Battery light on

Daryl · Dec 16, 2022

Great. Since I got the car back with new clutch, transmission and drive shaft, the red battery light has been on!
I just replaced the battery and the car starts per usual even with the battery light on.

I’m going to check and see if/where the plug in is so when I stop at VatoZone on the way home from work, maybe that’ll diagnose it. Or tell me how to clear it.

Of course I’ll check the battery with the volt meter too

95opal · Dec 16, 2022

Your alt isnts charging the batt.

ttocs · Dec 16, 2022

is the battery dying? or just the light on? If you are having to jump it, then its the alt. If the light just stays on but it keeps starting it might be charging a little low, or there could be a problem with the circuit

RAU03MACH · Dec 16, 2022

he just put a new battery in it , but you never know that battery could crap out to

cobrajeff96 · Dec 16, 2022

Battery light can tell you multiple things. But I think in your case it's telling it's undervolted (meaning 95opal is most likely correct in what they said).

07GtS197 · Dec 16, 2022

Make sure everything is plugged in. It’s possible the shop accidentally unplugged something when they messed with the clutch.

Daryl · Dec 16, 2022

07GtS197 said:
Make sure everything is plugged in. It’s possible the shop accidentally unplugged something when they messed with the clutch.

Like what?

Daryl · Dec 16, 2022

RAU03MACH said:
he just put a new battery in it , but you never know that battery could crap out to

12.5v on the volt meter

95opal · Dec 16, 2022

Daryl said:
12.5v on the volt meter

Is that batt voltage or is that voltage with the car running?
Your batt light is on because you arent getting enough voltage on the charge side.
Could be bad alt, bad ground, faulty wiring. Either way if that light is on your not getting a charge from the alt.

ttocs · Dec 16, 2022

if your only seeing 12.5 with it running then the alt is probably on the way out. Of course with electrical and recent work it might not be a stupid idea to check your grounds to be sure a mechanic didn't leave one off. You always want to start simple with electrical so it would not be a dumb idea to inspect all your fuses as well.

Daryl · Dec 17, 2022

95opal said:
Is that batt voltage or is that voltage with the car running?
Your batt light is on because you arent getting enough voltage on the charge side.
Could be bad alt, bad ground, faulty wiring. Either way if that light is on your not getting a charge from the alt.

Battery voltage; engine not on or running/idling

Daryl · Dec 17, 2022

14.6v on the alternator check with the voltmeter.
Time to chase the negative wire for ground and check for corrosion !

Daryl · Dec 17, 2022

I think I found the likely culprit:
The negative wire coming off the battery is pretty badly frayed at the right-angle just before where it secures and grounds at the motor.

cobrajeff96 · Dec 17, 2022

That might not be it. Only way to be sure is to ohm it out from one end of it to the other, or just from that connector to the (-) battery.

Daryl · Dec 17, 2022

cobrajeff96 said:
That might not be it. Only way to be sure is to ohm it out from one end of it to the other, or just from that connector to the (-) battery.

How do you do that??

ttocs · Dec 17, 2022

get a multimeter and set it to restistance/ohms. Put one lead on the lug where it attaches to the motor, put the other on the batter and that will tell you the resistance in the wire. It should be very very low/close to 0.

cobrajeff96 · Dec 18, 2022

I think it's at most you want one-tenth of an ohm, anything more is a little too much. Just remember you want to measure the path in question and that should always tell you your start/end points to touch the multimeter leads to.