Battery or alternator!

[steve_rt]

My battery is almost flat, to the point now where it hardly has enough juice to crank the starter motor! How do I tell whether it is just an old battery not holding the charge or it is the alternator not charging the battery?

 

[powelly]

cant really help as such but mine was doin this but its cos i dont drive my car very much so it was flatting itself out all the time

i have just bought a new battery and touch wood everythings ok now

vix

 

[Clio16vPaul]

kwik fit will check your batter for you...

If its the alternator then the warning light should be on, or maybe flashing on and off alot.... there is a tester in halfords for around a tenner that will show whats going on charge wise.

Its most likely to be the battery anyway, loads cant cope at this time of year cos of the extra power used to crank he engine.

 

[mark16v]

if the altinater isnt charging the battery then the battery light will come on and stay on whilst you are driving it.

Do some volt checks on the battery to check then altinater then do a battery check after then you will find out

 

[Fatherted]

id put a fiver on the battery..........cold weather kills crap batterys

& like peps have already said...if it was the alternator the battery light on the dash would illuminate

 

[Tom]

Quote: Originally posted by Fatherted on 16 December 2003


id put a fiver on the battery

does that fix it?

 

[Fatherted]

Quote: Originally posted by Tomclio182 on 16 December 2003

Quote: Originally posted by Fatherted on 16 December 2003


id put a fiver on the battery

does that fix it?

sure does.......i blue tacked one on mine last week !!!



BTW..........i wouldnt trust kwik fix to change a spark plug !! (presuming they knew what one was ! ) .......just borrow a multimeter from someone & check it yourself !

 

[MAXIBOY]

is it still there?