'96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
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- swiss
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Six and a bit volts at the alternator with everything switched on and the engine revved up. Shagged, then, I suppose.
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
You've eliminated anything else, so I think it's got to the alternator. Could just be brushes - haven't done one for years, but some of them weren't too bad to replace.
Can't see why a working 2nd hand one should be a problem either, if you can get one from a local scrappy. Generally you can get a promise to swap it for another if it doesn't work.
Can't see why a working 2nd hand one should be a problem either, if you can get one from a local scrappy. Generally you can get a promise to swap it for another if it doesn't work.
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Second hander ordered up from an Ebay breaker. I made sure the seller wasn't using the Royal Joke so it may even turn up before Christmas ^^
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
I have a mate who had this dim alt light on all the time,Turned out he had wired somthing up wrong when putting an aux socket in the back.Hed took what he though was a live feed and in fact it wasnt something like that I cant remember exactlly what he said.But anyway have you fitted a new radio or anything like that recently?Just a thought.
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Um, well... there was this...
The feed for these comes from the 12V supply to the MFD... since I don't have the MFD I hijacked the power. I've had these lights fitted a few weeks before this battery light came on, and switching them on or of doesn't seem to affect it.
The feed for these comes from the 12V supply to the MFD... since I don't have the MFD I hijacked the power. I've had these lights fitted a few weeks before this battery light came on, and switching them on or of doesn't seem to affect it.
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
If God had meant man to change car alternators he'd have given us tiny little fingers with spanner ends...
Grumble grumble grumble...
Grumble grumble grumble...
The man with no car
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Seconded. I had to take off the PAS pump when I did mine, right sod of a job (especially by torch lightswiss wrote:If God had meant man to change car alternators he'd have given us tiny little fingers with spanner ends...
Grumble grumble grumble...

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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Yes. yes, but is it sorted?swiss wrote:If God had meant man to change car alternators he'd have given us tiny little fingers with spanner ends...
Grumble grumble grumble...
2002 HDi 2.2 Exec Estate, (2008-12) (wonderful)
2003 HDi 2.2 6-speed Exec Estate (2012-19) (also a gem)
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2007 BMW E91 325i touring (slower smoother quieter)
2003 HDi 2.2 6-speed Exec Estate (2012-19) (also a gem)
2009 Citroen C5 2.0 HDi VTR+ Estate (godawful heap)
2008 BMW E91 330i touring (great fun - murdered by a reversing SUV)
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Not yet. It got dark and I got cold and angry after the engine ate my 16mm socket. More shenanigans tomorrow.
The man with no car
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Right, problemo, and your helping is needed thank you please. The lower securing bolt won't come out. It butts up against the PAS pipes and that doesn't let it clear the alternator. Something like this:

Only thing I can think of is either removing the PAS pipes (no chance) or sawing the bolt off, buying a replacement and jamming that in from t'other side.
I'm going to drink tea and smoke until one of you clever chaps some up with a solution

Only thing I can think of is either removing the PAS pipes (no chance) or sawing the bolt off, buying a replacement and jamming that in from t'other side.
I'm going to drink tea and smoke until one of you clever chaps some up with a solution

The man with no car
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Loosen the engine mounts and lift it up a smidge? 

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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
You're kidding me
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
I can't really see how much you'd have to lift the engine to clear the pipes, it looks so close I think I'd be tempted to see how much flex the mounts had in them by sticking a jack (and lump of wood) under the sump. Don't overdo it!!
Unskilled meddling sin©e 2007
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- swiss
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Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Never mind guys, it's out. I tried levering the pipes about but the bolt just wasn't having it so in order to a) get the bolt out and b) get my revenge on the bolt I gave it a good seeing to with a saw, hammer, extension bar and copious swearing. Then I put both halves on the driveway and danced around the bolt's carcass shouting "hah, how'd you like that Mr Clever Bolt?". This is a true thing that genuinely happened.
Old alternator is removed and is sitting on newspaper in the dining room for the wife to admire when she gets home.
Cup of tea, off down the shop to get a new bolt and then we'll try jamming the replacement unit in there. Huzzah.
BTW, HBOL talks about tensioning the auxy belt. It reckons you adjust the tensioner by guesstimation until there's ~5mm play in the longest run. However it also suggests this is only a temporary fix and it ought to be checked by a garage since it requires 'specialist equipment' to tension properly. Your thoughts, if I may?
Old alternator is removed and is sitting on newspaper in the dining room for the wife to admire when she gets home.
Cup of tea, off down the shop to get a new bolt and then we'll try jamming the replacement unit in there. Huzzah.
BTW, HBOL talks about tensioning the auxy belt. It reckons you adjust the tensioner by guesstimation until there's ~5mm play in the longest run. However it also suggests this is only a temporary fix and it ought to be checked by a garage since it requires 'specialist equipment' to tension properly. Your thoughts, if I may?
The man with no car
"Close the door on your way out, and don't forget your monkey."
"Close the door on your way out, and don't forget your monkey."
Re: '96 D8 DT Battery Light On But Dim.
Tom, has your tensioner got 2 x 6mm allen bolts holding the tensioner tight, and a 6mm or 13mm headed bolt at the bottom that does the tensioning?
If yours is this type, measure the diameter of your old alternator pulley and the diameter of the new one, if they are the same, tighten the tensioner until you get to where you can see where the tensioner bolts were originally (there will be noticable circles where the bolts came from)....then take it from there, if it feels tight, leave it...you will know if it's tight.
ps looking at the bolt that you struggled to get out, it looks like it is the wrong type of bolt that has been fitted.That bolt is a special bolt with a shoulder on it, it should be 21mm spanner size.
If yours is this type, measure the diameter of your old alternator pulley and the diameter of the new one, if they are the same, tighten the tensioner until you get to where you can see where the tensioner bolts were originally (there will be noticable circles where the bolts came from)....then take it from there, if it feels tight, leave it...you will know if it's tight.
ps looking at the bolt that you struggled to get out, it looks like it is the wrong type of bolt that has been fitted.That bolt is a special bolt with a shoulder on it, it should be 21mm spanner size.