly and if this is not the case put a new bulb in.
Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for your reply. I will check the other possibilities. It's definetely not the bulb. since if i earth it works. i have also replaced it as well to be sure. I apprciate your efforts. Whay is a DF wire? forgive my lack of knowledge. i can convey this information to the mechanic
 
Im not 100% sure what the DF wire is either thats all it says in the manual but it does also say that the wires get brittle with the engine heat and not to move them any more than necessary.And should you not lable them when taking them off it would be easy to put them back in wrong place thus wrecking the new alternator.
sorry cant be of anymore help.
 
From memory I think the connections are all different sizes so the wire ferrules will only fit on the correct terminals. I suspect the cause could well be a broken wire.
 
I had similar problems on mine - went through various alternator related tests and found that the cable from the starter motor which goes to the alternator had broken. Easy to check and fix!

Roy
 
Just been informed that the exchange alternator itself was faulty, compliments of German and Swedish! Since the alternator was under warranty i had it replaced and now the mechanic (Porshembri) is trying to claim his labour expenses from G & W.

The battery light now comes on as it should and everything seems to be back to normal.

Just proves that even new parts can sometimes be faulty. Nevertheless thank you everyone for your kind advice. I found it most helpful.

Keep up the good work on this great forum!
 
I can't beleive it!!! I've got the same problem again with a new alternator!
The battery light doesn't come on again. The bulb is fine because when i earth it works again.

Should i replace the alternator for the third time or is the problem something different? With the new alternator the battery light came on for the last few days and my mechanic informed myself that the battery was showing over 14 volts but no i'm back to square one! Any suggestions???

Please help? [:(]
 
It could still be the alternator,a few years ago i had starter motor problems ( not on a Porsche ),i had 3 in total as they all turned out to be fault,So as you say you can't always rely on NEW products be 100% correct.

Good luck

Ian
 
My next step would be to find an auto electrician to do some diagnostics, as i had an old car [non Porsche] where this happened, and turned out to be some damaged wiring way down the loom, which was shorting and causing the regulator to fail. I was lucky as it was th guys who providied the alternator which did the diags FOC, basically because they were fed up of providing free replacements.

Best of luck Adam.
 
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