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Re: dashboard battery light question
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Posted by Ari [Email] (#2847) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Ari) on Tue, 23 Jan 2001 09:28:49 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: dashboard battery light question, sam, Mon, 22 Jan 2001 23:29:11
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The battery light indicates whether the alternator is outputting current. If the light is on, the alternator isn't putting out current, and therefore the engine is running off the battery (a bad thing - the battery is there for starting).

My guess is that the brushes in the alternator are shot. Second guess, the commutator in the alternator is dirty and pitted. Third and very distant guess, the wire from the dash light to the alternator is rubbing on the chassis somewhere.

If the brushes are worn, they don't make good contact with the commutator, and at high rpm, or high vibration conditions, they jump around, and the alternator can't put out current.

Look at the back of the alternator for a thin wire. Make sure that wire doesn't have any worn spots on the insulation. Then get yourself a new voltage regulator - the brushes are integral with the regulator. It's easy to replace on a 900 - undo the two screws, pop out the old regulator, pop in the new one (I recommend removing the battery ground cable first for safety). Peek in and see the condition of the alternator commutator.

If that doesn't fix it, it may be a problem with the alternator diode pack. That pretty much requires an alternator rebuild to fix. But a decent auto electrical shop can check your alternator in minutes.

Don't keep driving this way. You're taking a real toll on the battery, and if the battery light is on, the battery isn't charging. The battery voltage drops too much, and the car could die in the middle of the road.

Good luck!
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