I'm a new member looking to tap into everyones knowledge
Strange things have been happening to my mother-in-laws Bongo 2.5 d'......She went to start her up only to hear clicking. When jumped she fires into life and tics over fine.
I took a multi metre and checked the battery and alternator. The battery was a little low at 11v but I put that down to the attempts to start it up (once it had been started and shut off it stayed at 12.4v). The alternator sat around 13.5v until the blowers and light were turned on....then it dropped to 11v-12v. I got the wife to idle it at about 2000 revs and the alternator picked up again to 13v. Its worth mentioning that these readings werent constant but dropped right out to 3v and 4v at some points but i put this down to my poor contact on the live connection.
Now for the strange....the mother-in-law went out for a drive (to give the battery a chance to charge-up) only to have all the dash instruments start flashing, the speedo drop then return to show speed again then drop again, and the headlights almost flashing every passing vehicle
.I've been considering what could be playing up....before this last misbehaviour I had been considering the condition of the battery (but thats only 6 months old...not that that really means much) or the starter motor solonoid, but now I'm thinking alternator.
I've been looking through the forum for an answer and found a topic with the same thing happening (but they haven't posted to say all troubles have stopped once the alternator was replaced)
Do you knowledgable people think I'm on the right thought process with this problem?
Further research tells me it would be (if its the alternator) the regulator (internal for the Bongo I believe) can these be changed out for new or is she looking at a whole new alternator?.....obviously would like to avoid this costly replacement and quite fancy trying my hand at a re-build if possible.
Any advice will be greatfully received.
Cheers
