2002tii electrical issue?

['76mintgrün'02]

7 hours ago, Razzman88 said:

all my grounds are good. 

 

How do you know they're good?  

 

If you have this style battery clamp, your ground may not be good.

 

Posting photos often helps and makes the thread much more interesting.

 

On 2/11/2024 at 7:45 PM, Razzman88 said:

fairly new battery with plenty of life.

 

Have you tested the voltage?

 

If your battery's fairly new and yet it is dead, you probably have alternator issues.  Last year, I drove 500 miles at 80 mph. on the interstate with a dead alternator and watched the battery voltage drop from 12.7 to 11.1.  I needed the headlights for the last 15 miles, which didn't help.  It was starting to run a little rough by the time I got home.  Try that in a modern car!

 

 

                                      

 

The long leads on my volt meter (the same one in the link I shared above) came in handy, since they reach from the battery into the cockpit; allowing me to witness the voltage drop.  The battery charged back up just fine.

 

(Additional sales pitch for the INNOVA 5568)

 

This is a great excuse to by a volt meter and a battery charger, if you don't already have them.

 

Tom

 

P.S.  I see you joined the forum last Saturday.  Welcome.  Now, let's get that post count up!   

 

[Razzman88]

On 2/13/2024 at 7:04 PM, '76mintgrün'02 said:

 

How do you know they're good?  

 

If you have this style battery clamp, your ground may not be good.

 

Posting photos often helps and makes the thread much more interesting.

 

 

Have you tested the voltage?

 

If your battery's fairly new and yet it is dead, you probably have alternator issues.  Last year, I drove 500 miles at 80 mph. on the interstate with a dead alternator and watched the battery voltage drop from 12.7 to 11.1.  I needed the headlights for the last 15 miles, which didn't help.  It was starting to run a little rough by the time I got home.  Try that in a modern car!

 

 

                                      

 

The long leads on my volt meter (the same one in the link I shared above) came in handy, since they reach from the battery into the cockpit; allowing me to witness the voltage drop.  The battery charged back up just fine.

 

(Additional sales pitch for the INNOVA 5568)

 

This is a great excuse to by a volt meter and a battery charger, if you don't already have them.

 

Tom

 

P.S.  I see you joined the forum last Saturday.  Welcome.  Now, let's get that post count up!   

 

Im blown away with the amount of responses I got from everyone! I honestly wasn’t expecting this much help.

My wife went into labor the very next day (14th) after my first post. So I’ve been away from the car.
Today I had Some time, my battery was reading 11.71. I removed the airbox and the battery. Checked my body grounds and cleaned them. I connected the positive lead to the battery and tried to check the voltage on the alternator. I just can’t get a good reading. My meter has pretty short cables with the K pump sitting right above it made it a little hard for me. When I throw a jumper on it it starts up right away and then dies immediately after I remove it. 
 

I did install a retro head unit. I used the grounds for my AC(not in use) and for positive I used the original line minus the fuse. 
 

I didn’t have any issues until recently. I don’t think it’s the radio. I can’t imagine I installed it incorrectly, but anything is possible . That’s the latest update. Thanks again.

[jgerock]

15 minutes ago, Razzman88 said:

Im blown away with the amount of responses I got from everyone! I honestly wasn’t expecting this much help.

My wife went into labor the very next day (14th) after my first post. So I’ve been away from the car.
Today I had Some time, my battery was reading 11.71. I removed the airbox and the battery. Checked my body grounds and cleaned them. I connected the positive lead to the battery and tried to check the voltage on the alternator. I just can’t get a good reading. My meter has pretty short cables with the K pump sitting right above it made it a little hard for me. When I throw a jumper on it it starts up right away and then dies immediately after I remove it. 
 

I did install a retro head unit. I used the grounds for my AC(not in use) and for positive I used the original line minus the fuse. 
 

I didn’t have any issues until recently. I don’t think it’s the radio. I can’t imagine I installed it incorrectly, but anything is possible . That’s the latest update. Thanks again.

Wowza- the Bosch sticker on the alternator is REALLY old - like original.  Bet yours is no good.  Interior video shows both temp and fuel gauges jumping which means they aren’t grounded properly. Very common on all 2002’s.

 

Check the (2) screws that hold the voltage regulator to the left front inner fender. That device needs a good ground. Loose or crusty screws will create problems.

[OldRoller]

On 2/13/2024 at 10:04 PM, '76mintgrün'02 said:

If your battery's fairly new and yet it is dead, you probably have alternator issues

I second 76's suspicion of the alternator. Charge the battery, measure the voltage before starting. Crank her up and measure again at the battery terminals. You should have more than measured before starting, somewhere in the 13.5 volt range. 

If the same voltage as before starting, alternator or connections/regulator is faulty.

[adawil2002]

Do you change your own oil on your 1973 2002Tii?
If so, do you disconnect the battery before removing the filter?
I learned this "shocking"lesson on the first oil change.

I still have the original alternator & carry a spare voltage regulator.
Buy one of these as Mike Self & Rob Siegel recommend. 

Amazon.com

WWW.AMAZON.COM

I have had to re-crimp 2 alternator wires. One pulled out of the crimp with zero effort & the other had only 2 strands crimped as the other strands had fractured over time.

 At least you aren't stranded in Germany on the side of the A3 Autobahn with a dead 1973 2002Tii being chastised by ADAC for 3.5 hours for calling from an "American" phone instead of a Deutsch phone. The short story, spent 1300€ or $1407USD for the ADAC Flatbed, Taxi round trip from Aachen to Leomar to Salzberg for a Tii battery & alternator. Installed the battery & alternator voltage at Idle was 13.7.

      
 

[Mike Self]

Perhaps this has been covered, but in addition to what's posted above...

1. Make sure the three prong plug on the alternator's backside is clean and properly seated.  There should be a wire bail to hold it in place; this is often missing but is necessary to maintain good contact given all the engine vibration.
2. Same with the big red wire on the alternator--make sure it's clean, tight and the wire strands aren't broken at the ring terminal
3. Also check the 3 prong plug on the bottom of the voltage regulator for tightness and cleanliness.
4. Insure the brown ground wire that runs from the alternator frame to the block is in good shape.  Don't just look at it--they often break under the insulators at the two ring terminals.  That's your primary ground path for the alternator.  No or poor ground = no or poor charging by an otherwise good alternator.

mike

 

PS--congrats on your new family member!

[Stevenc22]

Alternator probably bad and it might have taken the battery with it. Put a charger on the battery over night and see if it will start without a jump. If it does, monitor the battery voltage over 10 minutes. If it just drops and drops, the alternator is not topping the battery up and its running on the battery alone. If thats the case, pull the alternator and send it for rebuilding at a local alternator shop. You cant buy tii alternators, your choices are either get it rebuilt locally or buy a $400 rebuilt and upgraded one off Ebay.

 

If after charging the battery all night, the battery is still weak and wont really start the car, the battery has died as well.

Edited February 23 by Stevenc22

[ray_]

8 hours ago, adawil2002 said:

Do you change your own oil on your 1973 2002Tii?
If so, do you disconnect the battery before removing the filter?
I learned this "shocking"lesson on the first oil change.

I still have the original alternator & carry a spare voltage regulator.
Buy one of these as Mike Self & Rob Siegel recommend. 

Amazon.com

WWW.AMAZON.COM

I have had to re-crimp 2 alternator wires. One pulled out of the crimp with zero effort & the other had only 2 strands crimped as the other strands had fractured over time.

 At least you aren't stranded in Germany on the side of the A3 Autobahn with a dead 1973 2002Tii being chastised by ADAC for 3.5 hours for calling from an "American" phone instead of a Deutsch phone. The short story, spent 1300€ or $1407USD for the ADAC Flatbed, Taxi round trip from Aachen to Leomar to Salzberg for a Tii battery & alternator. Installed the battery & alternator voltage at Idle was 13.7.

      
 

But you got a story to tell!