Re: Charging system on the blink (was: V-Belt not tight enough?)

[raf40@oes.amdahl.com (Richard Funnell)]

This is where the proper test equipment really helps.  You should have the
alternator tested to see if it can put out its rated current.  You should
also have the battery tested to see if it can put out its rated current.
Given the sudden nature of the failure, it sounds like an alternator, but
it's hard to be sure.

>Car: Audi 4000 CS Quattro (1986)
>Miles: 123,000
>
>  Ok, I tightened the v-belt, and it doesn't seem to have fixed the problem.
>
> The voltmeter is currently reading around 12, down from 14/15 where it
>normally reads at. (I did charge the batter over night last night) When
>it first dropped down to 12 on Wed, no warning lights came on. As it
>continued to fall, both the brake and alternator lights came on. Now,
>with the battery charged, they still come on, but not full strength. They
>are brighter when I'm just parked, but as I'm driving, they are hardly on
>at all. (But they are on)
>
>  Any guess as to what the problem is? Is there a way to check to see if
>the alternator is bad? Wouldn't it give any warning signs as it was
>going? Or would it just fail like that?
>
>
>                 STEve
>
>
>
>---
>"Hey Worf, we may have a security problem."
>Worf grunted. "Who Needs to be killed?"
>
>Internet - steved@panix.com         http://www.cyberenet.net/~steved

Richard Funnell,
San Jose, California
'83 urQ
'87 560 SL