slowe30 0 Report post Posted October 15, 2011 ok ive just put an m52 into my e30, but the alternator isnt charging enough. it does charge a bit but only a little about the normal battery output. i want to take this on a big drive but if i ever turn my engine off i need a jump start from another car to start it again, roll starts evan dont work. it charges enough to keep the engine running but not enough to evan power the indicators, radio (evan cleared the memory), head lights, wipers, horn or dash lights. (and yea i did find these all on my test drive last night, when it was dark ) ive seen other people on the internet that have had similar issues but i cant find a solid anwser. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted October 15, 2011 Is the alternator supply ( large terminal) connected to the battery... and is the alternator exciter wire getting supplied 12 v with ignition on ??... If so ... what is the charge rate ?.... it should be around 14v with engine running at the battery. You might even have a knakered battery Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slowe30 0 Report post Posted October 15, 2011 batterys fine, getting 12v at the exciting wire and just about to check the big meaty one to the alternator, should be fine because the the engine starts easily and the alternator wire goes right though the starter point. batterys sitting at 12.1v atm(still charging it as it ran completly dead on my test drive), voltage then jumps to 12.7v with engine running, not much of a jump but enough to run just the motor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slowe30 0 Report post Posted October 15, 2011 (edited) just checked the the large wire at the back of the alternator and its fine. checked the exciting wire with ingnition off and had 12v, battery light is constantly on evan with keys out so may have a issue with the alternator EDIT im an idiot... Edited October 15, 2011 by SlowE30 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted October 15, 2011 EDIT im an idiot... Maybe... but why ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slowe30 0 Report post Posted October 15, 2011 ok figured it all out and car now runs thanks to ray at hellbm supplied me a new alternator at 4 in the afternoon on a saturday. got it all sorted now i got 14v when the engines running. and that^ was because i was typing the opposite things to what i was thinking, edited it all up quick tho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
