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I've had an '85 33 for a couple of years now. Shortly after I first got it I was having problems with it not starting, (and also dim headlights, lack of power for stereo etc) which gradually got worse. The starter motor was replaced (by a mate) but the problem seemed to be the battery. When I took it into the auto-electrician I asked them to check it out. They said it was the battery and replaced it.

Electrics were great, but soon got worse again and by 6 months time it wouldn't start again, lights were very dim and stereo would turn off when it was idling. I took it back to the auto-electrician and asked them to find out what was draining my 6 month old battery or whether alternator was screwed. They couldn't find anything wrong and said that old alfas tend to loose current sometimes. They put in extra wiring from the battery to starter and it was fine at starting again. I suspect they charged the battery cos the lights etc were better. Now, about 6 months later I'm having problems with the stereo cutting out when other electrics are being used, or when it is turned up loud. The lights are also very dim.

It would seem to me that I'm being shafted by these people... any thoughts? Also, I dont know a great deal about cars but I presume that either something is draining the battery, or the alternator is on the go.

How do you tell if it is the alternator? what do you need to do to replace it? Is it the sort of thing that would most likeley be just as stuffed as mine in a car from the wreckers?

bron · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 1:43 pm Post subject:

this was me by the way... i must've forgotten to log in.

rjbevan · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:32 pm Post subject:

Hi, do you only do short runs in your car? If you keep using the starter and then not giving the alternator time to charge-up the battery, then it will slowly loose it's charge. I suspect the auto electrician checked the alternator is giving enough output voltage (it should be about 14.75 volts with the engine on fast idle). Also if you put the headlights on, then rev the engine the lights should go brighter (if not then the alternator sounds duff).

Let us know how you get on.

Richard

gritsop · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:40 pm Post subject:

Hi,

Sounds like there is something that eats away your battery's power. This may be due to poor earth connections where due to dirt some internal power consumption occurs nomatter if the car is running or not.

Check out the connection which is located in the area which seperates the engine from the heater/battery. Between the heater and the battery there is a big bolt which connects a thick lead from the battery (- pole); This is the most significant suspect for rust which leads to power consumption. You may clean it with a sand paper, then place rust primer and paint, bolt them again and it may probably work
Also try to clean the poles and the connectors to the batter using some alcohol or even better gasoline along with a toothbrush - it does miracles believe me !!!

Hope to have good news soon,
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

Eddie W · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:57 pm Post subject:

Hi
Richard covers most of it. The only way to check your alternator is with a voltmeter across the battery with the engine running, as Richard says 14.75 is ideal, 14.5 is acceptable, under 14 is a worry. Any serious Alfa owner must have a multimeter(with continuity) if he is to have any chance of surviving Alfa electrics. They should have been issued as standard equipement Laughing

I gave up trying to find where my headlight voltage disappeared to and fitted a double relay. That helped a lot. It sounds to me as if you need to go through every earth connection you can find, particularly the round fitting with lots of connections on the L/H side of the firewall( I soldered all these to make sure as some were dry jointed). If you use the continuity on a multimeter, you can tell whether an individual earth is working or not. Every connection whether earth or power is a potential source of trouble on the 33s, the more so the older they are.
Regards Eddie
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Buck Bundy · Alfasud Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Posts: 68 Location: Anglesey

This might not help much but may give you an idea of the sort of problem we are up against with Alfa electrics.....

I had just bought my first car, a Sprint Green Cloverleaf (in superb condition, 7 years old, 19,000 miles believed genuine), and was about to leave London for my first long journey in it (home to Anglesey). I had just driven a mile or so for my brother to collect something, and returned back to his house to drop it off. I sat in the car with the engine running while he popped inside. When he got back in, as I pulled off the engine stalled, and no amount of trying would get it started again, eventually flattening the battery. The AA were called and after much umming and ahhing he found that it was one of the earth straps (the one that runs from the bulkhead to a point further down where another strap connects to the engine, I think!). He nipped off to get a new strap, fitted it and with the help of his booster it started instantly. The old strap looked absolutely fine, but had a massive resistance in it. The connections on the body were fine. The AA guy even asked if he could take the old strap with him to show his colleagues as he hadn't ever seen anything so strange.

Twilight Zone? Confused

There's an amusing note in the Alfasud Haynes manual warning of the inconsistency of Alfa wiring saying that the colours have been known to differ from those on the wiring diagrams, and that it has been known for a wire to disappear into a loom one colour, to emerge the other end a completely different colour!

Good Luck!

Buck
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Sprint Veloce 1.5 - Ebay £310!!! (In need of TLC)

Graham · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 1:33 am Post subject:

Alfa Electrics are my speciality I have rewired all 5 of my 33's and they work better than new although it is not an easy task. The best thing I have done to my road car is replace the alternator with a bosch 200 amp and fitted an odyessy dry cell battery, I have also replaced all the Earth straps and fitted a much heavier duty cable from the alternator back to the battery. I have also replaced the crappy ceramic fuse box with a Narva Blade fuse box and fusable links. My headlights are an absolute treat now although im runnong 90/125 bulbs in them i could probably get away with 60/55 i love bright light but. Sometimes i get flashed driving during the day when im only on low beams. Hope this helps
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5 Alfa 33's, 2 Suds God there is no help for me

Also own 2 Complete 16V Engines(Spare) And Have a Sud Rally Car in Production

bron · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:51 am Post subject:

thanks heaps! i will try that. I'm pretty sure it's not the short trips because although I usually do about 20-30min trips when I have done longer ones (eg, a long roadtrip around the state during daytime - so no lights on) it hasn't been any better. I will get my brothers to check the voltage coming from the alternator... but the lights do go brighter when I rev, so I'm guessing that it's not that.

Eddie W · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 11:01 am Post subject:

Graham
I hate to be the one to tell you but your disease has clearly passed the point of a hopeful prognosis. I am afraid it is INCURABLE. Our sympathies to whatever good lady shares your life and nurtures you through this distressing condition. Tell her that with courage and strength of mind even this can be endured. Razz

Regards Eddie
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BILL · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 10:06 pm Post subject:

Hi friends!!
the electicks are a pain in the a@#.In my 1992 33 with the engine running when i start the lights the temp and fuel gauge show much more than normal (the temp rises about 6 to 8 degrees and i have 5 to 7 litres more fuel Shocked

it can realy drive you crazy).And a last strange thing happend last 2 weeks,driving in the road lights on i turn on the left or right flashing light and guess what happens ,the neadle of the tachymeter starts to play -+ 20Km.I guess its a shortcircuit somewere but were?

Eddie W · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 6:40 am Post subject:

Hey Bill
The fuel guage is not intended to tell you how much you have left! It is there to tell you that there is a tank somewhere that had fuel in it sometime in the past week and if the engine is still running may even have some now. Silly you.
Regards Eddie
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PaulMac Melb · Guest

G'Day all.

My two cents worth...

I found that when I drove with the headlights on, I'd get a rather hot connector just under the steering column. It is a 3 pole connector that connects to the ignition switch, and should be hanging down just where the plastic ends.

The power from the battery comes all the way to this connector, and then there is another wire crimped on the same lug that then goes all the way back to supply the headlight relay.

This crimp was getting a really high resistance, and heating up. I solved the problem by stripping back the insulation a little way from the connector and soldering the wires together. No more heat...

I also ran a new wire for the thermo fan, and the increase in fan RPM was significant, which is a good thing for us hot headed aussies...

I agree with Graham, a rewire is probably a good thing, given the quality of some other crimps I've found, along with questionable wiring practises and wire sizes.

Paul