Battery light flickers when accelerating hard

1. logic_guy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2010 England Posts: 3423

   #1 12th September 2011, 22:47

   I noticed this evening that my battery light flickers ever so slightly under hard acceleration.
   
   Would this be the alternator on its way out or a bad earth?
   
   I will re-adjust the belt tension tomorrow encase the belt was slightly slipping.
2. toxic Frequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 772

   #2 12th September 2011, 23:20

   Bad earth mine was like this, i had a look at it and it snapped off in my hand fixed it and now and now when i put my foot down no light comes on.
3. user_16254 Established Member Joined: Jun 2007 Belfast Posts: 1001 red 1.0 wonder

   #3 12th September 2011, 23:24

   altenator on its way out??
4. coleman258 Established Member Joined: Nov 2008 Eastbourne Posts: 2474 Astra van daily Black Saxo VTR 16v'd kent PT51

   #4 12th September 2011, 23:28

   Mine did this last week, bought a new alternator.
   
   Went to change it and the plug came off in my hand, chopped The old one of and soldered on a new one and its all fixed. So check the plug first.
5. logic_guy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2010 England Posts: 3423

   #5 12th September 2011, 23:35

   The plug? Are you referring to the plug on the alternator?
   
   I did have my gearbox off at the weekend, i may had knocked it.
6. J222JRA Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: May 2007 Posts: 16839 Saxo VTS, Westfield

   #6 12th September 2011, 23:39

   Tends to be burnt wiring earthing against the exhaust manifold.
   
   A good test is to wait until its dark, start the car, open the bonnet and look for sparks when you rev the engine from the alternator.
   
   Ended up replacing a section of my wiring loom to re-route the alternator wiring.

   1 user thanked this post: logic_guy
7. Barry123 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Oct 2005 Aycliffe Posts: 32205 Saxo VTS

   #7 12th September 2011, 23:46

   It's the plug. Mine does this since day one, if you get a paper clip and unravel it, prod an end down between the terminals (essentially pushing them in towards the centre) the battery light will go out for a while (then come back on). Basically it's the terminals of the connector to the alternator.
8. toxic Frequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 772

   #8 12th September 2011, 23:46

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by J222JRA Tends to be burnt wiring earthing against the exhaust manifold. A good test is to wait until its dark, start the car, open the bonnet and look for sparks when you rev the engine from the alternator. Ended up replacing a section of my wiring loom to re-route the alternator wiring.

   yes it was burnt its the sportscat getting to hot just need a shild
9. J222JRA Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: May 2007 Posts: 16839 Saxo VTS, Westfield

   #9 12th September 2011, 23:48

   On a vts its nothing to do with the cat as its underneath, the the fact the exhaust manifold sits so close to the wiring.
10. toxic Frequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 772

    #10 12th September 2011, 23:58

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by J222JRA On a vts its nothing to do with the cat as its underneath, the the fact the exhaust manifold sits so close to the wiring.

    My alternator had a crack in it from the heat so had to find another 1its the cat getting used more with the carbon init so its getting hotter
11. logic_guy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2010 England Posts: 3423

    #11 13th September 2011, 00:16

    So basically i'll need to check all the wiring around that area.
    
    Check the clip it isn't burnt out and check the alternator to see for any black or burning smells?
    
    Thanks guys
12. blackie_2k5 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Oct 2008 Birtley Posts: 22253 VTR Turbo, 106 xsi track slag, Transit recovery, B

    #12 13th September 2011, 00:22

    normally the plug or connectors on the alternator sweat like fuck, it causes them to corrode, eventually breaking off, this can be similar for the wiring leading to the alt, and some of the earth straps, check it all over
    
    remove the wires form alt the re fit, youll sharp see the prob if you have one
13. logic_guy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2010 England Posts: 3423

    #13 13th September 2011, 00:26

    Thanks guys.
    
    If you would like to head over to the transmission section, i have a thread about my gear slipping out of gear 2 under hard acceleration around bends. Solving this would be ideal lol.
14. Gabbastard Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2002 United Kingdom Posts: 8390

    #14 13th September 2011, 11:51

    If any of the VTS owners are worried about this, do what I did and change to a VTR alternator bracket setup. The alternator sits miles from the mani and makes belt changes easier.

    1 user thanked this post: Barry123
15. Rhysupply Infrequent Poster Joined: Mar 2011 gloucester Posts: 211 Xsi 106 fiat bravo 1.8 ph2 saxo vts

    #15 22nd April 2012, 12:32

    Is changing to a vtr set up difficult ?
16. Tommy-vtr L-plater Joined: Jan 2012 brighton/chichister Posts: 49 1999 mk 1 saxo VTR

    #16 22nd April 2012, 14:25

    It sounds like the alternator but it also may be the starter motor because its linked in some way i think
    i had a problem with my ignition barrel and it was fidley to get it to turn over and 1 day the starter motor got jammed open causing battery light to fade on and off under hard excelleration just another thing to check i suppose good luck
17. logic_guy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2010 England Posts: 3423

    #17 22nd April 2012, 16:11

    I forgot about this thread.
    
    It seems everything is okay since i posted this thread.
18. Barry123 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Oct 2005 Aycliffe Posts: 32205 Saxo VTS

    #18 22nd April 2012, 16:17

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by logic_guy I forgot about this thread. It seems everything is okay since i posted this thread.

    What fixed it???
19. logic_guy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2010 England Posts: 3423

    #19 22nd April 2012, 16:20

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Barry123 What fixed it???

    TBH, Engine bay fire...
    
    Its not flickered since. Its probably burnt the cable but the car still starts
20. Gabbastard Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2002 United Kingdom Posts: 8390

    #20 22nd April 2012, 20:00

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rhysupply Is changing to a vtr set up difficult ?

    Piece of piss. Clean out the threads on the block, bolt on the two VTR brackets, bolt on the alternator and tension the belt.
    
    Youll need a VTR belt though, the VTS one is too big.

    1 user thanked this post: user_7
21. big_paulie15 Newbie Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 1

    #21 24th April 2012, 21:18

    alright does anybody know if it possible to run mk1 vtr engine in mk2 furio 3 pin plug ecu?
22. user_51379 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 plymouth Posts: 2921 mk2 VTS

    #22 24th April 2012, 21:31

    iirc you have to use a cross over loom from a w reg vtr
23. user_20080 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Dec 2007 smurfland. Posts: 17346 Ex saxo owner.

    #23 24th April 2012, 21:54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by big_paulie15 alright does anybody know if it possible to run mk1 vtr engine in mk2 furio 3 pin plug ecu?

    Its possible yes however the furio ecu has a different map,so it won`t run to the full potential that a vtr ecu would do.
24. Beech36 Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2012 Wirksworth Posts: 198 Saxo VTR mk2 2003.

    #24 28th April 2012, 22:12

    bad earth? Or other connexions?
25. Beech36 Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2012 Wirksworth Posts: 198 Saxo VTR mk2 2003.

    #25 28th April 2012, 22:14

    could even be a faulty battery