Battery light and radio static

[lawny]

All of a sudden my battery light is staying on but does decide to turn off every so often. I am guessing the radio problem is in conjunction with the battery light?? When the revs are up the radio has static but when just at idle it goes!! Any ideas??

[Jace]

I'd be checking/cleaning your earths man!

BTW: you still seeking a spare flywheel?

[lawny]

Just noticing now when it's at idle the light is off and then comes on when driving!!

[Spyda]

Check your ground conections as stated, check the voltage that the alt is putting out.
It could be that your alt is stuffed or the regulator isnt working. If your reg isnt working on your will cook your battery, but you would have already smelt that. Also check the blue wire is ok on the alt, thats the one thats connected to the light on the dash.

[lawny]

So where are all the earths so I don't miss one? Found the battery one and the alternator one. Where are the others? Also what voltage should my alternator be putting out?

[h100vw]

Should be topping 13volts, more than 14 is bad.
Take the regulator off the alternator, my guess is the brushes are worn down. Clean the commutator too, some fine wet and dry or wire wool would be ok to use.
You could clip an earth from the alternator body, to the battery and see if it fixes it.
Gavin

[Spyda]

So where are all the earths so I don't miss one? Found the battery one and the alternator one. Where are the others? Also what voltage should my alternator be putting out?

Like h100vw said it should be about 13volt, its not going to be alot even if its working properly. 14.7 is when most batteries start cooking.

If you take the reg off (its the thing on the side of the alt held on with 2 small screws) you can tell is stuffed if the brushes are short, they are usaly about 3-4cm long.

There should be a earth just behind the battery, kindo under the window washer bottle and in line with the bumper mount bolts. It should go from there to the battery and to the gearbox or engine. Always good to upgrade them anyway.

[lawny]

so i took the regulator off and yeah it looks pretty stuffed, any ideas where to get them from? is it ok to still drive? i havent smelt the battery cooking. this is what it looks like

[h100vw]

Yeah lawny, that's shot. In the UK I'd have gone to a Bosch agent, over here I'd just try an auto-electrics place first before Imparts or whoever you have in Melbourne.

Gavin

When cooking the battery was mentioned, it is over charging it which causes it to gas and get hot. If the regulator wasn't working you would see the lights getting massively bright at night, shortly before they blew.

[Spyda]

Me and my mate only noticed the battery was cooking in my mk2 when the smell started getting in to the cabin then we saw it smoking from the bonnet.....dont breath it in yeah lol.

I have a couple of mk1 alts here man, i can check the regs on them if you need one asap. It shouldnt be hard to get a new one though.

[lawny]

I will phone around tomorrow and see if I can find one first, but may take u up on that offer. I have got out of the car straight away after driving and tried to smell the battery but there doesnt seem to be anything. Any chance this is what may be making the radio make the static noise?

[JustMark]

Hey Lawny

did you end up finding a regulator and if so can you pass on the details... Im having a bit of trouble with my alt... first the battery was going dead so i checked it out and the alt was only putting out 12v and the alt braket was cracked. I changed the reg out for one from a another alt and now im gettting 16V???

thanks in advance

Mark

[Jace]

Mmm, missed this.
Lawny, try QAH on Thompsons Road, they're always good for very specific stuff like this.

[Spyda]

I sent Lawny a reg from on of my old alts, he said it did the trick.

Hey Lawny

did you end up finding a regulator and if so can you pass on the details... Im having a bit of trouble with my alt... first the battery was going dead so i checked it out and the alt was only putting out 12v and the alt braket was cracked. I changed the reg out for one from a another alt and now im gettting 16V???

thanks in advance

Mark

Make sure its the right reg and has plenty of meat left on it, otherwise you will get 16v

If its putting out 12v then your alt is busted, its either earthed badly or its just plain faulty. Did you test the voltage at the battery or at the alt?

[JustMark]

I checked it at the battery. When i changed over the cracked alt bracket i checked the regulator and it looked the same as Lawny's. I pulled a regulator that looked in better condition out of another mk1 golf alt and now im getting 16V. I might try and put the old one back in to see if it was just the bracket that was not letting it charge???

will have to do this on the week end... 3 double 16 hour shifts in a row are a killer!!!!

Thanks again

Mark