Something wrong with my Ae 4age!

[Drift_Donkey]

OK its late, nothing is open. im pretty stumped :(

hope one fello 86's can help.

ok My car just started having a rought idle, and my tacho rev needle is jumping all over the place. but not with the revs? also my dash lights are dim as and also my headlights. the idle and the tacho needle goes good once i rev the car up.

im pretty stumped.

[Drift_Donkey]

ok so we hooked my mates car up with jumperleads. problem solved! so i took it for a drive all good. but just as i was parking it. the lights dimed and the ide was rough again. also the needly was going haywire. would this meen my alternator is stuffed???

[hachi_dk]

battery? try another battery and check if that fixes your problem.
if not might be your alternator.

[trueno85]

did the charge light on the dash come on?

[Drift_Donkey]

yes the charge light came on and then it wouldnt start. so im thinking its either battery or alternator.

but why would after i went for a drive all of a sudden the lights went dim and then the idle went rough again??

[trueno85]

sounds like the alternator isn't charging the battery, but also could be the battery as it wouldnt start under battery power. Check the voltage of the battery to see if its still good

[trueno85]

also the reason that its went alright when you revved it was because it was probaly the alternator was making just enough power to run electrics

[Drift_Donkey]

ok sweet. cheers boys. :D

[Drift_Donkey]

oh and the battery was dead flat as i had a shitty termanal. but i fixed the termanal. so i guess ill just see how it goes tommoro after a good drive home. bout 1 1/2 drive. if the battery doesnt charge up im guessing its the alternator.

[RolandGTV85]

I had this problem a while ago, Battery was running flat even as I was driving. lights dimming, wippers stoped work and car was driving like it was struggling to breath.... The contact/earth to the alternator had completley corroded. It's literally is a wire that connects just under the alternator, Just take it off, clean it and put a new clip on it. Solved all my problems instantly

[Driftspec]

If you have a spare battery charger lying around, charge your battery using that as well. To make sure its got full charge, even if it is charging properly now.That way you can make sure the battery is in good charge condition when you use it :)

[Drift_Donkey]

ok guys. i put it back on the jumpers connected to my cousins car, started fine and i drove home. but now my car still wont key start? have to roll start. but all the problems have gone.

thanks again

[FoldKing86]

Checking alt as far as i know goes alittle like this.

Have car warm and idling (or asclose as you can).

Multimeter on the battery terms, should read 13.5-14.8volts.

Now turn on the headlights and you will see the volts drop but they should return to norm (what ever it started at) within 2secs.

If not then its the alt.

As suggested check all alt wires and clip. I know of a few hachi that have clip falling out all the time. Clean said terminals/clips and try headlight again. If not better then its definately the alt.

Fact car runs fine then bad at idle suggests battery thou. Does battery have water??

[Drift_Donkey]

it was quite low. but i re filled it last night.

[Rice86]

just buy a new battery....batteries lose half their life span already once they go flat the first time...

this is what i was told...no real proff but a few experince i have had with brand new batteries going flat has stuffed its battery life up and issue kept reoccuring until another brand new battery was bought..