alternator or battery

[big ives]

while driving the other day the lights on the dash started to come on one at a time and stayed on, the wipers slowed down and disco went into limp mode, so i thought it was the alternator.

to check i replaced the battery and tested across the new battery terminals with disco running 14.2v so it appeared the alternator was ok.

today the problem re-apperared, this time i checked the alternator connections etc and also found it was covered in engine oil, i can't see where this oil is comimg from, anybody help? i read some time ago this was a problem on disco td5 but can't find the thread again.

i cleaned the oil off alternator and when running the engine i am only getting 7.7v across the battery, so it looks like the alternators dead? is there any other tests i can do? can the alternator be reconditioned?..................................many thanks ivan

[Range Rover Blues]

Any alternator can be rebuilt, for a price. It's possible the oil is stopping ot working properly and a good clean might sort it out before you spend any money.

[bushwhacker]

Hi ya Ivan.

Hope you get your TD5 sorted, but would the 90 not be better in these Artic conditions.

[M&S]

You can recondition the alternator. It has a vacuum pump mounted to the front of it (easily removed but leave it with the alternator when taking it in for reconditioning) I wonder if this is how the oil is getting into the alternator?

The alternator can be rebuilt. Paid £50 for my last one. If I could find the brushes myself I'd rebuild my "spare" but no joy so far

The symptoms you mention are indicative of a flat battery (all dash lights come on as ABS, TC, SRS etc all shut down) then the speedo and tacho go off, and then all the lights die. At this stage it's hit or miss if the engine keeps going. Mine did once for 30 miles. Second time around it died within 3 miles

I suspect that 7.7v is what's left in the battery and that the alternator is actually giving out zero? Mine changed from zero to 14.8V then zero, then 14.8v for a few days before completely giving up.

[Tone_F]

I agree with M&S, new battery required, engine oil is probably a coincidental symptom of something else- check if oil filter is (hand) tightly fitted