Vectra 1.9 CDTi 150 Alternator / battery voltage

[trucklord]

Hi There
Can anyone tell me what the correct voltage the alternator should be charging the battery to please.
Volt tested my battery today and it was just over 13v ( about 13.2 ) on the needle.
I have a slight rattle / tickticktick noise coming from the alternator area, ( and putting a LONG bar on the altetrnator housing and listening to it at the end you can hear what sounds like a dodgy bearing ? in there )
Would this voltage be enough to cause a very intermittent power steering loss when i start the car ?

Thanks in advance folks.
Eric

[Critch]

12.5 +/- .2v from battery

14.4v from alternator no load

An roughly 13.9v with lights heaters etc on

Hope that helps

[barney490]

The tick tick noise is probably the overrun pulley, but if the alternator is not putting out 14 volts as said above, it's probably on the way out.

[alcutler]

Hi Eric,
Is 13.2 what your battery is reading without the engine running - that seems a little bit high for the battery - with the engine running the alternator should be putting out about 14.4 volts - I wouldn't think that the readings you have would stop the power steering operating but loss of power steering is a classic sign of alternator failure on that engine



Sorry Critch yours went on as I was typing!

[trucklord]

Thanks folks.
I only tested from the battery whilst the engine was running 13.2v. Even revving didn't alter it.
Havent tried it with the lights / heater on etc.
will try again asap - borrowing a multimeter to check digital readout.
Only had the car a week but already lots of thing to sort out.
The How 2 section on here is a goldmine !
To do: EGR blanking plate
swirl flap bar £1 fix - currently all shiny on my sideboard.
swirlflaps 1,2,and 4 just vibrating round and round coughing crud all over the place.
power steering.
...

[Critch]

13.2 running with no change is a dead. Well fighting for life alternator so that needs to be added to list aswel

[trucklord]

have just planted the money tree, hope it comes to fruition soon.
Really wish my BMW hadnt blew up last week, now got 2 cars on the drive to fix.
Its all coming back to me why i swore never to have another vauxhall 5 years ago...

[alcutler]

have just planted the money tree, hope it comes to fruition soon.
Really wish my BMW hadnt blew up last week, now got 2 cars on the drive to fix.
Its all coming back to me why i swore never to have another vauxhall 5 years ago...

Well it looks like you will get plenty of rain for your money tree - If it helps I replaced my alternator and bought it from http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-V...#ht_530wt_1037 - (make sure you have the Denso alternator and not the Bosch, which is slightly different - but they can supply both types) fitted it well over 12months ago to my 1.9 cdti (120) and never had a problem - I've had three off them for other cars and all fitted and work fine, as well as a couple of starter motors. I am not connected with the business - but have always had good,friendly service and if you contact them saying you need the part urgently they will usually deliver next working day. Hope this helps a bit.

[Sebastian]

Funny u say that about denso I had fitted denso replacement and lasted exactly 13 months and then smoked itself to death...
fitted bosh one which is bit smaller and easier to fit never looked back

[alcutler]

Hi - I wasn't recommending Denso - just saying there are two types fitted and I understood they were a different fitting - but obviously if you replaced a Denso with a Bosch they must be the same fittings. The one this guy supplied to me was not a genuine Denso alternator but a Denso type and I have no complaints (so far).