Battery Polarity Problems

[s_edwards]

Awesome, thanks for the pointers!

I had the current distributor out (that was a job and a half), and checked all of the fuses independently. They were all fine, but it was still good to know that there potentially wasn't still a blown fuse in there affecting something else that I don't know about yet.

I then moved onto the stereo - found the 10A fuse in the back which was blown and replaced that. The stereo then came back on, but it wouldn't talk to the Bose amplifier or the CD player, so I moved onto troubleshooting those.

There isn't an anti-surge fuse in the amplifier - I opened it up and checked - and the red light from the fibre optic socket on the amplifier was present, so it was getting power and probably working ok (given that the fuse in the normal fuse box blew to protect it). I wasn't getting anything for the CD4 changer though, so that then came apart and the hunt for the potential fuse was on. It's not in the main housing - it's under a small cover on the back of the unit, where all of the cables go in (just a single crosshead screw holds it on). This was blown, so I replaced it.

That done, I connected everything back up and off it went! All parts working as they were supposed to! Result on that part!

Now I'm onto what I hope is the last thing that needs to be fixed - the alternator. This is going to be a bastard of a job, I can tell. I'm into the engine compartment and I've loosened off the serpentine belt, and I'm now struggling to get the damn thing out to replace the voltage regulator. I've found a company in the UK that can supply the exact part that people on the forums said I'll need, but I really want to get the alternator out and check it first...

http://www.woodauto.com/component.aspx?Ref=VRG46444

If anyone has any bright ideas, shout!

[husker boxster]

Year and mileage on your Box? Would now be a good time to replace the serp belt while you're in there?

[s_edwards]

Hey Husker,

It's a 2004 with 54,000 miles on the clock, so I guess it's due a replacement. I'll get a new one and fit it once the alternator is back in.

Regarding the alternator, it's more than just the voltage regulator. Having looked at it closely, I've melted the coil wires that feed up to the rectifier. I sniffed the evidence of melting (aside from the 5-7mm gap in the coil cable) and it was the smell I could smell in the car immediately after the mistake. That was the one thing that I couldn't work out - the awful smell, but managed to get all but the alternator working again.

There are a few places in the UK that will do a reconditioned alternator for £95 as long as you give them your old one, so I think I'll do that...