Member Since: 11 Feb 2018
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 46
Failure of alternator, battery or something worse?
Help please. D3 started making horrible noise suddenly after an hour on motorway at speed. Pulled over and stopped. Restarted for Breakdown mechanic who diagnosed auxillary belt tensioner as we could see it slapping backwards and forwards and that appeared to be the source of the noise.
Got it recovered home which took 4 relays (by 2nd relay battery was to dead to crank). Wouldn't start even using recovery trucks booster. Have fully charged battery this week and when came to it today, battery was completely dead again, couldn't even unlock the doors.
Put battery on charge again and have changed tensioner and belt. Old tensioner does not appear to be defective.
My thinking is the alternator has died and has a short circuit in it which is pulling all the juice from the battery so it wont start (As the alternator and starter motor are connected to battery on same fuse).
I wondered whether when it failed while driving could the alternator be stalling due to the short and this causing the tensioner to slap?
Can the alternator drain the battery from full to flat in 2 days with the ignition off, I would have assumed not but I am also concerned that my battery is now damaged as well?
My diagnosis plan is:
1 Turn the crankshaft by hand to see if the engine has seized
2 Charge battery and then use to crank my other car and see if that suggests battery is OK
3 If battery seems OK I intend to disconnect the alternator (presumably easiest place is on the alternator).
4 Then try staring the D3 and see what happens, if it starts assume it needs a new alternator.
Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help.
Andrew
11th Jan 2020 8:19 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2863
If the Alternator is on the Fritz it will take the battery with it.
Belt tensioners do tend to have a degree of movement in them but worth taking it off and seeing if the bearing has gone - they can literally drop apart but might not be obvious if the car isnt running.
However If you were able to jump start the car with something having taken off the Aux belt you could get a quick answer to some of your questions.
Worth looking at the oil pump timing belt mount as well as there are some issues with the casting that other relay drivers had put down to faulty aux belts - Hope this isnt the case and its something easyMust stop buying shiny toys....
11th Jan 2020 8:27 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6568
If the alternator is it’s a very real possibility it’ll just a new battery, too.
- Disconnect battery immediately
- test battery separately
- have a decent fire extinguisher nearby
11th Jan 2020 8:31 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2863
Just seen your D3 is a 2007 - definitely check the Oil Pump mount whilst you are down there as there was a bad casting in that era that would snap really easily (mainly after cam belt changed) If yours is the old style I would suggest a new one as a priority
Fingers Crossed Must stop buying shiny toys....
11th Jan 2020 8:31 pm
BrownsLandy
Member Since: 11 Feb 2018
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 46
Thanks Darrind. Have taken tensioner off and replaced it already old one seemed OK. Engine was rebuilt a couple of years before I bought it after oil pump casing failure, so assuming it wont be that again?
11th Jan 2020 8:33 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 4628
Could be a bad alternator, but check the cable to the starter has not fouled itself on the front Diff causing a dead short....or worse!!yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
11th Jan 2020 9:40 pm
MorganD379
Member Since: 29 Sep 2016
Location: SA62 3PP
Posts: 425
Just before Christmas my wifes auris developed a short in the alternator...
Killed a brand new battery in 20 minutes (while turned off)
only difference I can note with your issue was - when it went the car died immediately with only enough power left to run the hazards for half a dozen flashes as it was pushed off the road....
12th Jan 2020 5:47 am
BrownsLandy
Member Since: 11 Feb 2018
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 46
Engine confirmed dead
So for completeness, having failed to get it to start with a new alternator, D3 taken to Landrover indie in Sheffield and got confirmation that engine is demised. Oil filter was removed, drained and showed some signs of swarf but no large parts so they tried to start it and it threw a rod through the side of the block.
Will be advertising as a non runner for sale shortly. Anyone got a suggestion on residual value, they seem to vary between £1000 and £1500 on ebay? It is quite tidy in and out, good tyres, body colour wheel trims
17th Jan 2020 7:33 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6568
Do you feel like stripping it? You’ll get more out of it.
17th Jan 2020 7:47 pm
bembo449
Member Since: 14 Jan 2020
Location: Gainsborough
Posts: 256
oof , that is unlucky , id break it if I was you but obvs not always possible
17th Jan 2020 8:10 pm
G3Z
Member Since: 16 Dec 2018
Location: South Wales
Posts: 537
What is the mileage on it, out of curiosity..?
17th Jan 2020 8:31 pm
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
I just replaced my battery as i was getting a low voltage in the mornings when checking with my lld.
The battery looks new and was on the car when i bought it in April 2019, i wasnt getting any problems but thought it best to replace it before i do.
When i went to fit the new battery i found my earth clamp was completley loose, the clamp nut was very tight but it looks like the clamp wasnt pushed down far enough before the nut was done up.
So if you have battery or charging issues its worth a quick check
17th Jan 2020 9:22 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6568
With a rod through the side of the engine block it’s got to be a miraculous battery to make it work again
17th Jan 2020 9:46 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8072
The OP was correct, it was something worse It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
17th Jan 2020 9:51 pm
aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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it’s a very real possibility it’ll just 
