Help!, all warning lights on - which problem?

[Pauwl]

Hi,

all warning lights are on on my Euro 928S automatic.
The oil light flashed for a while - I topped up, but that didn't seem to be the problem - nor help in switching the lights off.

So after a short bit, I stopped, re-started car, drove a little bit further, stopped again, then.... Not enough battery charge to continue.

Now it did all happen at night, so I had the lights on.

Short jump-charge and it started again, and is now parked on my driveway.

I have no clue what is going on.

The following gauges work:

Rev counter, Fuel meter, temperature meter, oil pressure.

The speedo doesn't work (was intermittent before though), fuel/km doesn't work (but hadn't for a while), and the BATTERY VOLT meter is bottomed out as well (but does 'wiggle' if I put the indicator on, so it seems something is happening).

So any ideas what the problem is and how I could test it?

thanks all for any pointers.


Pauwl

[Danglerb]

Wild guess, alternator is toes up or the exciter circuit.

Exciter circuit goes from the warning light in the pod, with I think a resistor, and to the alternator, but usual symptom is charge warning light does not come on (during say starting when its on normally a moment).

[Pauwl]

All the lights come on (as per usual) when turning key, but none go off, and the guages mentioned stay at the bottom of their range....

How would I test the alternator?

[Landseer]

Generally in the US we pull the alternator out and take it to a shop that spins and tests it.

Before you do that, take your 14 pin connector apart on the passenger inner fender, plus take the top and bottom covers off, and clean and repair if needed. The exciter wire passes through this connector.

Also, systematically clean all ground connections on the car. Are you familiar with their locations?

Also, on an 84, the ignition switch will go bad, it can cause this as well.

Also, remove and carefully clean all aspects of the CE panel at the passenger feet.

Can't tell you which of these things cause your problem, but all can. This is my baseline work in resurecting old 928's. So far I've done 4 ( 2 84's, 1 85, 1 86 ). Helped all of them.

After you've done this, maybe sans the ignition switch, you can test the alternator on the car. ( its done by removing it, removing the back cover, reinstalling it carefully and using test leads to test while car is running. Much care must be excercised, but it is doable.

[Pauwl]

Thanks Chris.

I've done the ground points and all connections on the fuse panel relatively recently (6 months ago), so I'll start with the ignition switch. If not working will just remove the alternator and take it to a shop.

Hold thumbs...