Generator / Alternator failure ctt 06

[lewisweller]

New Alternator Hitachi original has reached mother in the UK via Germany apparently, it should each Dubai by Monday or Tuesday and I'm itching to get it installed and fix this little check valve and see what's up. 

Really need to get a win, my dad is ribbing me about my expensive Porsche spending more time in pieces in our warehouse than on the road, (he only buys new Ford Explora POS and doesn't even check the oil in 15,000km! I'm sure I was adopted  Gotta have thick skin owning a cayenne lol

[ekstroemtj]

I hope you can claim victory after this job

[lewisweller]

Alternator is here! Installing tomorrow, should take 2 hrs max this time with smaller Hitachi alternator going back in like the old unit, got it down pat now. 

[lewisweller]

Alternator is done! So easy with the correct alternator Hitachi not this crap Delphi brand. 

Had a bit of drama on the test drive, bottom radiator hose which I couldn't for the life of me get off so I left it on decided to blow off on a high speed test blast near the warehouse, the right side brake disc and wheel got coolant spray on it and I lost braking on that side pulling the car left as I tried to slow down, it was a Wtf moment lol, got in back in the warehouse a few 100m's away and quickly shut it down before it overheated, bottom hose went on after a few burnt elbow moments and topped off the coolant. 

 

Charging is 13.9v off load and 13.7 on load. 

 

AC works fine but occasionally will cut out the compressor, normally if in idling in traffic and then blast off higher revs I notice it cut out the compressor and start to smell a bit musty, it will kick back in eventually or I have to shut it off and back on fan speed wise to kick it back on. Any suggestions what this is? Re gassed after head gasket to 1050grams as per spec, AC filter is new, no warning dtc. 

 

Car seems to run a little better but only had a short drive home and too much traffic to let it rip. Verdict is still out but charging and starting is good even the rebuilt started feel like it spins over faster less laboured! 

 

Thomas the check valve I thought was leaking was in fact working properly when I removed it and tested. 

 

[lewisweller]

Ok I think this thread is closed from my end thank goodness. Alternator perfect, Car starts much better in terms of faster cranking speed (less laboured crank over) whether that is the new battery or the fact I stripped the starter out and rebuilt it (no new parts mind) I'm not sure.  "Check tail light" when braking still appears if lights are on and AC fan is above speed 4 weirdly, haven't had the "four wheel drive" fault on dash yet! 

 

The car does run better! I'm sure its not my imagination or wishful thinking. It pulls better and won't down shift so quickly when I ask for extra speed, before it would be flat and not go when demanded meaning pedal is pressed further causing an unwanted downshift that rears the motor in to frenzy rpm to do a little overtake (leading to passengers grabbing for something to hold onto lol) overall more responsive and the jerky stutter acceleration seems to be better and it's improving as I drove today putting on about 60 km. So hoping after some more good km's, I mean not stuck in traffic, long blasts or high speed driving 

[lewisweller]

More drama..........

I noticed last few days the car is not starting so brightly, cranking is laboured and sometimes it misses the crank and I have to rotate key back and it cranks again and starts. 

My journeys have been long ones and I've been consciously keeping off electrical loads until I got a chance to have a look. 

Today it nearly didn't start so I got it to the warehouse and plugged in the battery charger. 12.2 volts I had and that's not good. 

After 90 mins on the charger I disconnected it and flipped the seat back to have a look at the battery and all connections under there. 

Nothing seems to be wrong terminals tight, no corrosion, I even cleaned everything with scotch bright pad and electrical cleaner spray. Pulled 40 amp fuse and 5 amp fuse all ok and cleaned. 

Put connections back on and flip the seat back down.  Car won't start!!!! Wtf

 

Measures voltage it's 12.2, tried to crank it barely turned and stopped, after that it didn't even try to turn over just click and dash light flickered off and on, air suspension warning yellow then red, battery symbol pops up, measured voltage again 10.48v. not good. I'm thinking could it be seized alternator or something like this again but no voltage is low and engine did rotate some revolution first try before battery gave up. 

 

Left the battery on charge with a mate for the rest of the afternoon whilst I went in the audi to visit some clients. He sent me message it charged to 13.9v before he switched it off and left the warehouse. We'll see tomorrow if it starts and if it held the charge over night. 

I'm thinking this is another faulty battery???!!! 

Varta silver (manufactured with the Bosch S batteries same factory different branding I'm reliably informed) 110ah 900cca brand new under warranty (when new Alternator went in just two months ago) replaced for the previous one that lasted only 6 months that died albeit on the failing alternator). 

 

I do long journeys and I manage my electrical loads sensibly so what is causing battery failure? 

Bad luck another faulty battery? 

Another problem in the charging system somewhere? 

New Alternator is charging 13.7v, no belt slippage. 

Help......

[Zakowsky]

If the dash lights flicker as the starter is failing to turn, it is often a grounding strap. If they don't flicker (or don't go completely out) while the solenoid clicks then the problem is confined to the positive side of the power (starter/battery).

[lewisweller]

7 hours ago, Zakowsky said:

If the dash lights flicker as the starter is failing to turn, it is often a grounding strap. If they don't flicker (or don't go completely out) while the solenoid clicks then the problem is confined to the positive side of the power (starter/battery).

Bit hard to say categorically, but I think the dash light just went out as I tried to crank rather than actually flickering. Could here the starter soleniod click after a few tries that gave up as well. 

This tell me the battery is funked.

If it won't start later I wil pull it out and take it back to the automotive part shop to request another warranty swap.  

[ekstroemtj]

Lewis first of all very sad to hear there is onother place with trouble.

as you remember i take out my battery last week. Behavior before charging was the same like you describe yours. Hard to start. Its a big Varta but it showed only 11.5

now the car is starting very good

[lewisweller]

Battery held 12.2 volts over night. Not good enough. 

It did start but not convinced. The charging voltage was 14.02volts and stable at idle and 2k + 4k rpm so new Alternator I think is fine. 

I've removed the battery and dropped did off at the parts shop and they are sending it for testing. Tomorrow they will either confirm another new battery under warranty or we will be having an argument. 

[lewisweller]

11 hours ago, ekstroemtj said:

Lewis first of all very sad to hear there is onother place with trouble.

as you remember i take out my battery last week. Behavior before charging was the same like you describe yours. Hard to start. Its a big Varta but it showed only 11.5

now the car is starting very good

Just charged the existing battery? Will be interested to see if that lasts or goes back to being poor performing after a while. 

[ekstroemtj]

Like you told me .these cars are eating battery like crazy. Mine is a Varta Silver Dynamik 110 Ah, 920 . One year old.

i charged it overnight and until now its fine

 

[lewisweller]

It confirmed the battery is faulty and they gave another free new replacement. Third time lucky I hope. 

Won't be back to dubai until mid next week to re-install. 

[bigbuzuki]

That's why I go original Porsche battery.

Cost more, but they do last 5-6 years.

Set and forget.

[lewisweller]

6 hours ago, bigbuzuki said:

That's why I go original Porsche battery.

Cost more, but they do last 5-6 years.

Set and forget.

Which brand is the oem Porsche battery? 

[ekstroemtj]

This one

[lewisweller]

Third new battery installed all seems well although the other two new batteries worked well for a while! We will see what happens to this one...............

 

[ekstroemtj]

For now i cant tell for shure which rumble ist coming from engine and what is coming from drive shaft. Now just problem to find a place which can change my cardsn because of holiday season. 

[AGarcia03]

Hello Im having voltage drop and from my test looks like the alternator isn't doing its job. Its a hitachi alternator water cooled was wondering if the regulator can be changed on these or not. I was also wondering if you could possible pull of the back of the alternator without taking off the pulleys and taking out the alternator. There is some access back there but not much,didn't know if it was possible. would anything else cause the voltage to drop and stall on a idle? i have a brand new battery and was doing voltage drop before the new one its acting better then before but still has the drop and now stalls from time to time at a idle stance. 
 

[ekstroemtj]

On 12/14/2016 at 11:53 AM, bigbuzuki said:

That's why I go original Porsche battery.

Cost more, but they do last 5-6 years.

Set and forget.

@bigbuzuki , coming back to your comment. Is the original battery really so much better and worth the money it cost?