Back from the body shop and won't start

[jordan0527]

Yestrday I picked up my 90 from a local body shop that I used to trust. I finally decided of get all the little dings, scratches, and dents taken out of the car, which wasn't cheap since there were many. So I pick up the truck, which looks fantastic, and the battery light is quickly flickering on and off. Of course, I call the owner of the body shop who claims that the battery warning light had been flickering for a couple of days when he moved the car around, but he claims that he didn't cause the problem.

This morning I went to start it up and it's dead. The truck has around 37K miles on it and I've never had any electrical problems during the two years that I've owned it. I'm pretty sure that the hood and both fenders were removed while at the body shop, and it looks like they cleaned the engine bay as well. Could it be a coincidence that my alternator went bad while spending a week at the body shop, or could they have loosened the alternator belt? Or something else?

I'm not exactly "handy" when it comes to auto repairs, so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

[Red90]

Yes, alternator.

Check all connections, charge battery and see if it still flickers.

If so, go to an auto electrical shop and have the alternator tested. If you were handy, I sugest to fix it yourself, but you say not.

[Paul Davis]

If you have a 97 you don't have a separate alternator belt, only one serpentine belt. Was the light flashing or flickering? I have been told if the light is flashing then the computer is diagnosing codes whereas flickering might be something like a transient charging problem.

[jordan0527]

The light was flickering...kind of a moot point now since the truck won't start. I'll have it towed to my mechanic on Monday. Hopefully it's a bad connection somewhere...otherwise I've been told a new alternator is around $700 installed. I love my two Rovers!

[Red90]

Just charge the battery or boost it. No need to waste money on a tow.

You can get a new alternator much cheaper. See the link below $210. Quick and easy to install. Don't waste your money on mechanics....

http://www.d-90.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11245&highlight=alternator

[pendy]

Maybe they had the battery disconected and did not get the cable back on tight. Try that first and recharge the battery.

Rover owners need to learn to be proactive. Even if they can afford to have the work done. It adds to the experience. Positively

JP

[Shake]

I don't suppose you had them detail it, and they used a Pressure Washer?

[cgalpin]

He said it looked like they cleaned the engine bay. Spray wire-dry or something like it on the coil and other electrical components and jump it.

charles

[Shake]

He said it looked like they cleaned the engine bay. Spray wire-dry or something like it on the coil and other electrical components and jump it.

charlesYup. Missed that. Well, when I had body work done on mine I had them detail it. (Don't think it was washed for 12 years) I told them not to touch the engine bay though, I hand cleaned that - LUCK) Drove it away after that and had all kinds of electrical weird stuff going on. Blown bulbs etc. Then I read the board and found out that pressure washing a D isn't really smart. Blasted water into all the tiny, not so water tight, places.

Might have shorted some connections. My little mistake cost me about $600. The truck looked awesome sitting there though :)

If I didn't suspect the stuff was already fryed I'd suggest WD-40. Apparently it's a water repellant too. But the truck is probably already dry by now.

[Hans]

If I didn't suspect the stuff was already fryed I'd suggest WD-40. Apparently it's a water repellant too. But the truck is probably already dry by now.

Just some silly trivia;

Water displacement was actually it's original, intended purpose. W.ater D.isplcement forumula #40, and was developed for the space program. Employee's said "this makes good lubricant too!", and away it went.

[mpsteil]

That is great trivia. I cant believe I had never heard that before. Thanks Hans.
http://www.wd40.com/AboutUs/our_history.html
Mike

[jordan0527]

Thanks for all of the replies. Funny this thread turned into the history of WD-40 :)

Anyway, my mechanic told me that after several tests it turned out to be a bad alternator. Could be a coincidence that it went bad while at the body shop for a week...who knows. Another $700 later and it's finally running and looking great for the first time since I bought it a couple years ago.