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paulharris484

New Member
starting to feel like a proper P38 owner ie neverending issues, replaced front diff and drive shaft, sorted! Now it appears I've got some other issues. Occasionaly the 'check alternator' warning displays, and now the rpm indicator occasionally takes a while to start reading!?! I'm guessing they maybe connected (alternator on its way out????) also the cars got a miss at about 4-5000 rpm. It can mainly be heard when reving the car at a standstill. I've got no other warnings at all ie check engine. Is this a seperate issue, leads/coil packs etc or is it connected with the alternator. I'd have thought that under high revs the alternator would be putting out more than enough current and shouldn't cause a missfire??? any thoughts.........
 
paulharris484 said:
starting to feel like a proper P38 owner ie neverending issues, replaced front diff and drive shaft, sorted! Now it appears I've got some other issues. Occasionaly the 'check alternator' warning displays, and now the rpm indicator occasionally takes a while to start reading!?! I'm guessing they maybe connected (alternator on its way out????) also the cars got a miss at about 4-5000 rpm. It can mainly be heard when reving the car at a standstill. I've got no other warnings at all ie check engine. Is this a seperate issue, leads/coil packs etc or is it connected with the alternator. I'd have thought that under high revs the alternator would be putting out more than enough current and shouldn't cause a missfire??? any thoughts.........
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Alternator may require some new brushes, around £30.00 complete with control unit.
 
paulharris484 said:
Do you know if this is a fairly straight forward job and a good place to get the bushes from? thanks
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Reasonably easy. And easy to suss out how to fit them. Any motor factor should have them. You may need numbers off alternator to get correct items. Check condition of slip rings that the brushes sit on, clean up as required with some fine wet or dry paper. If they are really badly grooved i would strip alternator and clean them in the lathe. But not everyone has this facility. Apart from bearings going ( reasonably easy to replace) and 10p diodes that's as much as goes wrong with most alternators.
 
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May also be worth checking the state of your battery as anything less than an absolutely perfect battery can cause spurious messages like this as well...while you're about it, check that the earth connection is ok as well as this can cause no end of strange electronic gremlins. P38s have to be the most labour and money intensive vehicles ever, so you'd better get used to it :(
 
rangiegal said:
May also be worth checking the state of your battery as anything less than an absolutely perfect battery can cause spurious messages like this as well...while you're about it, check that the earth connection is ok as well as this can cause no end of strange electronic gremlins. P38s have to be the most labour and money intensive vehicles ever, so you'd better get used to it :(
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battery checks out good, built in indicator says batterys good, and my optimate battery charger agrees. Earth seems clean and tight so hopefuly can rule that out! I was expecting my P38 to be expensive, but mainly on petrol! Wasn't expecting to spend every waking moment under the car and bonnet!!!

I still suspect the alternator, I might just live with the checl alternator indications/ intermittent rev counter until it packs up and puts the charge light on. At least then I'll know it need sorted! Once thats done i can look at the missfire (if its still there and not part of the alternator problems)!

Any thing else anyone can suggest to look at that maybe the cause of my lack of rev counter and missfire would be greatly appreciated!
 
It doesn't feel too bad when you put your foot down. I think Ill unplug the MAF tommorow and see if it gets better or worse. The miss is only really noticable at about 4-5k rpm, the idles a bit lumpy, but never feels like its going to stall. Could this all be linked to a dodgy alternator or 2 seperate issues?? place your bets please!!!!!:)
 
i go evens on seperates dont forget to get her warm befor you unplug it and get some body to keep reve around the 2 mk and give it a few mins to adjust lets know how it goes. j
 
paulharris484 said:
It doesn't feel too bad when you put your foot down. I think Ill unplug the MAF tommorow and see if it gets better or worse. The miss is only really noticable at about 4-5k rpm, the idles a bit lumpy, but never feels like its going to stall. Could this all be linked to a dodgy alternator or 2 seperate issues?? place your bets please!!!!!:)
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have your alternator checked out too make sure it's putting out the correct voltage,if not it will cause all sorts of leccy problems which you dont need,
 
I think l'll be visiting the local auto electrician to check out the alternator. I've had a voltmetre across it and it appears ok but I think I need an expert to confirm my findings. On a similiar thread, my battery warning light doesn't illuminate at key pos 2, I'm pretty sure it should but can't remember if it ever has! Firstly, should it illuminate as a bulb check, and if it should is there any reason why it might not (excluding a blown bulb)?
If its just a straight blown bulb, how difficult is it to change???? I know theres a lot of Q's and if, buts and maybes! Just trying to get this car 100% servicable for at least one day of its life!!!!:) Thanks!!
 
bulb should always light to confirm volts is getting to the alternator to activate the system.
if you go to Halfords :nospamhere: they will check your alternator for free. Mine was pushng out 14.3 volts, but not many amps (high ripple) caused by a diode or few gone down. new rectifier board for £12 fixed the problem.
 
I'll go there tommorow and see if they can check it out! I'm ok at car mechanics, but rubbish at electrics!!! Do you think its a blown bulb for the battery indicator, that should be lighting due regardless of the alternator playing up, shouldn't it? Thanks again!
 
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