Hi there,
I have a question about my Opel Astra G 2001 hatchback 1.6 16 valve Ecotec (General Motors product)
I have fitted a NEW battery and NEW alternator and the charging voltage is still under 14, sometimes it's 12.9 but never above that. The voltage regulator is built into the generator, this is also new.
I have fitted the correct size battery and alternator according to the specs from the factory. Even fitted an extra earth cable directly from the battery to a clean spot on the chassis, next step is to directly fit an earth cable to the generator to see if that helps... Fuses are OK. Fan belt is new, under tension and everything.
I have basic car knowledge but this really confuses me. Might the ECU be faulty for not allowing it to charge at 13-14 volts? Cant think of anything else. I might add, with the new generator it charges at a higher voltage then the old one, the old generator charged at 12v max. Under load the voltage drops to 11,9-12,5 Volts Max.
Sick of using a jump pack every time. Starter is also in good condition. Local garage tells me to leave it and just drive with radio etc off, which I cannot accept as a reasonable solution!
Thank you so much in advance,
-V
Your local garage probably just doesn't want to deal with a 24-year-old car. From their point of view once you start digging into a car that old it can quickly get into territory where the shop charges exceed the car's value.
You mentioned dealing with grounds but have you checked your positive cable and its connections?
That car was not sold in the U.S. so most of us have no experience with it. (The Saab 9-3 was based on the Astra but used the Triumph-derived Saab engine rather than the GM Ecotec.) I don't know if the ECU in your car controls charging or not. Probably not if the alternator has a built-in voltage regulator. A repair manual should have that information, as well as normal charging voltage. (General rule of thumb is 13.5 to 14.5 volts.)
It is not unusual for new parts to be bad. You might want to have the alternator tested off the car. (At least in the U.S. most parts stores can do this.)
