Is my alternator not charging the battery?

[samg1988]

I've not had the clio on the road for a long time until this week. I got the car jumpstarted, but after an hours journey I went to turn the ignition and the battery was still dead. The battery's only a few months old, so I wouldn't think it to be that.

Does this point to the alternator being the problem, or could it be the battery being so flat from being left alone for a long time that it can't hold a charge?

 

[Dunn]

Probs the alternator

get a multimeter on the battery and turn it over and see if the battery is charging

 

[coxxy]

start it and disconnect the battery (negative first). If the car cuts out then your alternator has giv up the ghost

 

[samg1988]

start it and disconnect the battery (negative first). If the car cuts out then your alternator has giv up the ghost

Did this today, car kept running. Going to be sneaky and buy a new battery, then take back the old one because it still looks new. (lost the old receipt though).
Hopefully this sorts the problem, but I cant understand why a nearly new battery wouldnt hold a charge.

 

[NATHAN182]

battery should be charging at approx 14 volts with engine running, i would stick it on charge for good few hours

 

[Jonny1*2]

battery might be very flat, so it's not charging fully. Maybe worth removing it and putting on a boost charger tbh. Leave it over night and see if that solves it.

 

[Struggler]

is your battery light on?

 

[samg1988]

Swapped the battery for a brand new one at no cost, cleaned the terminals and I have a strong connection.

Turn the key and nothing. The electrics all work, the stereo, lights etc. Its not clicking lots like a dead battery would. If i turn the ignition to the on position, the lights that stay lit are "STOP", the battery light and the steering wheel light.
Can anyone help?

 

[Struggler]

are you sure its a flat battery? not a fubared starter motor?

what happens if you turn the fans, beams, stereo, etc, does it struggle for power when the cars not running??

 

[samg1988]

Here's a short video of the problem I'm having.

[video]http://youtu.be/9ZJB-0Asmac[/video]

 

[Struggler]

being a mk1 owner i have no idea what half of the lights on your dash are,
immobilizer light is going out so it doesnt look like thats the culprit,

i think the best bet now would be get the multimeter out, test the battery with the engine both off, and on.
then test there is a constant +12v live to the starter motor, then test there is 12v going to the solenoid when the key is turned.

note, might make it better if you labeled where the key was at what points of the video,
also is there a clunking coming from the engine bay whilst the key is at position 3? i thought i heard it in the vid but not sure if it was relevant, or you pushing the key back and forth.

Finally, i know its a long shot, and sounds bodge, but my starter seizes a lot because i dont have a heatsheild, and will kind of mimic these symptoms,
it works if i turn the key back and forth to the "engine start" position repeatedly, sometimes it takes up to 20 seconds of back and forth, (aprox 1 second per cycle) and the starter slowly comes to life! could be worth a try.

 

[NATHAN182]

looks like starter could be jammed, try roll the car in gear or turn engine somehow to unjam it, if not you have a serious electric problemo!

 

[samg1988]

looks like starter could be jammed, try roll the car in gear or turn engine somehow to unjam it, if not you have a serious electric problemo!

Just tried this to no avail