wife invited aliens into computer

rhljeep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:34 pm **Posts:** 49

or so it seems to me...

she was making a call in the jeep last night and was talking with a client, so had to have the lights on in the cockpit to take notes. this meant she had to turn the key off/on every ten minutes or so as the int. lights go out automatically. she forgot to mention this morning as she was about to leave that after doing this 5/6 times, the dash lights started flashing and beeping at her.

so, this morning she tries to start it, but it doesn't turn over at all. with key in the accessory position all the lights blink, the rear door tries to lock repeatedly, and other strange noises. the first time i tried to start it, there were three or four repetitive clicking sounds that seemed like they were coming from the back of the dash. never seen or heard anything like this before. if it were a computer i'd hit restart... tried disconnecting neg. battery terminal for 30 seconds to no avail.

any ideas?

thanks all

geordi · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:18 pm

Charge the battery - Your battery isn't charged up, and chances are, your alternator has died and she drove home last night on a VERY weak battery, but didn't know it b/c a diesel takes such a small amount of power normally to run. Just enough to keep the computer working.

rhljeep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:34 pm **Posts:** 49

thanks geordi, i'll give it a shot later. it would be embarassing if this is the prob. we live off-grid, so don't have a charger, but i could try to jump it.

rhljeep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:34 pm **Posts:** 49

so, i did jump it off another car and it did turn over, although didn't start, indicating the battery to be very low. so, great guess on the alternator. anyone know of any threads to testing/changing one?

thanks again.

geordi · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:39 pm

Changing it out is easy - pull the belt, 3 bolts on the alternator itself and 2 on a bracket, and the thing comes right out. Watch the wire on top of it - That is hot positive all the time.

I wouldn't worry about testing it - The testing machines are about as accurate as the "low battery" light that thinks everything is all happy and great just as long as the alternator is capable of producing about 50 milliamps of power. Unfortunately, you need in the neighborhood of 200 times that amount to keep your CRD happy.

I would take the whole unit to your local AutoZone and ask them to give you an entire replacement unit. Fair warning - They will probably need to order it, but it should be in stock in their warehouse. $150 with a lifetime warranty, let them have the dead one (when you get the new one) as the core.

For getting your CRD running again, put it back on the jump car, and leave that one's engine running while hooked up for a good 5 solid minutes. She should fire at that point. If not... Wait a bit longer, it should be obvious that she is firing stronger the longer you wait. The alternator of your running vehicle has more than enough power to charge up the dead battery, it will just take a bit. Once it is running with the new alternator in it, let the CRD idle for a good 30 minutes or take it for a drive for that amount of time. Without a real charger, it will take several days of longer trips to really charge the battery back up, but you shouldn't have done anything serious to it.

Out of curiosity, which battery do you have? If it is the original Optima Red Top... I take back everything about the alternator - Try a fresh battery from somewhere else first with a volt meter once the engine is running - If the battery reads 13.6 or higher with the engine running, then the alternator is good. My volt meter reads 14.2 from my radar detector most of the time, it was fluctuating WILDLY when my alternator went out. The reason I say check the battery first if you have the Red Top - They die without ANY warning, and pretty much once they are over that cliff... They are gone for good.

rhljeep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:34 pm **Posts:** 49

thanks again g,

i have replaced the original battery.

when you say take the belt off, can that simply be done by removing alternator, or is there another point to remove/release tension?

thanks also for the AZ recommendation. it seems like there's mixed opinions about them out there, but for the price of an OE unit, or even reman, i could replace it again.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:02 am

X2 on geordi's last comment. If you have an older battery or ANY type get it charged and checked first. Even if it's a not so old battery I'd do the same as I've seen new batteries go bad. If that's not it go for the alternator.

FYI - I could be wrong but IIRC if the map reading light times out just push it off/on again and I think that will start a new cycle. Won't help battery though but $4.95 or so at Office Depot or some such will get you a nifty little aluminum LED flashlight with like 50+hours of battery life.

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 1:37 pm

The belt tensioner is located on the left side (as you are looking at the front of the engine) and about half-way down. There will be a small pulley just to the inside of two larger pulleys - This is the tensioner. You will need a 15mm socket on a LONG arm, and twist it toward the driver's side to release the pressure. When putting it onto the nut, try to keep the arm angled to about the 1 o'clock position or so, you will need the room once the belt is gone to rotate in the other direction. I find it easiest to remove the belt from any pulley where the belt is running backwards (smooth side to the pulley) as you don't need to fight the teeth of the belt on removal.

rhljeep · **Joined:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:34 pm **Posts:** 49

thanks all. looks like i'll get to hold off on the alternator for a while. took the battery in to check per your suggestions, and it read dead at napa and autozone. so, was able to get full exchange on a battery at napa and it looks like she's good to go. and, if the battery dies a week from now, then i'll get to do that alternator after all.

i know the crd has spun some mysteries and persisting questions, but when a plan comes together, or something just gets fixed... it's nice. life is not always so obliging or black and white.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:53 am

Hope that is your problem... I would check it while running by metering the voltage across the battery itself and let us know what you find - More than 13.6 indicates a happy alternator. Less than 13.6 - Your battery is discharging and running the engine by itself, the alternator is toast.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:14 am

Monitoring the voltage is a sensible strategy because fully discharging a starter battery is not good for it. For a small amount of money you can monitor the voltage on the go to see if it's charging os discharging with one of these http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equus-Innova-3721-Battery-and-Charging-System-Monitor/15137663?findingMethod=rr

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