Issues with my Alpina? HELP

S

SamUK

Member
Guys, little frustrated as i did not have access to my usual car this week and was going to use my Alpina..

Last week the car was with cpc for vanos seals, headgasket work etc.

Car was driving amazing after i had collected, and started pulling like a train..

Net day i looked under the bonnet and noticed oil on the under tray - thought maybe from the work done..so washed it clean. Few days later it was back again.. C

So yesterday, was driving hard and all the sudden the power steering went heavy, and the sat nav screen turned off just as i got on the motorway. Warning lights appeared on the speedo!

Pulled up on the hard sholder - in neutral steering wheel felt fine, but when i revved the car the wheel got heavy and the lights came on on the speedo + my sat nav screen stopped working.

Decided to drive up little, and it all went ok, with the exception of the red battery light on the speedo..

Tried the car this morning, it started up but all the warning lights on the speedo were on -then the speedo stopped working, like the battery died..windows just about worked...car is on and reving fine..

Switched it off..now it wont come back on..Battery is flat...


Any idea's? CPC is closed on the weekends..so cant call them.

Sam
 
Possible two issues here, not sure about the oil one though

Could be a dead battery, or possible charging issue, do you know how old the battery is?

You could try putting a Voltmeter on the terminals without the engine running, you are ideally looking for about 12.4 Volts, and anything less it is dead. With the engine running to test the alternator it should be giving out around 13.7v at idle. I would also be checking for any bad earth or cable connections to the battery or alternator. Also check that it not something as simple as a slipping or broken belt.
 
With engine oil leaking after having work carried out on the engine, I would be letting the garage that did the work have a look at it.
Was it trouble free before it went to them regarding oil leaks? It's a bit of a coincidence if it's not connected!
Regards
 
Oil I think is from the pipes that connect to the Vanos..looks like little loose..as little oil is leaking from the top, but the bottom seems more..but I cant get access to tighten this..will be heading back to the garage to sort this out..

So when driving hard..its just leaked more possibly under pressure..

Will get a volt meter to test..hoping the 2 are not related..

Battery is old..if car is not used for 6 odd days it does go flat..
 
Swiftly said:
Possible two issues here, not sure about the oil one though

Could be a dead battery, or possible charging issue, do you know how old the battery is?

You could try putting a Voltmeter on the terminals without the engine running, you are ideally looking for about 12.4 Volts, and anything less it is dead. With the engine running to test the alternator it should be giving out around 13.7v at idle. I would also be checking for any bad earth or cable connections to the battery or alternator. Also check that it not something as simple as a slipping or broken belt.
Click to expand...


Did think it may be a slipping belt..due to oil..but belt seems ok..

Can I teat the battery with the battery dead..? Car won't start?

Or shall I get a charger on there..charge up..then see?
 
Z4M-2006 said:
Has oil leaked onto or around the alternator ?
Click to expand...

Just had this thought myself..

think i can see some stains..but not allot..may also be from before..

would the alternator not be sealed?
 
No,

Alternator has open sections on the body..

If oil has got onto the armature,it could cause charging problems
 
Not being funny but if I had oil leaking from the engine, after all the work you had done. I don't think I would be driving the car HARD, but that's just me.
Hope it gets sorted for you
 
.
1. I'd try a re-charge to solve the battery issue first.

2. I recently topped mine up with oil , spilt a bit on the first pour but mopped it up with tissue and thought no more of it. I used the car a few days later and smelt oil and saw puffs of smoke.. It had built up along the ledge under the engine cover and then when the engine got hot, it got thinner and ran to the back of the block where it was dripping down on the the steering column and heat shield. I was surprised how much can hold there.

Remove the two lugs holding down the left hand side engine cover and check along the ledge, etc

 
Removed the cover, no oil..

charged the battery...started the car, it started okay and everything looked ok..except The red battery light was still on...what does this mean?

After afew small lefts and rights with the steering wheel - the lights came back on the sat nav screen dimmed and the steering wheel went heavy...

Looking down the engine bay, i cant see oil on the engine, but its more on the under tray then anywhere else visible.

getting the car back to the garage mean taking getting it recovered - last resort as i also have a leg opp on the 22nd and i have a feeling the garage will be busy...!
 
SamUK said:
Guys, little frustrated as i did not have access to my usual car this week and was going to use my Alpina..

Last week the car was with cpc for vanos seals, headgasket work etc.

Car was driving amazing after i had collected, and started pulling like a train..

Net day i looked under the bonnet and noticed oil on the under tray - thought maybe from the work done..so washed it clean. Few days later it was back again.. C

So yesterday, was driving hard and all the sudden the power steering went heavy, and the sat nav screen turned off just as i got on the motorway. Warning lights appeared on the speedo!

Pulled up on the hard sholder - in neutral steering wheel felt fine, but when i revved the car the wheel got heavy and the lights came on on the speedo + my sat nav screen stopped working.

Decided to drive up little, and it all went ok, with the exception of the red battery light on the speedo..

Tried the car this morning, it started up but all the warning lights on the speedo were on -then the speedo stopped working, like the battery died..windows just about worked...car is on and reving fine..

Switched it off..now it wont come back on..Battery is flat...


Any idea's? CPC is closed on the weekends..so cant call them.

When you washed the oil away from the undertray, did you soak the engine bay with copious amounts of water?
It could have got somewhere it shouldn't & be the cause of your recent issues.
Regards
Click to expand...
 
Possibly..thought I was carefull.

Figured the power starring is electrical...so when battery is charged...the car starts up fine..

The red battery light is on..

All is ok, till I start using the steering wheel...this kills the battery...and requires the alternator to keep it going...

So thinking my alternator is not working...?
 
You need to put a volt meter across the battery terminals to find out what's happening with the charge rate, however that's nothing to do with the oil leak & I would return to the garage that's just worked on it.
Regards
 
Could just be a dead battery. My Zed behaved very strangely in the weeks leading up to it going dead flat. All resolved with a new battery.
 
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