I have a 95-850T that the battery light stays on regardless if the key is in the ignition or not. there is also a drain on the battery, and the car will fire only every couple of revolutions with a fully charged battery. The alternator is bad and I was about to take it in to get it replaced, but now it will not run.All of the dash warning lights were on dim and flickering before this, and the shop verifyed that it was the alternator, but had to order one, so drove it home waiting for the new alternator.Is the alternator causing the drain and no start condition? or is there more problems surfacing coincidentally?

 

I'd put my money on the alternator. However, you'll need to fully charge your battery (if it hasn't been damaged by undercharging) to get your vehicle back to the garage to have the new alternator installed.

Goodluck!!

 

The shop tested the battery, and it checked good, they charged it for the test, then charged it some more so my daughter could get home. I put a full charge on it last night. It turns over fine, but just hits every once in a while. May disconnect and insulate the alternator wires and see what that does. If it cranks then I will know for sure the alternator is the root of the problem.

 

Looking at the schematic it has to be a bad overload relay. It is relay number 106 although sometimes those relays are only marked with "J". The one that powers the field coil on the alternator is the middle one of the three "J" relays.

...Lee

 

Overload relay checked good, disconnected alternator completely, now battery light is not on with key off or out of ignition. Still will not start, hits every once in a while. Pulled plugs, good fire. Fuel pump control relay working. Pump cuts on when depressing schader valve on fuel rail, fuel sprays out. Dumped small amount of gas down intake pipe past air flow sensor, still nothing. will check for pulse to injectors tommorow. Know alternator is bad heard brushes screaching the day before it totally quit. All of the sudden it started charging again though. Replacing anyway if I can get it to crank, alternator should not have anything to do with cranking if battery is fully charged.

 

Apparently the injectors were flooding it, pulled all of the connectors, getting steady 12 volts between the prongs on all connectorswith key on, but not cranking over engine. Shouldn't there be no voltage on these until engine is turning over? left them off and turned engine over several times, almost started then died, plugged connectors back in, and with a cloud of smoke and a hearty Hi'Yo Silver it cranked. Seems to have a slight skip that you can feel. pulled injector power one by one and #3 made very little difference. Clogged injector? Checked resistance on coils all the same.

 

I know now why nobody says "that great Swedish Engineering" Pulled the alternator today, would have been easier pulling the motor. After removing about half the motor got it out. The shop that was going to charge me $100 (which I didn't think was bad) to change the alternator plus parts would have lost their butts!

 

Pulling an alternator in an 850 is fun....ain't it?? <grin>