Xantia 96N TD Just a quick question

sounds like new battery required ...

you could probably do worse than KwikFit for this one - both diagnosis and new battery.

And remember to ask for 20% off to "match an online price you've seen" ... they will do it!

New Michelins on my xantia recently - £76 book price at Kwikfit - £56 actual price just for asking!

all the best

S

Had a new battery in June. So it shouldn't be that. if it is its guaranteed for 3 years.

Rob

Dodgy battery?

I have a nifty gadget that plugs into the cigar-lighter socket and gives a rough idea of battery and charging 'conditions'. It was quite cheap in Halfords or some such place several years ago.

No it shouldn't be but... You could put a voltmeter on it and then put the lights on with the engine off. A good battery will keep the voltage up at about 12 V for some time. With the engine on the voltage should rise aiming for about 14V.

Malc ( snipped-for-privacy@lightindigooverthere.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Which will tell you nothing about the battery, but plenty about the alternator.

True, just put it there for completeness really.

So, newish battery, unlikely to be that. Sounds as if you ought to get the charging system checked. Have you checked the alternator belt? Can you hear a squeal when you first start up? That would be belt slip. Otherwise it could be part of the alternator, on an older model the brushes could be on their way out. They are replaceable, but on many alternators you get the voltage regulator as well, though that eliminates another possibility. You say that everything is dim when first starting from cold (at night). A good alterator should increase the brightness of the lights even on an older battery which is not in its prime. Get the system checked out. Most battery places will do it, particularly the place you bought the recent battery from.

but 13.6v with engine off

i know batteries aint gonna be 12v exactly but...13.6..

confirmed with different meters :)

charge Lights on all the time now. Battery light is dim with just ignition on. other lights are normal. NO trouble starting car.

sometimes with a hard rev the light will go off (4k+) for a few seconds or so. and comes back on (again very dim after its been ticking over a few seconds).

Had to drive it 38 miles this evening whilst dark. bit concerned. didn't prove to be a problem been out this evening. started first turn. (no struggling) lights on dim tho.

bad earth somewhere ?

RT

seconds or

13.6 is ok and it's keeping the lights on so it's not your battery. Try earthing as someone else suggested. Don't just check the battery earth, try engine earthing etc, although a bad engine earth would probably mean bad starting (he muttered, thinking aloud).

Could it be one of the tensioners on the belt. it clears it self up above about 3200rpm or so (thinking maybe below this speed the tensioner is having problems.) thanks for all the advice. i'll try a few things and keep asking questions as necessaary cheers

Rob