New Bx Owner Needs Help !!!

[lee1983]

Hi all , just bought my first bx which seems to be a lovely car 1.9 tzr auto 1990 (H) , problem is today after many miles over the weekend in my new car i went to start her and she just about turned over then nothing, i jump started the car from a friends van and it started first flick but all the dash lights were very dim and when i turned the headlights on or braked the dash lights went even dimmer and now it wont start without a jump, the battery and alternator were both changed in november and all was working perfectly. Any Help greatly appreciated.

[mountainmanUK]

Hi (and welcome to the weird 'n wonderful world of BX'ing!)

It definitely sounds like either a duff battery, or the alternator not replacing the charge in that battery!
Before splashing out on a new one, could you try a known good battery from someone? Also check the alternator belt tension, and check all the wiring terminal connections to the alternator.

Good luck

Dave

[Tim Leech]

Welcome aboard Lee, 19TZS auto? nice! (my favourate model), as Mountainman says its most likely a duff battery and worth getting it checked and charged before you buy a new one.

Any pictures of your new car?

[citronut]

get it running, put a volt meter across the battery to see what the alternator is chucking out, with the revs at around 2.5K, then switch on heater fan and head lights on main beam, see how much the volts drop, you should see around 14.5V's

regards malcolm

[DLM]

Citronut's test is very necessary to diagnose the problem - you don't want to end up buying a new battery and then just draining it.

check all the wiring terminal connections to the alternator.

I'd also check the wires themselves for continuity if something seems to be amiss in the charging. Leads passing across the front of the engine can fry and fail if not sheathed. If the wires appear OK I'd clean all terminals and remake all the relevant connections to good bright wire ends.

Did the battery warning light glow at all beforehand, or maybe only with lights on? As BX ignition switches/leads age, earth faults are not unknown, and it all adds up if charging connections aren't what they should be too.

[lee1983]

thanks for your replys i tested the battery which was at fault and replaced it with a new one from euro car parts for £28.50 with a 4 year warranty which i thought was extremely cheap and shes running like a dream

[Tim Leech]

Excellent news, nice and cheap too, would like to see some pictures Lee if you have the chance?

[lee1983]

car drives ok until headlights are put on then it seems to drain the battery until it eventually dies, any suggestions ?

[DLM]

Live and learn time. A battery that's continually being drained doesn't last long so it's not surprising the old one was naff on a battery tester. That's effect not cause - you need to find the cause. There's not enough output from the alternator to the the battery to recharge it at the moment : the previous posts and suggestions tell you what to check.

Do you have a voltmeter to make those checks? Click on this this link to the BX DIY site for some info: http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/ele ... ectric.php

The cause could be either electrical or mechanical.

If electrical, it 's one or more of the following:
(i) The alternator, which charges the battery when the engine is running. Over time, the brushes in the alternator wear out. If they wear out, the alternator stops producing a charge.
(ii) Connections from the alternator to the battery - if dirty or corroded, resistance increases and the charge doesn't reach the battery
(iii) The wires between the alternator and the battery - these can be damaged by engine heat or by carelessness when doing repairs or maintenance (e.g. replacing the starter motor).

If mechanical , it's most likely to be the alternator belt which takes drive from the engine - it turns the alternator to produce an electrical charge for the battery. If the belt isn't tight enough, the belt slips, the alternator won't turn and it won't charge the battery.

[lee1983]

ok thank you so much for your replies and advice , i checked all the wires coming from the alternator and found that a small spade ended wire had been rubbing against a bare metal piece of engine and worn through so i replaced it right the way back and cable tied it to prevent it wearing through again and she's going great. will be posting some pics later tonight.

thanx again

[DLM]

Pleased to hear there was an obvious fault to be found. Hope you can enjoy the BX now.