Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: sneakypenguin on 16 January 2012, 21:53:20

Title: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 16 January 2012, 21:53:20
Evening guys and gals. Got a slight problem with the miggy. Last month or so the car hasn't felt right, few times I've gone to it (in this cold weather) and the battery has been as dead as a dodo. Then the revs started hunting (with the dash lights dimming as the revs drop). Thought it could be the iacv/breathers/cam covers so took it to daz on friday and everything was clean. He put on on a meter and turns out the alternator is dying a slow death.

Since then when idleing, the whole car shakes and I'm 99% sure 1 if not 2 cylinders aren't firing (sp?) and well it sounds and goes like a tractor. Anyone with a spare alternator and an afternoon free willing to give me a hand? I really don't want to use it too much in case it does any permanent damage.

Thanks for any help or advice

sp
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 16 January 2012, 21:58:59
Your alternator with all of your electrics on was not charging the battery. When nothing electrical was turned on the alternator just was in the charging area.....

However not sure the alternator would cause your car to fire on 4-5 cylinders.... that in my opinion would point to a HT problem... plugs, plug leads or dispack...
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 16 January 2012, 22:05:42
Hmmm, I was thinging dis pack too, I'm guessing it's the original one and it's done 98k. Out of interest how does the dis pack work? what does it do?
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Andy B on 16 January 2012, 22:07:06
...
 Out of interest how does the dis pack work? what does it do?

It's a solid state dizzy  :y :y :y
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Lazydocker on 16 January 2012, 22:23:50
Your alternator with all of your electrics on was not charging the battery. When nothing electrical was turned on the alternator just was in the charging area.....

However not sure the alternator would cause your car to fire on 4-5 cylinders.... that in my opinion would point to a HT problem... plugs, plug leads or dispack...
Check the battery terminal crimps ;) ;)
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: twiglet on 16 January 2012, 22:27:41
I'm not trying to sell outside of the admin area, but I do have an alternator if you need one.

Sorry if I have overstepped the mark admins.  Please feel free to remove my post if I have.  :y
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 16 January 2012, 22:28:11
...
 Out of interest how does the dis pack work? what does it do?

It's a solid state dizzy  :y :y :y

 ??? can you explain that in idiot proof terms  :) ?

they are secure and tight lazydocker.

twiglet: Thanks, if I can get a known good one in and troubleshoot from there. It may very well be a combination of alternator and dis pack (would be my luck lol)
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Ken T on 16 January 2012, 22:31:40
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t155/lapbits/PICT3852.jpg)

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t155/lapbits/PICT3850.jpg)

Ken
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Webby the Bear on 16 January 2012, 22:32:59
...
 Out of interest how does the dis pack work? what does it do?

It's a solid state dizzy  :y :y :y

 ??? can you explain that in idiot proof terms  :) ?

they are secure and tight lazydocker.

twiglet: Thanks, if I can get a known good one in and troubleshoot from there. It may very well be a combination of alternator and dis pack (would be my luck lol)

It's just a modern ''distributor'' isn't it?
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Andy B on 16 January 2012, 22:34:35
.....

It's a solid state dizzy  :y :y :y

 ??? can you explain that in idiot proof terms  :) ?

........ [/quote]

A modern electronic version of a distributor that has no moving parts. It sends a spark to each spark plug (actually 2 plugs - but one spark is wssted on an exhaust stroke) when the engine ECU tells it to.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Andy B on 16 January 2012, 22:35:19
.....
It's just a modern ''distributor'' isn't it?

Yes!  :y
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Webby the Bear on 16 January 2012, 22:38:14
.....
It's just a modern ''distributor'' isn't it?

Yes!  :y

I'm getting there!  :y :y :y
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 16 January 2012, 22:39:22
.....

It's a solid state dizzy  :y :y :y

 ??? can you explain that in idiot proof terms  :) ?

........

A modern electronic version of a distributor that has no moving parts. It sends a spark to each spark plug (actually 2 plugs - but one spark is wssted on an exhaust stroke) when the engine ECU tells it to.
[/quote]

thanks andy, that makes sense now, as i say it's definately not firing on all cylinders. Does it use a lot of power at all?
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Lazydocker on 16 January 2012, 22:42:59
...
 Out of interest how does the dis pack work? what does it do?

It's a solid state dizzy  :y :y :y

 ??? can you explain that in idiot proof terms  :) ?

they are secure and tight lazydocker.

twiglet: Thanks, if I can get a known good one in and troubleshoot from there. It may very well be a combination of alternator and dis pack (would be my luck lol)
They may be secure and tight, but (as shown by Ken's picture) you need to check the wire into the crimp... Classic symptoms of bad connection at the crimp ;) Trust me, it's worth checking as everyone tried telling me I had a knackered Alternator with the same symptoms ::) ;)

Do they or the wires get hot?
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 16 January 2012, 22:56:32
just had a look and the crimps are fine, no fraying or breakages and they are not hot too touch, ambiant engine temp
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: less on 17 January 2012, 13:17:42
Just as an extra thought, I had very similar symptoms on one of my cars a year or 2 back (Mondeo). I knew that the battery was a little suspect but it was ok once started with a jump pack. Before I got a new battery, It developed symptoms just like op's and was undriveable, with engine threatening to die and erratic power delivery. I thought I had a serious problem but changed the battery and all was well again.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 22 January 2012, 21:30:54
sorry for the lack of response guy, haven't long come out of hospital. Thanks for the thought less but the battery was only low because the alternator wasn't charging as much as it should. I've got an alternator and dis pack winding their way to me so was wondering if I could impose on the generosity of the forum and ask if anyone can fit them? I can't drive for at least a week (as a result of the operation) but the car is on my drive and there will be free flowing cups of tea/coffee and a few beer tokens :D
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: mrgrumpy88 on 22 January 2012, 22:00:16
Hi just an idea but going back to my car tuning days the dizzy pack needs a certain amount of power to make a good spark. So if you are not getting the power your car can misfire. Not sure if that helps just an idea.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 23 January 2012, 00:42:51
thanks mrgrumpy, i thought of that, started misfiring about the same time the battery kept dying, it's done 98k so probably coming up time to replace anyway, might as well do it in one foul swoop
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!
Post by: sneakypenguin on 24 January 2012, 13:10:27
UPDATE: well the replacement alternator and dis pack arrived this morning (not bad considering i ordered them late sunday evening) so if anyone in the west mids are (oldbury) can give me a hand that will be much appreciated (I can't bend too far or drive otherwisemy stitches will burst).