Hello there chaps,

So I was recently mucking around with some accessory electrics, installed by the previous owner, trying to make head or tail of a number of relays they had fitted making a hell of a chatter whenever I wanted to use my full beams, and many single-coloured wires disappearing into the depths.

Whilst fiddling around with these using much trial, error, blown fuses and very little sense; I notice that when I'm running the engine my alternator has begun making a very unnerving whining sound, and the charge has plummeted to 11.5v. Now I replaced the alternator and battery 6 months ago and it has been running perfectly up until this moment.

I've thought of the possibility of the pulley/belt being out of alignment and causing the bearings to make the whining noise, as I know that's a common issue, and if the added resistance would cause the alternator to struggle charging?. But I thought that it would be odd to have coincided with my other electrical issues so suddenly, as it's never been an issue before now.

So I ask, have I knackered my alternator with my experimentation, or is it a simple fix that's staring me in the face?

 

After 30 seconds to a minute of running there's a bit of light smoking coming from underneath the exhaust manifold area, I believe from the starter motor, I cut the engine before investigating too deeply for obvious reasons.

So after removing the offending accessories and relays from the circuit, the stressed alternator whine also disappears. So I am ruling out pulley misalignment. However; there is a further development. I now have a click from the starter relay once or twice a second, and and unsettling crunch noise from the starter motor as it kicks in time with the relay. Additionally the battery is still under-charging, oscillating between 11.5 and 12.4, also in time with the relay activating.

So what gives? It seems like the starter is drawing additional charge intermittently for some reason and my battery warning light seems to be unaware of any issues. And these new symptoms are replaced with the old ones when I reconnect everything.

I have tried running a new exciter wire to the alternator, a new wire from alternator to starter, a new ground from the alternator. I've done voltage drop tests but it's impossible to get a steady reading with the voltage oscillating so wildly.

Running out of ideas very quickly, anything offered is greatly appreciated

 

Sounds like you have the starter getting a signal or a short that is powering the starter motor and it’s attempting to engage.