Hi, I've been reading a lot on alternator problems in this group. My problem is similar to the ones I've read but just a little different (of course). Car: Volvo 240 dl station 1986 manual. Problem: In a week time the car would start less well untill one day it wouldn't. Couple of guys pushed me and it worked fine driving for 10 min to a mechanic.The mechanic measured a 12.65 V over my battery with car running. He concluded that the alternator needed replacement. After replacement the V was still 12,65. Both alternators were tested outside the car and both the new and the old were good. The battery was also good although empty. The mechanic put my old alternator in, charged my battery and my car ran fine for a couple of weeks (also after not using it for 10 days, so no leak while standing still I guess). Then it started starting less easy again untill it wouldn't, I got a push again, drove home (I think the engine almost stopped a couple of times). The next day I went to my garage were I explained the story. After checking it out they told me it was the alternator and maybe also the alternator belt that needed replacement. Thanking them for nothing I went home with an according to them fully charged battery (altough they were a bit vague). A couple of days later I went for a
120 mile drive (each way) on the way back my dashboard fuelmeter and engine-temp. meter slowly went down to almost 0 although fuel and temp were fine. Also the speedometer only showed the right speed when I took my foot of the gas (otherwise to low a speed). The overdrive stoped working. To me it seemed the battery was totally empty and the alternator was not keeping up. I stopped allong the road. The fuel and temp went ok again but as I moved on everything stopped working as described before. Coming home the car wouldn't start. The V over the battery with the car off is still just above 12. The lights on the dash with key in position II work (I presume battery lamp is alternator lamp). Their are 3 wires from the alternator: Two red and one blue (thinner one). I think they're ok but i'm no expert. (wich one is the ground?, blue?)A few things I did right before problems started occuring: I pluged in a missing fuse (the one for back-up lights etc.) and replaced some others. Since than the speedometer has been shooting up and down at certain moments. This same day I replaced some speaker wire leading it behind the dash. Since that day the "lights-warning light" also pops on when I turn on the head lights. It goes of when I turn on and of my direction lights. (:-?) Since I thought I might have pulled some wires doing that I checked the dash wiring. It looked ok apart from to loose wires of which I don't know if I need them. 1: a solid blue one. 2: a red and white one. Does anyone know what they're for. (I noticed there was another solid blue one that was connected in combination with 2 other wires (black and white and an other color if I recall correctly).
Hope anyone can help me I'm gonna be roadtripping for 3.5 weeks in 2 weeks, hopefully with this car.
Thanks. Gilean.