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[amazonian]

Hi All,

I would appreciate some help with this problem if you would be so kind,

Drove along today and suddenly on comes the abs, seat belt tensioner/airbag and emissions lights.
I looked again and the speedo, rev counter, fuel guage and temperature all read zero.
Did about a mile looking for a place to pull in, and before I could find one the 3 warning lights went out and everything else started working as was.
Continued home and did another 12 miles, no problem.
Car ran perfectly before, during and after this incident.

Went out again later, did 15 miles (in the dark) and 2 of the lights mentioned above came on, followed by a dimming of the dash lights, quickly followed by the car cutting out and all lights off.
Just enough power left for a weak hazard light to work.
Called out the RAC and guy put some sort of meter across various things (dont know what) and declared that the alternator was probably beggard.
Took off my battery and put on one of his, and said it should get me home, and he followed me and then changed the batteries back.
He left me a report saying, no alternator light. not charging. checked earth. could not check live + battery sensing wire due to it being behind the turbo as the turbo was too hot.

So do I go straight to local garage and ask them to fit a new alternator, OR is there some member of this forum who is willing and able to look at this for me,
obviously for money,  bearing in mind I cant move the car anywhere just now.

Finally, any idea how much a new fitted alternator is likely to cost at a garage, is it a big job.

[TheBoy]

Have a look in Maintenance Guides, and follow Kevin Wood's Charging guide

[VXL V6]

Sounds like alternator to me. Quite common for a failing / failed alternator to blow the battery tell-tale bulb

If the alternator has been overcharging you may find the battery will fail shortly as well, this happened on a Vectra B I had a while back.

[amazonian]

Hi,

TheBoy
Not much good me looking at maintenance guides I am sorry to say, I have no clue about these things, no equipment, no knowledge and no bendy bones to allow me access into dark and oily places.

VXL V6,
You have reminded me that the RAC guy mentioned that the battery was a little wet on one side, said it may have 'vented' whatever the hell that may be.
(reminded me of my own condition on occasion to be honest)

[amazonian]

Hi all,

This is really urgent

Could anyone please let me have a part no for an alternator suitable for an 02 2.2 DTi estate car

Does the part have to be vauxhall ? and does it need to be 100 or 120amp ?

I cant post in for sale or wanted, but if anyone has a spare one please let me know.

And if anyone out there can actually fit it ( in west sussex ) even better,  although local garage said they will do fit only for about £100.

Thank you

[Diamond Black Geezer]

To be honest the guide basically says


1) Try to charge the battery, ideally using a mains powered battery charger for a couple of hours, to ensure it is likely to be fully charged.
2) Allow the battery to settle for perhaps 15 minutes after charging so the terminal voltage reflecs its' true condition.
3) Measure the terminal voltage of the battery.
4) Apply some load (e.g. car headlights) and watch the terminal voltage for a minute or two.
5) Switch off all loads, start the engine, and, ideally, have someone watching the battery voltage while cranking the engine.
6) Measure the terminal voltage with engine at a normal idling speed.
7) Increase engine speed to a fast idle (2,000 RPM) and measure the voltage.
Add some electrical load (headlights, blower fan, heated rear window) and measure the voltage at idle speed.
9) Increase engine speed to a fast idle (2,000 RPM) and measure the voltage.
10) Check electrical connections to battery, starter and alternator and also all chassis ground connections in the engine bay for heat.

And without being rude, running the engine looking at the needle on a voltmeter, and flicking headlamps on etc.. isn't really beyond the ability of anyone, and it could save you the cost of a new alternator. I suspect alternator, too, myself, but if you do the above, at the very least you've actually diagnosed that is isn't the battery, and learned something in the process.

[Kevin Wood]

What he said ^. A cheap multimeter will set you back about a fiver in  Maplin, and that's all you need to check the charging.

But.. If you can't do that, then take it to a trustworthy garage and ask them to have a look at it, not to change the alternator. We are some way from proving it is the alternator at this point, although it is a distinct possibility.

Often it's just the regulator in the alternator that has failed, and a local automotive electrical place could probably change that for much less than the cost of a new alternator.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

What he said ^

Trust The Wood 

[aaronjb]

Trust The Wood 

That's what she said.

[Marks DTM Calib]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-ALTERNATOR-VECTRA-OMEGA-SIGNUM-ZAFIRA-140AMP-Y22DTR-Y22DTH-Y20DTH-ID-YK-/281441293549?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item41873554ed

[amazonian]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions fellas, I finished up having to take it to my local garage today and they did some tests and have confirmed that it is a duff alternator.
Since I have no clue about the make/ampage/part no etc I felt it best to let them do it, as I cant really do without the car for long.
I would have prefered to have paid an OOF member do it, but unfortunately those who will tackle a 2.2 DTi all seem to live north of Luton (ish).
Been quoted £336 by the way.

[Andy B]

....
Been quoted £336 by the way.

Buy the alternator that Mark linked to above, take it to your local garage to fit if you can't do it. I shouldn't take them more than half an hour to fit. 

[amazonian]

Cheers AndyB, I will look into that in the morning, if its not too late.

I notice though that it is a 140amp alternator, and vaguely remember reading somewhere on here that most DTi's have 100/120amp, so would it be compatable with my battery and other stuff ?

[henryd]

Cheers AndyB, I will look into that in the morning, if its not too late.

I notice though that it is a 140amp alternator, and vaguely remember reading somewhere on here that most DTi's have 100/120amp, so would it be compatable with my battery and other stuff ?

As long as it physically fits the mounts and the leccy connections are the same the extra amps will cause no bother

[robson]

Be very careful on getting correct alternator. I have been through this and the garage ended up getting the wrong one and me stranded 100 miles from home late in the day. I had to get a recovery home and got the job done at my local garage.It appears that there are several different alternators fitted and mounting are not the same.