VT not starting!

[attycuz]

10v to start a car is low.

i THINK you can check if your alternator is charging properly by using the computer with the engine running.

hold up+mode and turn the engine on but keep holding the buttons for 3 seconds after the engine has started then release the buttons and if the computer says "14v" and it flickers between 14 to 14.4 that is good anything below i would assume is bad.

If it reads 14v - 14.4v on the computer when engine is on then it must be the battery itself

Yeah once the car is running and reading 14v out a load on. Radio, A/C, wipers, lights and then see what it's reading it should stay around 14v will drop a little but not much, if drops a lot then will be the alternator. Good luck

 

[WazzaV8]

Battery, connections to the battery....first clean connections and try the if no luck try a new battery.

 

[77benjamin]

Cheers guys, I'll try cleaning the connections, and next step either find someone to give me a jump or just bite the bullet and buy a battery.

I appreciate all the replies!

 

[Deuce]

As said above, check battery, check alternator output, check all connections on alt/starter/battery.
and lastly, if the alternator output is looking dodgy: remove the volt reg/brush assembly and check length, as they wear out after time.

 

[77benjamin]

So in the end I bought a multimeter and jumper leads, charged it up a bit, jumped it, tested it following some of your suggestions, and it was the battery. I've whacked a new battery in, and she's good as new (for now).

Thanks again for the tips!

 

[Hoon]

So in the end I bought a multimeter and jumper leads, charged it up a bit, jumped it, tested it following some of your suggestions, and it was the battery. I've whacked a new battery in, and she's good as new (for now).

Thanks again for the tips!

nice work

 

[77benjamin]

I got a reading from the computer, but that doesn't tell you whether the battery or alternator is the problem, right?

Anyway, if I didn't use the excuse to buy a multimeter, what sort of bloke would I be?!

 

[Nut Kracker]

The reading you get from the car will only tell you the voltage the alternator is putting out to the battery.
Not the condition of the battery it's self.
If the regulator is doing it's job properly, the voltage to the battery should drop a little as the battery charges.
It shouldn't drop below 13.8 volts though.