HELP!!! Alternator?

[davpkav]

Hi Guys,

I need your help. I think the alternator is gone on my M3?

Symptoms are;

Battery goes flat
Battery light flickering
ABS light flickering
Slight buzzing noise coming from dashboard
Faint smell of plasic/rubber melting around alternator

Here's the thing.....I am going (or was depending) down to see Nigel at Moseley Motor Sport tomorrow for him/other to fit a new boot lid. Will I do any damage to the engine etc by travelling down from Sheffield to Telford?

I will ring him on the way to ask if he has an alternator that they could fit?

Thanks in advance


David


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[e30mazm3]

You wont do damage but you will come to a complete stop once your battery runs out of go

[Grrrmachine]

Got a voltmeter? If so, start the car and then check what sort of voltage you've got across the battery terminals. Should be between 13.7V-14.4V, depending on revs. If it's less than that, your alternator is shot and you'll only drive as far as the battery will last, which won't be that long.

If you haven't got a multimeter around, I wouldn't risk the journey.

[Falkster]

Yeah David, if your alternator is f'ed then you will only travel as far as you've got juice in your battery.

Best make sure it's uber charged!

[davpkav]

P.S. I am charging the battery over night and it will be light, so only power will be for indicators and maybe wipers.

[Falkster]

Indicators? FFS mate you've got a BMW you don't need to use them!

[Rich_W]

P.S. I am charging the battery over night and it will be light, so only power will be for indicators and maybe wipers.

And the ignition system! What do you think that runs on?

[e30mazm3]

and the fuel pump if you wana mix fuel with that air your sucking in

[Rich_W]

and the fuel pump if you wana mix fuel with that air your sucking in

[Grrrmachine]

Your battery has an amp-load rating, in Ah (Amp-hours), which means a 55Ah battery can do 55 amps for one hour; doubt a 3-series has anything more than a 55Ah fitted, and won't use more than 55Amps at once as the battery wouldn't cope (I think.)

So there's a THEORETICAL limit of 1 hours driving on that battery; however, get a battery under 50% charge and it's basically fucked - car batteries aren't designed to be drained like that, and running anything else will eat into the charge too. So with no alternator, I'd give a fresh fully-charged battery 25 minutes tops before needing replacement. Not worth the risk.

[davpkav]

Thank you for your help guys. I won't risk the trip.

So.....my next question is......Does anyone have an alternator for sale?

Regards


David

[jonny323i]

yes i have an alternator in stoke on trent

[biggee]

Are you sure it's the alternator, have you done any work on the car lately?

[Rich_W]

It's a M3? Just thought!

Check the earth wire on the back of the alternator.

[bpowell555]

if the alternator is standard like a 6 pots not m3 wizardry u can get a bushes regulator pack, this normally brings the alternator back to life

[davpkav]

yes i have an alternator in stoke on trent

Stoke-on-Trent is on the way to Telford. That's fortunate. I wiil ask Sweep to check it in the morning. If it is the alternator I would like to but it from you, if that's okay? How much do you want for it?

Incidentally, Sweep put a new alternator bracket the other day. Hmmmmm!

Regards

David

[jonny323i]

ring me mate once you know for sure you have my mobile number

[davpkav]

Muchas Grazias Amigo.

[davpkav]

It's a M3? Just thought!

Check the earth wire on the back of the alternator.

I will ask Sweep to check it tomorrow.

Thank you

[biggee]

So have you checked to see if the belt is adjusted up following fitting of the new bracket.

[Falkster]

So have you checked to see if the belt is adjusted up following fitting of the new bracket.

Surely if it wasn't fitted right there would be squaks?

[biggee]

So have you checked to see if the belt is adjusted up following fitting of the new bracket.

Surely if it wasn't fitted right there would be squaks?

Just seems a bit odd, the bracket is changed and now it's not charging.

[Grrrmachine]

Yeah, if someone had been tampering around the alternator, and then suddenly there's no charge, sounds like something's not right there. If the battery light flickers, I'd hazard a guess that a cable has been yanked and is loose, randomly connecting with engine vibration.

Get your head in the bonnet and check out all the big connections, as well as the fitting of the regulator pack. The belt might be tight but the cables might not be.

[davpkav]

Thank you for all your help guys. I took it back down to Sweep this morning. What a star, dropped everything and sorted it. Thank you Sweep! It turned out to be a dodgy connection. Phew! Thanks also to Jonny for the offer of an alternator.

She's all better now.

Got my new boot fitted today at Nigel's (Moseley Motor Sport). A few mire bits with Sweep tomorrow (tyres etc). New leather interior on Saturday (can't wait). And I may have sourced some front legs (at last! (only been looking six years)).

Nearly there.......(yeah...whatever)!