03 1.9D DW8 No charge after fuel pump replacement.

[Handmade Matt2]

Having run the car on bio diesel for 18months the fuel pump developed a leak.

It leaked all over the cam and aux belt and probably the alternator as well.

The pump's now been replaced with a used item and it runs really well.

Cam belt and aux belt are also replaced.

Now however there is no charge. The battery light is lit up on the dash (some of the time) and the battery is only 11.5volts with good revs.

Any suggestions?

(I'm thinking about just spraying the alternator full of contact cleaner and revving it up for a while to see if this cleans it out.)
I guess it is possible though that the insulation around the copper coils was dissolved by the leaked fuel?! In which case it'll need replacement.

Thanks.

[teddyc1]

Check out brodfather's response to me on the post below, where he explains that diesel on the AC compressor is not so bad (that's what I had), but diesel on or in the alternator would be real bad:
http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=8939

Makes sense to me. Hate to say it, but you might be needing a new alt soon. You might want to start saving up your shillings for a new battery while you're at it!

[Handmade Matt2]

Ta da!
Fixed.

On second inspection I discovered that the main lead from the alternator was hanging on by one corroded thread! It must have been on it's way out all this time and just got knocked when replacing the fuel pump.
I snipped it, soldered on a new eye and bolted it back onto the alternator, hey presto. It works again. Phew! A full 14+ voltage at the battery.

Thanks for the reply though Teddy. I had a read anyway. Interesting about the horn. Mine stopped working (only sounds when the ignition is half turned. When full turned (driving - engine running) the horn doesn't work so I wired in a separate switch. Maybe I'll investigate the steering column earth.

[teddyc1]

Good news, glad to hear it Matt. And no new alt or battery! Degraded wire will def cause problems too.

On that horn: Mine is temporarily fixed. I've got a wire with an eye on it bolted to the floor at one of the accelerator base bolts, and the other end has a big fat clip, like a miniature version of those clips on jumper cables. That clamp is just clipped onto the steering shaft -- horn works for now until I get a new aerial on the Bingo's roof, and test out that solution.