Burning smell and the dead!!!

[Unclenos]

Right first off hello everyone.

Now the Sh1t bit

I've had my 172 off the road for a couple of months due to ill health (mine not the car) and the other day I decided to get it back on the road.
I'd totally expected the battery to be flat so I got a jump start from the brother in law. Car started without much problem (2 mins with the jump leads on and then broom) during this we noticed a strange smell (kind of sweet) coming from somewhere but neither of us could see anything. So car is running and I think right lets just give it a run along the road to build up a bit of juice in the battery before turning it off.
I got about two miles from the house when the service and airbag light flicker on and off a few times and the all the lights come on dim and then the car dieds.
Tried to jump start it again but it turns over maybe 5-6 times and then stops. The local garage have had a look and think it MIGHT be the alternator and the battery, problem is they want nearly £600 to change it.
So the questions are basically
1. Does this in anyone else experience sound like its the alternator?
2. how hard is it to change myself? I'm fairly handy around the car but I've read that you need to take the bumper and off side light off to get to it?
Any answers would be greatly appreciated.
Ross

 

[Rob]

I can't help massively on the alternator issues, but I'd certainly say if you're fairly handy, removing the front bumper and light is very easy indeed.

Hopefully someone with a bit more experience than me will come along and talk you through the rest.

Welcome to the club.

 

[daveski]

Even I managed to get the bumper and headlight off (& back on) mine and I have the mechanical skill of a 4 year old

 

[HighSide16]

There is a good guide for bumper removal, but you have to be a full member to access it. Hope you get her working soon .

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?394322-FubarNet-Guides

 

[adams172]

Even I managed to get the bumper and headlight off (& back on) mine and I have the mechanical skill of a 4 year old

+1! I'm the least handy person on this board probably and had no issue with removing / replacing it. This might have been helped by the fact that the previous owner hadn't put all the bolts on...

 

[Pryor]

It's not a hard job to change the alternator, hardest part for me was getting the new belt on.

Do the aux kit while your at it!

 

[Aaron182]

Aircon delete time pretty easy to do and sometimes they sell the kits 2nd hand as low as £100 make cambelt changes cheaper and aux belt changes 5minute job and you would have another alternator with it.

 

[MicKPM]

Even I managed to get the bumper and headlight off (& back on) mine and I have the mechanical skill of a 4 year old

He's not wrong.... watching him work is like watching a r****d f**k a doornob!

 

[Unclenos]

Lol thanks for all your advice guys but I've found a guy that's going to source and fit it all for £182.

 

[mr_arc]

Sweet smell is normally a coolant leak, random lights coming on + sweet smell... wet electrics?

 

[daveski]

He's not wrong.... watching him work is like watching a r****d f**k a doornob!

Thanks mate!

 

[Unclenos]

When we started it up to move it into the garage you can smell the alternator now.

Now just the heater to fix. Hoping it's the rheostat pack, can I take that out and send it off for repair and still use the car??