Alternator / warning light

My alternator went at the weekend. Only symptoms were two 'flashes' of the warning light and then the dead battery. Definitely no charge reaching the battery but the warning light now doesn't come on with the ignition on and engine not running.

I'm putting the alternator in for a check / rebuild rather than an exchange replacement but was wondering on thoughts about whether a repaired alternator would cure this or have I got a problem elsewhere?

Car is '88 Carrera.

Thanks

Roy M

Had the exact same problem a couple of weeks ago, got mine rebuilt locally for 125 bucks, perfect now.

Quick update - I checked the warning light and the bulbs blown. I understand that on the older 911's this bulb was part of the circuit - is this true of my '88? - just curiosity as I'm having the alternator rebuilt anyway and will obviously replace the bulb!

I had the same thing happen to me on the road, in the midwest. All told, it cost me $1,100. A rebuild seems like a better deal.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T sunroof coupe

On the question of the bulb in the circuit, on our 1987 930 it is an indicator of the direction of current flow. If the light is out the current is going to the batt, it it is on or flickering then current is flowing from the batt meaning the the alt is not producing. I think your 1988 is the same. I agree with the rebuild option, we had to do ours and $250 was much better than $1200 for a new one.

If you look up "Alternators" in the yellow pages, you can find many alternator shops to do the rebuild. You will cut out the middleman (like a Porsche shop, etc. who just sends it to these alternator shops and gets it back and marks it up to you) and save a lot of money.
For example, I just had mine recently rebuilt and it was done for $65. It came back completely cleaned up, looks and works like new!
Its an easy job to replace it.
$65 sure beats $250 or $1000+!

If you guys are getting tired of looking for the "flash" of the red idiot light, you might consider what I did on my car.

Found a digital voltmeter in a Frys Electronics store. They have stopped selling them but it is a known brand and should be in a Kmart or Walmart. It was made to plug into the cigarette lighter but I took it off and hard wired it to the car and used double sided tape to stick it to the bottom of my tach. It is black, just a bit bigger around than a quarter and you really have to look to see it sitting behind the steering wheel but now I include it in my "scan" and could not live without it.

It is internally lit and now I can tell at all times what the status of my electrical system is, within a tenth of a volt. Much better than an idiot light and you can tell a tendency for problems to creep up, rather than waiting for it to stop working at once.

This unit was made by Whistler, model CO210DC and it cost under $10 but I am sure that other companies make much the same thing.

Now I have got real problems!!

Alternator tested and ok - hasn't actually got a fault. After checking there is no power at the positive feed to back of alternator (connection to battery or possibly battery via starter). Efforts to trace it so far fruitless. Connection at battery ok but can't find where wires go!!

Anybody know route of cable from alternator to battery and whether there is a fusible link in the system? - I assume that there should be power at the alternator positive there isn't some cunning system of 'one way wires' is there?

Help!

Roy


[This message has been edited by Roy M (edited 09-20-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Roy M (edited 09-20-2000).]

Had the same problem this summer. $600 to replace with an rebuild

I had a bad battery on my 86 Carrera that made my alternator look bad. Good thing I caught it and saved major mooolahhh...

Regards,

Joe

Success! - and a lesson learned.

If you have the following symptoms - Lack of charge from alternator, warning light not going on at all, or possibly very dim (even with engine off and ignition on) - check alternator connection at starter motor (remove right hand [from rear]wheel and it's above the CV joint) before removing alternator. My cable had snapped at the joint - replacing the connector was a very cheap fix!! I discovered this after a strip down but an alternator test which proved it OK (even though it had obviously run with an open circuit which I thought was an alternator no-no) was very cheap - only expense really was having the fan and housing blasted and polished but you can't blame that on the alternator!

For info. the warning light bulb for the alternator is a 4W T4 sidelight bulb.

Thanks for the help

Roy M