Help - Electrical problems update

ChrisEm · Post by **ChrisEm** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:09 pm

Hi all
Just come across a broken down bongo, bought very recently private sale, has replaced battery as packed up a couple of days ago. Was driving tonight and lost rev counter and speedo. Strange thing is no sediment light or battery light when switching ignition on. He's parked outside my place for the night and I'm trying to sort it. The new battery is now flat. Anyone any ideas please??????

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:11 pm

dirty earth connection or terminals not tightened properly, never come across it but having changed the battery recently its a start surely. Good luck I am sure some one on here will have more technical ideas. Happy motoring.

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:22 pm

Have lights ever come on and how long have they had car? Sounds a bit like lights disconnected cos' alternator is duff

- hopefully I am wrong.

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:25 pm

Hi Chris - I would try a clampmeter on the alternator output - could be a diode gone up the Swanney.

Mike

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:55 pm

Crikey, another Bongo Samaritan. Cant really add to the points above, except whats the link between a battery / charging problems and losing rev counter and speedo? I dont get it. If he lost revco/speedo when driving, didnt his HOLD light come on and/or he got strange gearbox changing probs cos others have said that seems to happen when there is trouble in the instrument dept.

Mike

ChrisEm · Post by **ChrisEm** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:19 am

BUMP!

Post by **westonwarrior** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:24 am

try giving a ring to one of our specialist garages for advice, bell hill are very helpfull
to me it does not sound like a quick fix
If the lights have never come on it does sound like they were disconnected (bad sale) and the battery just runs flat as no charge.

Have you charged the battery overnight? do those lights come on with ignition key?

Maybe bell hill will have a scrap alternator as they break bongos.
and maybe looking under the facier to see if the bulbs have been removed

ChrisEm · Post by **ChrisEm** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 9:58 am

Well investigation in the cold light of day revealed a few things - namely an unreputable dealer!.
Having had a root around with a meter and various things the feed wire to the alternator was 0 volt when switching ignition on. The sediment and charge light bulbs were removed from the dash. I replaced the charge and sediment light bulbs and re excited the alternator and all now appears to be better than before. The alternator is currently charging correctly however think it is on its way out as the lights remain on (the factsheet suggests this iirc). The RAC guy last night was not too helpful and suggested £350 for a 100 mile recovery. Think we will soon have a new member among the ranks.

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:33 am

Well done Chris, if I ever break down I hope it is somewhere near you, hope that dealer gets what's coming to him, guy should go to trading standards it would seem under the sale of goods act he has redress as the vehicle was sold definitely not fit for its purpose. Happy motoring.

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:53 am

Oh dear - looks like my suspicions were right. Contact dealer (in writing) straight away and, if no satisfactory outcome, get on to Trading Standards. This sort of dealer shouldn't be allowed to trade.
As this is a clear cut case of dishonesty, is it allowed to post dealer's name on forum? - let's face it, he can hardly sue anyone!!

Post by **westonwarrior** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 6:27 pm

They actualy did take the bulbs out ?

Please this place must be named and shamed

clogger · Post by **clogger** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:11 pm

looks like a private sale
probably say "was like that when i got it "

what a crap thing to do

check he has`nt taken the fuse out from under the bonnet as well

hope it get`s sorted

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:25 pm

Great work ChrisEm - wish I could have been as useful as you to the bloke I tried to help.

What a thoroughly nasty thing to do, no excuse even in a private sale. I almost wonder whether even in a private sale there ought to be some kind of comeback for something as blatant as that. The implication has to be that the vendor charged it up just so it could be driven down the road after the purchase. I dont see how he could claim not to have been aware of the fault, and so the sale amounts to a fraud.

Post by **westonwarrior** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:29 pm

Did they say how much they paid?

I hope they got it for a very good price as a new alternator is not the end of the world but they should have a very good look around it now.

would be nice to hear it was undervalued for a quick sale

ChrisEm · Post by **ChrisEm** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:36 pm

Hi all was bought from 'a bloke in Ruislip' I believe. To be fair the engine is sweet and the bodywork good, has the extras like front / rear curtains too, paid around 4.5k I think. I checked every fuse I could find on the van and there were none missing or blown although there were a few 'special' wiring additions.
One odd thing is that the rev counter was not working last night however it seemed to be fine today. I'm still not completely convinced it's the alternator as I didn't have a feed on the ignition signal wire at first but think this may occur when the bulbs are removed from the dash. Would be interested if anyone can shed any more light or has suffered similar symptoms to the above for future reference.