Hi,

I have a 1993 Corsa 1.5TD and the battery warning light decided to pop
itself on on Sunday evening just as I was pulling into my drive. Didn't
have time to check it out yesterday, but having searched on this NG I
carried out the following checks:

1) Checked battery voltage without engine running. Was around 12.7V. So
battery okay. Should be as it's less than 1 year old.

2) Started engine. At idle the voltage varied between 14V and 14.7V and
the engine sounded very "clunky" until it got warmed up. It was like
the engine was revving then not revving, hunting I guess you could call
it. Haven't noticed that before.

3) Once that had stopped, it settled down to 14.65V at idle with no
electrical load.

4) Having turned on the lights to full beam, and putting the fan on, it
showed about 14.35V at idle.

5) Stopped the engine and the voltage across the battery is around
13.5V.

Unfortunately, the leads on the meter I've got aren't long enough to
enable me to rev the engine and take a reading.

So, it seems that the alternator is actually charging the battery. The
battery seems to be holding a charge and the engione starts okay. Any
ideas as to what it could be? If it was the regulator would I expect to
see higher volts at higher revs? If it's not the reg/rec then what else
could it be?

Thanks,
Colin.

Ian  wrote in news:juOHe.930$0g7.161@newsfe6-
gui.ntli.net:


> Hi
> 
> Long shot but does the battery warning light double as a warning for
> anything else? Have a look in the handbook.
> 
> I say this because on my car the "door open" warning doubles for
> "automatic gearbox failure"
> 
> Chances are its a gremin which the dealer's diagnostic wizardry should
> prove or disprove.
> 


Well, there's nothing in the owner's manual about it doubling up for 
something else so who knows :-)

I managed to get the engine to rev after a friend suggested I use the 
throttle control on the engine - doh! It didn't make any diffference to the 
results. On the face of it, everything seems to be fine. 

Thanks,
Colin.

Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter, switched to 
volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the alternator you 
should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a voltage here then the 
alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light diode open circuit, so it 
will charge on the main circuit but still not put-out the waring light.

JOhn


 wrote in message 
news:1122976997.565308.185600@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Hi,
>
> I have a 1993 Corsa 1.5TD and the battery warning light decided to pop
> itself on on Sunday evening just as I was pulling into my drive. Didn't
> have time to check it out yesterday, but having searched on this NG I
> carried out the following checks:
>
> 1) Checked battery voltage without engine running. Was around 12.7V. So
> battery okay. Should be as it's less than 1 year old.
>
> 2) Started engine. At idle the voltage varied between 14V and 14.7V and
> the engine sounded very "clunky" until it got warmed up. It was like
> the engine was revving then not revving, hunting I guess you could call
> it. Haven't noticed that before.
>
> 3) Once that had stopped, it settled down to 14.65V at idle with no
> electrical load.
>
> 4) Having turned on the lights to full beam, and putting the fan on, it
> showed about 14.35V at idle.
>
> 5) Stopped the engine and the voltage across the battery is around
> 13.5V.
>
> Unfortunately, the leads on the meter I've got aren't long enough to
> enable me to rev the engine and take a reading.
>
> So, it seems that the alternator is actually charging the battery. The
> battery seems to be holding a charge and the engione starts okay. Any
> ideas as to what it could be? If it was the regulator would I expect to
> see higher volts at higher revs? If it's not the reg/rec then what else
> could it be?
>
> Thanks,
> Colin.
> 

"John"  wrote in message
news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net...

> Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter, switched
to
> volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the alternator you
> should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a voltage here then
the
> alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light diode open circuit, so it
> will charge on the main circuit but still not put-out the waring light.
>
> JOhn
>
>
>  wrote in message
> news:1122976997.565308.185600@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I have a 1993 Corsa 1.5TD and the battery warning light decided to pop
> > itself on on Sunday evening just as I was pulling into my drive. Didn't
> > have time to check it out yesterday, but having searched on this NG I
> > carried out the following checks:
> >
> > 1) Checked battery voltage without engine running. Was around 12.7V. So
> > battery okay. Should be as it's less than 1 year old.
> >
> > 2) Started engine. At idle the voltage varied between 14V and 14.7V and
> > the engine sounded very "clunky" until it got warmed up. It was like
> > the engine was revving then not revving, hunting I guess you could call
> > it. Haven't noticed that before.
> >
> > 3) Once that had stopped, it settled down to 14.65V at idle with no
> > electrical load.
> >
> > 4) Having turned on the lights to full beam, and putting the fan on, it
> > showed about 14.35V at idle.
> >
> > 5) Stopped the engine and the voltage across the battery is around
> > 13.5V.
> >
> > Unfortunately, the leads on the meter I've got aren't long enough to
> > enable me to rev the engine and take a reading.
> >
> > So, it seems that the alternator is actually charging the battery. The
> > battery seems to be holding a charge and the engione starts okay. Any
> > ideas as to what it could be? If it was the regulator would I expect to
> > see higher volts at higher revs? If it's not the reg/rec then what else
> > could it be?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Colin.
> >

we are talking about a corsa diesel simple enough but bloody expensive when
you come to replace it !

"John"  wrote in
news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net: 


> Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter,
> switched to volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the
> alternator you should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a
> voltage here then the alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light
> diode open circuit, so it will charge on the main circuit but still
> not put-out the waring light. 
> 
> JOhn
> 
> 


So if it is still charging, which it seems to be, but not putting out the 
warning light, then will I need to replace the alternator? Could it just be 
the charging light relay that's blown for some reason? How can I check the 
relay for correct operation? The alternator seems to be quite expensive and 
very fiddly to replace.

Colin.

"Colin Anderson"  wrote in message
news:I1RHe.785463$ub.242537@fe07.news.easynews.com...

> "John"  wrote in
> news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net:
>
> > Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter,
> > switched to volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the
> > alternator you should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a
> > voltage here then the alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light
> > diode open circuit, so it will charge on the main circuit but still
> > not put-out the waring light.
> >
> > JOhn
> >
> >
>
> So if it is still charging, which it seems to be, but not putting out the
> warning light, then will I need to replace the alternator? Could it just
be
> the charging light relay that's blown for some reason? How can I check the
> relay for correct operation? The alternator seems to be quite expensive
and
> very fiddly to replace.
>


expensive yes, a little fiddly, drop through the bottom after you've
disconnected some of the suspension, makes it more accessible .

on a diesel, if the warning light is on in regards to the battery, then the 
first thing you will find is that the rev counter won't work
if it does work (or you don't have one) then get it checked

 wrote in message 
news:1122976997.565308.185600@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Hi,
>
> I have a 1993 Corsa 1.5TD and the battery warning light decided to pop
> itself on on Sunday evening just as I was pulling into my drive. Didn't
> have time to check it out yesterday, but having searched on this NG I
> carried out the following checks:
>
> 1) Checked battery voltage without engine running. Was around 12.7V. So
> battery okay. Should be as it's less than 1 year old.
>
> 2) Started engine. At idle the voltage varied between 14V and 14.7V and
> the engine sounded very "clunky" until it got warmed up. It was like
> the engine was revving then not revving, hunting I guess you could call
> it. Haven't noticed that before.
>
> 3) Once that had stopped, it settled down to 14.65V at idle with no
> electrical load.
>
> 4) Having turned on the lights to full beam, and putting the fan on, it
> showed about 14.35V at idle.
>
> 5) Stopped the engine and the voltage across the battery is around
> 13.5V.
>
> Unfortunately, the leads on the meter I've got aren't long enough to
> enable me to rev the engine and take a reading.
>
> So, it seems that the alternator is actually charging the battery. The
> battery seems to be holding a charge and the engione starts okay. Any
> ideas as to what it could be? If it was the regulator would I expect to
> see higher volts at higher revs? If it's not the reg/rec then what else
> could it be?
>
> Thanks,
> Colin.
> 

"Colin Anderson"  wrote in message 
news:I1RHe.785463$ub.242537@fe07.news.easynews.com...

> "John"  wrote in
> news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net:
>
>> Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter,
>> switched to volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the
>> alternator you should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a
>> voltage here then the alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light
>> diode open circuit, so it will charge on the main circuit but still
>> not put-out the waring light.
>>
>> JOhn
>>
>>
>
> So if it is still charging, which it seems to be, but not putting out the
> warning light, then will I need to replace the alternator? Could it just 
> be
> the charging light relay that's blown for some reason? How can I check the
> relay for correct operation? The alternator seems to be quite expensive 
> and
> very fiddly to replace.
>
> Colin.


These do have a charging light relay, which is what I would check first, as 
they are known to fail.

"Moray Cuthill"  wrote in message
news:42f014bf$1@news.greennet.net...

> "Colin Anderson"  wrote in message
> news:I1RHe.785463$ub.242537@fe07.news.easynews.com...
> > "John"  wrote in
> > news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net:
> >
> >> Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter,
> >> switched to volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the
> >> alternator you should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a
> >> voltage here then the alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light
> >> diode open circuit, so it will charge on the main circuit but still
> >> not put-out the waring light.
> >>
> >> JOhn
> >>
> >>
> >
> > So if it is still charging, which it seems to be, but not putting out
the
> > warning light, then will I need to replace the alternator? Could it just
> > be
> > the charging light relay that's blown for some reason? How can I check
the
> > relay for correct operation? The alternator seems to be quite expensive
> > and
> > very fiddly to replace.
> >
> > Colin.
>
> These do have a charging light relay, which is what I would check first,
as
> they are known to fail.
>

from memory i think that is in the kick panel on the drivers side, correct
me if im wrong .

-- 
moraydotcuthill@btopenworld.com
Change dot to reply
"reg"  wrote in message 
news:dcoqj7$k1o$1@newsm1.svr.pol.co.uk...

>
> "Moray Cuthill"  wrote in message
> news:42f014bf$1@news.greennet.net...
>> "Colin Anderson"  wrote in message
>> news:I1RHe.785463$ub.242537@fe07.news.easynews.com...
>> > "John"  wrote in
>> > news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net:
>> >
>> >> Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter,
>> >> switched to volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the
>> >> alternator you should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a
>> >> voltage here then the alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light
>> >> diode open circuit, so it will charge on the main circuit but still
>> >> not put-out the waring light.
>> >>
>> >> JOhn
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> > So if it is still charging, which it seems to be, but not putting out
> the
>> > warning light, then will I need to replace the alternator? Could it 
>> > just
>> > be
>> > the charging light relay that's blown for some reason? How can I check
> the
>> > relay for correct operation? The alternator seems to be quite expensive
>> > and
>> > very fiddly to replace.
>> >
>> > Colin.
>>
>> These do have a charging light relay, which is what I would check first,
> as
>> they are known to fail.
>>
> from memory i think that is in the kick panel on the drivers side, correct
> me if im wrong .


I've never personally done one, but that does sound familiar.

Is there a relay fitted. (Isuzu engine?)  I was thinking of the normal Bosch 
alternator on most GM from that era, (no relay). If it is Isuzu, you still 
have to identify the warning light connection on the alternator. Disconnect 
the connector from the alternator and put a pos feed to w/light wire on 
connector side. Relay should switch and extinguish w/light on dash.. You can 
take the relay out and put power across the windings to see if it clicks. Is 
it a blue relay?


"Colin Anderson"  wrote in message 
news:I1RHe.785463$ub.242537@fe07.news.easynews.com...

> "John"  wrote in
> news:dcofdm$bh1$1@reader01.news.esat.net:
>
>> Should have a simple enough alternator. Connect your multimeter,
>> switched to volts from the warning light wire to the main pos on the
>> alternator you should have near to zero voltage. If you are getting a
>> voltage here then the alternator is faulty. Probably a warning light
>> diode open circuit, so it will charge on the main circuit but still
>> not put-out the waring light.
>>
>> JOhn
>>
>>
>
> So if it is still charging, which it seems to be, but not putting out the
> warning light, then will I need to replace the alternator? Could it just 
> be
> the charging light relay that's blown for some reason? How can I check the
> relay for correct operation? The alternator seems to be quite expensive 
> and
> very fiddly to replace.
>
> Colin.