"check gauges"

[Derek]

so....first....this morning, that light comes on.

then later tonite...my abs inop light comes on.

then my lights start getting really dim.

then on the way home from the bowling alley....i have to stop at a red light....and car starts chugging a little bit.....


and my seat belt light comes on...and gay.


so....alternator the deadz....or the battery?

hopefully i can figure it out before i go to work tomorrow. alternator is right on top so...easy fix....just have to find somebody to drive me places while i wait for it to come in....

[KU40]

I would guess alternator. have you the means to check?

at least it wasn't the oil gauge. my gf's check gauge light came on and one minute later her car died because her engine seized due to lack of oil. ouch.

[Derek]

it's late....i've been drinking.


how would i check it?

i can always take it to advanced auto in the morning....assuming i can get there

[Member02]

yea, go to them, the only way I know to check the alternator is to disconnect the battery once the engine is running.

[flak_monkey]

At least you probably have a computer to give codes, some cars leave you shooting in the dark (and stranded there too, in my case). If the check engine light is on, and all that other good stuff, most likely the alt has died.

[flak_monkey]

With that in mind, and not to hijack Derek's thread, do you think a dying alt could cause erratic idle (first too low, then too high) with cold starts? My car has been being a b*tch.

[Member02]

hm... not sure, the van I recently had an alt die on me did that, but only AFTER driving for a few minutes. never right at startup.


I had a similar thing happen with my 95' explorer sputtered upon starting in colder weather, eventually it gave out on the interstate, it was the fuel pump.

[KU40]

flak- may be intake gaskets. Not exactly the words you wanted to hear, I'm sure (and I obviously don't know that it's right), just throwing it out. when my old car had those go out, after a cold start the engine would rev up to like 2500 rpms, then after it was warmer and the gaskets expanded a little it would calm back down.

and D- if it's the battery I would guess it wouldn't start this morning.

[John]

I would guess alt, but I've only seen one die in an old car, where it will keep going just fine for a suprising long time...

[flak_monkey]

Well, if it's the gaskets, it'll be new engine time. No point in replacing the gaskets on a car with 250k+ when I want a new engine anyhow. I think that, given how much this car differs from other cars, I have more discovering to do. It starts up and idles in neutral at about 500 rpms, almost dying. It should idle at 800. Soon, after a minute or so of allowing it to do it's thing, it will climb up to 800, and sometimes it climbs up too far, but only after warming up. Too far would be around 1100 in neutral. I have tested the fuel pump and it gives acceptable pressure- 70psi for an XJ6 is nominal and that's what I'm getting. There are some other points I need to check, but now that I am fairly sure the alt isn't dying and I know the battery is fine, I can return to jag-lovers.org with my problemo.