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clio 1.5dci 106 alternator and UPC relay identification

22K views 21 replies 7 participants last post by  Bodges 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi.
i have a clio mk3 1.5dci 106 and recently i got the battery warning light - and stop light on my dash. i have checked the voltage from the alternator and i am only getting 12.2volts (at idle and 2500/3000revs). i have had my battery checked - and this is fine - fully charged = 12.7volts. The alternator has 2 wires. The main red one - going to battery, and another - single core (white cable) that plugs into the side of the alternator. if i remove this plug the battery waring light goes out - however the charge (or lack of!) does not change. I have measured 8.3volts on the plug connector.
i know its looking like my alternator is not working, but ive read it is controlled by a relay in the UPC box. i have tested all fuses in there - and all are ok. i have 8 relays - (space for 9). does anyone know which relay controls what? Please see attached pic i found of my upc with the relays.
Also do people agree it looks like the alternator is broke?....only ive been quoted £700+ to replace :eek: ....any other advice would be most welcomed.
i think it is a 150amp alternator.
 
#4 ·
It sounds like the alternator is dead, you may be able to find a auto elections that will overall if for a lot less than that.
 
#5 ·
My batterry light came on and someone checked the voltage and said my alternator was kaput,it was only a year old but i went and bought another one,i put it in and started the car.....light went off as it should and i thought GREAT! ...the missus took the car to Brighton (109 miles) and halfway there the batterry light and STOP lights came on....she made it to Brighton and got back before dark ....i had the alternator checked and the voltage readings indicated that the alt was not charging????....the question is ...is this a coincidence and BOTH alternators were faulty?? are there any relays or fuses i should inspect??? oh...while i was fiddling about the ABS and service lights came on and wont go off...................can anyone shed any light (pun) on WTF is going on??? its starting to get to me :(
 
#6 ·
My ABS light and service light came on when I was troubleshooting it to...I found just driving it up the road will reset it as it see your abs is working OK.
I ended up replacing my alternator... And all was fine for a while but then had trouble again - this time my battery was U/S so replaced the battery and touch wood all has been OK. My battery was fine prior to my alternator problems - however I spent weeks rrunning around with the dud alternator - looking for a cheaper easier fix :-\ ....I assume that is what killed one of my cells in my battery in the end.
I'd get yourself a multimeter and measure the voltage across your battery 1 while everything turned off, then 2 running at idle then 3 running at 2000 rpm.
If you do not get 14.5v +/- 1v at 2000 rpm - then your alternator is not charging. As your alternator is new...check the obvious...first check the plug on the side of the alternator is plugged in correctly. Secondly check the belts are OK and not slipping... Both of these will have been replaced/moved when your alternator was changed.
If your battery is around 12v with all turned off ( as in turned off overnight ) then your battery maybe not 100%...but that's if your alternator is charging at 14 volts ***128077;
Good luck...it did my head in
 
#7 ·
Tested the alt by using tester on battery terminals....battery was 12.6v,then turned engine on (and revved it)and it didnt change,this tells me that the alt is U/S .....can it be that my old(1year) one AND the new one are U/S?? why was it ok until 50 miles?? i did put a new battery on as well ??? is there summat that is blowing the alternators?? is there some sort of fuse or relay that could be causing the problem?? is there another way to find out if there is power coming from the alt but that power isnt reaching the battery??:mechanic:
 
#8 ·
Depends what type of voltage regulator you have? Mine was integral to my alternator - so fairly simple....the regulator take the voltage from the battery/ output and then regulates the alternator to give 14 volts or whatever. I just replaced this part on my alternator for £30 or so! Result when your quoted £700.
Some alternators the engine management controls the voltage output....this will be the small cable plug on the side of the alternator....not the main red cable. Check this plug and wire. Unplug it make sure it's seated right and no loose connection.
Do you know what type voltage regulator you have??
 
#10 ·
It's cause it's £300 for a new one plus fitting...I had to take the whole front end off to gain access to mine (1.5dci).
Get the part number off your old one and google it...should tell you if the voltage regulator is part of it.?
Can't see the point in 'cleaning' up the old one - would imagine the alternator itself is fine...it'll be your voltage regulator or rectifier or brushes. You can test the old rectifier with your meter and inspect the brushes. Take it your £85 one was a reconditioned one? Not a breakers one?
If it's a breakers one ie someone removed from an old car....it could have tested fine - but who knows what state the brushes were in for example, at least with reconditioned you get some sort of idea of parts being replaced and up to scratch.
Gsf usually do good deals at weekend - up to 40% off...maybe worth buying a new one - bet it's about £110. - however before you do that you need to distinguish what voltage regulator control you have....you dnt wanna buy a brand new one - for it to be your cable or connector from your engine management
 
#11 ·
Cleaned the old alternator with wd 40 ,wanted to give it a going over with my mates air thingy but he was out....stuck the alt on anyway......started the engine and lo and behold the battery light goes off :surprise::grin2: i leave it ticking over and the rest of the lights go off:grin2:...go down the shops to get the BBQ beer in and when i come out and start the car the handbrake light stays on,along with the ABS one the STOP one and the SERV one also my speedo doesnt work :crying2:???????? gotta be a dodgy earth doesnt it???? anyone tell me where the earths are? i know where the one is on the clutch housing but......
 
#14 ·
Maybe my luck is changing :smile2: i have finally solved the abs/serv/handbrake/STOP lights problem (thanks to pauls1313) i cleaned the connections in the box pictured especially the yellow connection and the lights went off:grin2: not sure wether that couldve been connected to the alt problems but all is rosey in the clioclub at the moment.....i will pass this info on relevant posts and hope it saves people a few quid and their sanity.....fingers crossed 'til the next electrical nightmare :wink2:
 

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#16 ·
The abs/handbrake/STOP/serv lights came on after i changed my alt over for my old one which i gave a going over with wd40,the battery light went off and i thought i'll see if it holds out..... I am wondering if the battery light came on because of the dodgy connection? but i guess ill never know........wish i knew someone who could test the new alternator on a bench to see if it is actually faulty or not.... maybe i could set summat up with my cordless drill and test the alt in the shed??:wink2:

Edit:...... i am getting 14+ volts reading from the old alt i have fitted
 
#17 ·
If you've measured 14+ volts then your alternator is now OK . to test one in your shed you still need to know what voltage regulator you have so you can put the suitable voltage to your brushes and windings. Simply turning a alternator by using a drill etc is not going to give you voltage....the voltage regulator - regulates the amount of voltage going into your stator (via the brushes)....this is what causes the magnetism - which then induces your output voltage through your windings. So if the regulator is bust or giving zero volts... The stator is basically just free turning within the windings. You tube two wire or 3 wire alternators
If your regulator is OK - that leaves the rectifier. That transforms the ac voltage created in the windings to DC that your car requires.
Alternators are pretty robust things....however the brushes are a wear item....also the electronics ie the regulator are susceptible to the usual environmental aliments.... Like water or wd40 :)
 
#20 ·
Lights are back on again :( managed to get the power steering,serv lights to go off but the STOP and batterry wont go off ............changed the alternator for the one in the shed but still the same ????? not charging or a duff connection................here we forkin go again ..............................
 
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