Dim flashing Handbrake/Pad Wear/Low Charge warning lights

[Kelson]

Anyone know why all three of these warning lights might flicker at less than full intensity in unison? I've looked at the SI board and there is nothing obvious wrong with it. The battery charge is fine as are the brake pads and the handbrake on/off switch? This is on my 1991 E30 325i Touring BTW.

[Satan]

Bad earth?

[Brianmoooore]

It will be alternator related - the voltage on the small D+ terminal is incorrect.
Check the alternator's earthing and the condition of the carbon brushes in the regulator pack first, but it may be a duff diode in the alternator's rectifier pack, putting an AC component into the DC output.

[Kelson]

Thanks Brian, I was coming around to that way of thinking. I did a voltage check across the battery and it was fluctuating some at any engine speed. Checked the fan belt first which was at the end of life and a little slack. Took the alternator off and checked the carbon brushes which are proud by about 10mm and have noticeable spring tension when refitted so are making good contact (its a Valeo alternator).

Fitted a new fan belt and tensioner bracket (the teeth were mashed on the old one), but to no avail. I will look into the cost of a regulator pack v alternator - its done 113,000 so I can image I will fit a new reg pack and then the bearings will fail, so might be worth changing the alternator for a new one. I'll report back when done.

[Brianmoooore]

Diodes are not part of the regulator pack. They can be changed, but a second hand replacement would be cheaper, even if you then have to fit it with a new regulator pack, and that would be a good chance to get rid of the nasty Valeo item.
Teeth on the adjuster bracket get damaged when the securing nut and bolt get backed off too far when adjusting belt tension. /nut should only be undone a part of one turn - just enough to let the toothed pinion turn.

[Kelson]

So I have bought a genuine Bosch 90ah from Euro Car Parts with 18 month warranty for £226 after the allowance for the old unit and can confirm the issue is now fixed. Thanks for the advice Brian, it was indeed the alternator.

[Satan]

Foooook, I remember the days you could get one rewound for £35.......

[Kelson]

Indeed, I used to get Lucas 17ACR for less than £18!!

[paultv]

yeah but your take home pay was Thirteen bob, Fourpence Ha'penny a week and a thrupenny bit for ya overtime lads!

Paul

[Satan]

Funny, was just talking yesterday about how most of these businesses have shut down or the owners retired, starter and alternator repairers/rewinders, radiator repairers etc etc used to all be close to where I live all now sadly gone. Some of these old school engineers where totally amazing.

@Paul, when I started work back in errrrr 1980 I was on 89p per hour as an apprentice.......

[paultv]

I was listening to 6 music this morning for a bit of English nostalgia - Keaveny was on about old motors and how people used to fix them up themselves - bought my replacement alternator for the cabby from a boat mechanics shop in the back of Paignton somewhere,

"Yeah buddy, its recon'd, I'll bench test it for an hour - 30 quid ok? I've had it on the shelf for 10 years"

Sad, these places simply disappearing - that alternator has been perfect too - great service.

Paul

[Satan]

Trouble is, they've gone business rates are a killer for a start plus like you said no one fancies repairing their own cars anymore.

Its the old saying, "use it or lose it" then you're screwed.

[Contours]

There may not be a lot of business refurbishing E30 motors anyway as it may take 25 years for an alternator, starter or wiper motor to give up the ghost. People now prefer to dump something that's not working and get a new item so a lot of these skills are gone. It is very apparent here in Ireland that the only people who can repair things are foreign nationals who have these skills because they had to be able to fix things.

[Kelson]

Those days eh. When I put the first 2.5 GALLONS of petrol in my Mini after passing my test, I had to fork out ....... 87.5p! (35p/ltr). I miss all those places as well, especially as I have several 'old bangers'. Its not just the places have disappeared, but you also used to easily get hold of specialist that could make stuff for you. Now, its very difficult, and with older cars, a lot of stuff is not available - we are luck with the BMs as BMW can still supply a lot of OEM stuff (even if it is a bit pricey)

Getting stuff for my Ford is ridiculously difficult given how many of them were made.

[Brianmoooore]

Those days eh. When I put the first 2.5 GALLONS of petrol in my Mini after passing my test, I had to fork out ....... 87.5p! (35p/ltr).

Exactly the same for me, but the 35p was for a GALLON! (actually it was 7 bob a gallon, since 'p' hadn't been invented then.)
(That's just over 7.5p a litre for all you kids out there.)

[ChrisHC]

Ah yes, you could get a haircut, a packet of fags, a pint of beer, a fish and chip supper, and a semi-detached house and still have change from a tenner.................

[Brianmoooore]

........, and a semi-detached house .................

In '83, when E30s were introduced in the UK, the price of that semi-detached house would have been about the same as the total new purchase price of my red 325i Touring.

[fixedwheelnut]

Ah yes, you could get a haircut, a packet of fags, a pint of beer, a fish and chip supper, and a semi-detached house and still have change from a tenner.................

You can't do that these days, "Bloody CCTV" ;)