Important! : Car won't start please help a damsel in distress

  1. Newbie Joined: May 2010 Posts: 2
    #1
    Can someone please help, my car wouldn't start a few weeks ago so changed the battery for a new one the next day it would not start again, eventually got it started but when i turn over the ignition it sounds very weak, so one minute it starts i drive park up then it won't start again this has happened a few times. today i drove the car parked up then it would not start again smoke then started to come into my car through the heater wtf is going on someone said the alterator may be the problem and all of this has started since i had some work carried out on the car to stop it revving up.

    Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  2. Newbie Joined: May 2010 Posts: 15
    #2
    sounds like more than one thing to me, might need an oil change, idle control might be set too weak and the alternator is a possibility aswell, best idea is the garage im afraid and get it diagnosed properly
  3. Frequent Poster Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 632
    #3
    All would point to alternator, but then the smoke... :o
  4. Established Member Joined: May 2008 Basingstoke Posts: 1680 Subaru Impreza Newage WRX
    #4
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tokyodrifte View Post
    All would point to alternator, but then the smoke... :o
    if the regulator was gone on the alternator it could have put too much voltage out and fried something
  5. L-plater Joined: Mar 2010 Cowden Posts: 99 Saxo Vtr Mk2
    #5
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tracyboo View Post
    Can someone please help, my car wouldn't start a few weeks ago so changed the battery for a new one the next day it would not start again, eventually got it started but when i turn over the ignition it sounds very weak, so one minute it starts i drive park up then it won't start again this has happened a few times. today i drove the car parked up then it would not start again smoke then started to come into my car through the heater wtf is going on someone said the alterator may be the problem and all of this has started since i had some work carried out on the car to stop it revving up.

    Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I think you should get yourself a battery/alternator tester to see what sort of voltage your getting before spending more money on a new alternator. Can pick one up very cheap on ebay.
  6. Newbie Joined: May 2010 Posts: 2
    #6
    thanx everyone for the input , what sort of voltage should i be seeing? i will try that first well obviously not me cos i aint got a clue then i will move on to the other suggestions.
  7. L-plater Joined: Apr 2010 Derby Posts: 85 1.1 saxo forte
    #7
    the voltage from ure battery should be 12volts. and wen the car is running put a multimeter on the positive terminal and u should be gettin 14ish volts goin back in to the battery. or even put a multimeter on the alternater and you should be gettin 14volts then !
  8. Established Member Joined: Dec 2009 Bolton Posts: 1068 Saxo 1.4i sx
    #8
    take it back to whoever did the work on your car, and explain that the problem only started then..
  9. Infrequent Poster Joined: Mar 2010 Prestwick Posts: 239 Currently Own Citroen Saxo VTR Previously Owne
    #9
    Take the battery out and charge it over night ,I had the same problem. Also check the alternator ,maybe the belt has come off or its worn . Check all the fuses in the car and check all regulators under the bonnet .

    Did you get the right battery when you replaced it ? and are the terminals tight enough ?

    Have you recently installed a sound system or anything that could be draining power from the battery? could be a short somewhere .

    electrics are not my strong point ,maybe check with an auto sparky ?
  10. L-plater Joined: Mar 2010 Cowden Posts: 99 Saxo Vtr Mk2
    #10
    This is the cheap battery/alternator tester i picked up from ebay, its good for the price.
    Battery/alternator tester <--