Hi,

A friend of mine has just purchased his first Scooby and all was ok until a few weeks ago!

He went on holiday for 2 weeks and upon returning the battery was dead flat, wouldn't hold ounce of charge! so off he trotted and got a gel battery as they are supposed to be better......

Anyways, fitted that but the car was losing charge still, initially we both thought that there was a power drain somewhere on the circuit, but could we find one??? no.

After farting around for a while checking out a few bits and bobs the battery was in need of another charge! Once it was charged we checked the voltage across the terminals to see that on tick over only 11 volts were being produced @ the battery; when I always thought it should be 13.5 - 14v! and the battery alone was producing more than that! so we are losing voltage through..... something

Thinking the problem was the alternator it was taken to the local repair shop to be fixed. A new regulator was fitted, new bearing and brushes as well as a couple other bits.

It was fitted again over the weekend and it's still the same as before?!?!?

Surely the repairer would have checked it worked prior to pick up? and if so and the alternator is working, what else could it be?

We really can't figure it out, so if anybody has any info. it would be gratefully received before he rants and raves at the shop!

Thanks

 

just to check if I understand correctly
you measured the voltage at the battery terminals during cranking?
if so at that time you measured 11.0V.
that is just perfectly normal during cranking.
Did you also measure voltage just after the engine fired and idled?
at that time it should increase to about 13.8V.
Which means the alternator works fine if not something with the alternator is still wrong.

 

What model and year impreza?

Tony

 

When the engine is running its only 11ish volts, never see's above 12!!!!

it seems like it wasn't repaired correctly to me, but just in case there was another expanation somewhere...

Its a 1998 sti ra

 

just to check what is the voltage when car is not running with ignition off
and how much with ignition on.
Also with ignition off and external charger does voltage become normal?
Trying to figure out if there is a high drain somewhere!

 

Normal when ig off
With ig on voltage drops by 1V
as soon as you start her up it drops to 11ish and continues to drop as the car runs.
Normal with external charger and ig off

Car will not start if the battery is below 11.2 and at high 10's it will just tick the starter ttttttttttttttttttttttt.

 

You have a short circuit somewhere. I'd ask the auto-electricin to check the circuit as last time it sounds like you asked them just to re-con the alternator.

 

All sorted now, had a dodgy connection going to the dash!!! Replaced the old wire with a new one and all is good.