hiya all, driving this morning, suddenly a weird noise from under bonnet then noticed my volt level had gone down from between 12 and 15 to bottom of gauge also lots of smoke, other pressures ok but lots of smoke i managed to get her home and lift bonnet ,no oil but water droplets everywhere, car was running perfectly and will take her in tommorow, any ideas what this is or what may have caused it thanks all jason p
urgent help please!
- Thread starter jasonp
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What sort of noise? Sounds like some kind of electrical failure ... what else has changed since the noise? Any other gauges doing things they shouldn't, or lights not coming on / staying on all the time? (If the voltmeter is showing low volts, it would be worth putting a DVM across the battery while the car is running to make sure that the meter really is telling porkies ... should show above 13.5v when idling.) Oli.
thank for quick reply oli. it sounded like some small bits moving about the front bottom[i think?] of the car, driving home across hack marshes smoke cleared and everything working fine, turned off heated rear window and turned down heater but made no difference, all pressures ok except electric but noticed as i slowed down almost to a stop she would stall or cut out and i needed to slip her in to 2nd to get her going or start her up again which she just about managed to do, i am going back out know to she if i can get her into the garage until i can get her down to mechanics.asap many thanks oli, jason p
Front bottom of engine would be alternator. Perhaps. Has the alternator bracket slipped and caused the belt to go slack, possibly slipping, causing smoke? Have a poke around and see if the alternator belt is still tight. Failing that, I wonder whether the alternator itself may have failed - perhaps a diode went 'phut' or something. (If so, don't buy a Porsche one - I think there is a Ford item which is half the price and a direct fit.) Wouldn't explain the handbrake light coming on. But that could be unrelated. Oli.
hiya oli, just put her in my garage and noticed as before the anti-lock light is on permenently, steering is heavy,she is idling and bouncing madly from 1 to 10 on gauge/speedo but she starts on the button and other electrics all seem to work ok. thanks in anticipation jason p
Jason, Anti Lock - Don't know, but a duff alternator can have a number of off knock-on effects on the electrics, and this could be one of them. Steering is heavy - power steering pump belt is (I think) next to the alternator belt. Would one belt being loose mean the other is loose? Probably not, but there may be something else amiss down there making both loose. Poor idle - could be electrics causing this, with the idle stab valve behaving oddly. Ditto with other gauges going doolally. Have a look at the alternator. Check the plug in the back. See if the belt is tight. See if there are any other signs of problems down there. And put a DVM across the battery terminals while the engine is running. I may not answer for a while, but someone else may step in with a much better idea of what is going on (I'm just guessing.) Oli.
hi james, oil pressure spot on as always, handbrake light came on [still on] just before just before anti-lock appeared lit on dash but huge of amount of smoke that appeared when electric, handbrake lights first went dodgy soon disappeared but still showing no charge but everything electric seems fine and she starts on the button. cheers james regards jason p
Would certainly check the belts. I dont have power steering but I lost a bolt out of the alternator adjuster bracket got low volts but kept oil pressure. My oil pump is driven of the balancer belt drive not the alternator or (I'm pretty sure) the power steering. On my old engine the bottom pulley came loose giving a real good rattle but with power steering there is a belt pulling each way so the looseness may not be very easy to see. Mike
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Ive barely skimmed the thread; but Im inclined to agree with Alisdair. The most likely cause of the electrical gremlins would be the sudden/immediate stopping of the alternator. Of course: what you get out depends on what you put in and we will all struggle until we know whats what.
hiya all, just back from specialists, the problem was a bolt had sheered off from the power steering pump and taken both belts out, one new bolt plus x2 belts and shes running great again cheers for the input everyone and a merry xmas and a very happy new year to all regards jason p
Well, I reckon that's a pretty good internet diagnosis from Alasdair, Mike, cococola, Simon and me ... pretty much spot on and we didn't even see the car! What do you reckon? Pint each next time we are all in the same place at the same time? Or a bacon roll (more likely)? [
] Oli.
] Oli.
Good news! Glad it was an easy fix. Mike
yes spot on oli and yes,bacon rolls and pints def on me, time and place in the future please also many thanks to the other guys you mentioned,mrs p very happy as i had prepared her for new this and that and that "old chestnut" it shouldnt cost that much! once again thanks all jason p
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