Oh boy, I've got to admit to a "Doh!" on my malfunctioning ignition light.
Here's the deal. Replaced my alternator to fix the charging problem and so
took the car to the local garage to check the charging system. Mechanic
put a meter on the battery and told me it wasn't charging. A groan from
me. Mechanic poked around under the bonnet and found that one of the leads
from the alternator wasn't attached at the other end (solenoid?). Well,
even I know the alternator can't charge anything when it ain't all hooked
up. :) Mechanic put the meter back on and told me to touch the wire to
the solenoid. Noticeable drop in revs as if a load was being put on the
engine when there was none before. The mechanic said it didn't look like
there was enough juice to kick over the alternator though.
I thought it took very little current from the battery to get the
alternator working. Am I wrong? Anyway, he asked if the battery was fully
charged. Of course the answer is no as I've been tuning and test driving
on a battery that wasn't being charged and I'm not sure I topped it
completely up on charge the time I revived it from dead. He told me to
charge it up, hook up the wire and see if that doesn't do it. I'm charging
now.
Before I put it on the charger though I decided if this would revive my
ignition light which I've never seen on since owning the car now that I
think about it (spaced out when buying the car it seems). Well, turn the
key - light comes on. Start the engine - light goes out in just a few
seconds. Seems that the light is working! Yeehaw!!! Is this any reliable
indication that the charging system is working also? I'll probably just go
back to the garage after the charging of the battery and see if is charging
now.
Thanks for all the advice on my alternator, ignition light, etc. questions.
I'm a step closer to being confidently back on the road.
Philip
1974 Damask Midget - Arioch, Lord of Chaos
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