Alright guys, I need some help diagnosing a intermittent charging problem.
History, rebuilt this 1991 318i over the summer. Look at the link in my sig if you want details on it. When I was done (more or less) and went to drive the car I found the alternator to be dead. Picked up a 90A Bosch rebuilt alternator and problem seemed to be solved.
-Put about 6-700 miles on it over the course of the next 3-4 weeks and then was having issues with the battery not holding a charge. It was an old battery (2002) so no big deal.
- 5 days later the car died on me while driving. Replaced the alternator with another Bosch reman'd unit, this time I was able to find a 105A. I have about 1300 watts for my stereo so I was excited about this!
- 3 days later I decide to check things out and sure enough, no charge coming from the alternator.
Now, it's VERY strange for a Bosch reman'd unit to be bad so I'm suspect of something in the car. However, the case says Valeo and that weirds me out if it's a Bosch alternator. The warranty card and box both say Bosch however.
Over the last 3 days of diag here is what I have observed and checked.
1) I noticed that after the battery being out for a few days, when I put it back in the alternator was charging again. After a 10 minute drive it stopped working again.
2) After double checking and cleaning every ground and terminal off, it started working, but again stopped after 10 minutes of driving.
3) When key is in the 'on' position and the battery light illuminates the alternator works. When it does not, the alternator does not charge.
4) I pulled the gauge cluster and checked the resistance. Everything is good and the bulb works. The cluster/bulb is clearly not the issue. Measured .03 with my dmm set to 2k ohm reading.
5) There is power getting to the green wire on the cluster connector. I may have had a poor ground since it read 11.83V rather than 12.3V at the battery and distribution block.
6) Voltage drop from the distribution block to that wire was good. I believe it registered at .3 on the meter. That's fine.
7) Resistance measured .118 (same ohm setting on the dmm) between the alternator case and the block as well as the ground point for the ABS and headlights.
At this point I'm completely confused with what's going on. It either seems like I'm completely missing a ground, or something didn't get replaced in both alternators that should have been replaced.
Here's one interesting thing I found someone else posted:
Now I really think I would remember taking that off when I was in there, but I don't. That's my only possible idea at this point.
The only other item that strikes me as off is that everything was fine until I replaced the battery. After that point I've had issues. Yes, I did have them give me a different new battery as well.
Any thoughts? Appreciate the help!!
History, rebuilt this 1991 318i over the summer. Look at the link in my sig if you want details on it. When I was done (more or less) and went to drive the car I found the alternator to be dead. Picked up a 90A Bosch rebuilt alternator and problem seemed to be solved.
-Put about 6-700 miles on it over the course of the next 3-4 weeks and then was having issues with the battery not holding a charge. It was an old battery (2002) so no big deal.
- 5 days later the car died on me while driving. Replaced the alternator with another Bosch reman'd unit, this time I was able to find a 105A. I have about 1300 watts for my stereo so I was excited about this!
- 3 days later I decide to check things out and sure enough, no charge coming from the alternator.
Now, it's VERY strange for a Bosch reman'd unit to be bad so I'm suspect of something in the car. However, the case says Valeo and that weirds me out if it's a Bosch alternator. The warranty card and box both say Bosch however.
Over the last 3 days of diag here is what I have observed and checked.
1) I noticed that after the battery being out for a few days, when I put it back in the alternator was charging again. After a 10 minute drive it stopped working again.
2) After double checking and cleaning every ground and terminal off, it started working, but again stopped after 10 minutes of driving.
3) When key is in the 'on' position and the battery light illuminates the alternator works. When it does not, the alternator does not charge.
4) I pulled the gauge cluster and checked the resistance. Everything is good and the bulb works. The cluster/bulb is clearly not the issue. Measured .03 with my dmm set to 2k ohm reading.
5) There is power getting to the green wire on the cluster connector. I may have had a poor ground since it read 11.83V rather than 12.3V at the battery and distribution block.
6) Voltage drop from the distribution block to that wire was good. I believe it registered at .3 on the meter. That's fine.
7) Resistance measured .118 (same ohm setting on the dmm) between the alternator case and the block as well as the ground point for the ABS and headlights.
At this point I'm completely confused with what's going on. It either seems like I'm completely missing a ground, or something didn't get replaced in both alternators that should have been replaced.
Here's one interesting thing I found someone else posted:
Now I really think I would remember taking that off when I was in there, but I don't. That's my only possible idea at this point.
The only other item that strikes me as off is that everything was fine until I replaced the battery. After that point I've had issues. Yes, I did have them give me a different new battery as well.
Any thoughts? Appreciate the help!!
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