how far can you get without an alternator??

[Petrolhead_Rich]

This was the question posed by my car today, while 65 miles from home.

Alternator decided it couldn't be bothered charging the battery!

Turned everything off and got 61 miles, then had to call the AA as voltage dropped below 7v and everything stopped!



now I'm trying to find an alternator.....

So, PH community, how far have you got when placed in this situation?

I should add that it was a vast improvement on the Volvo that did a mile before completely running out (2v!)

Thanks to the AA again!

[Petrolhead_Rich]

doogz said:

Depends entirely on the car.

Diesel engines need no spark, and generally have a mechanical fuel pump, so will run for a lot longer than a petrol with a gubbed alternator.

Ah, but the Diesel Volvo did one mile, the 2.8V6 Petrol Audi did 61 miles!!

Found an alternator now,

Thanks Matt @ GSF in Leeds for the quick phone call to get it on today's delivery!!!

[PhillipM]

A full 12 hours of driving - in a tractor with a farkorf big twin battery packs.

[Pied Piper]

I drove my Elise from Northampton to Christopher Neil in Cheshire without a working alternator, I did use two fully charged batteries.

[HAG LS1]

As far as you like on a bus or train but I wouldn't try and take one through Airport security, hope that helps.

[trackdemon]

Mondeo TDDi managed 38miles on a brand new battery, conked 200yards after exiting the M1 - could have been a LOT worse. £40 from scrapyard, self fit, job done.

[ZeeTacoe]

technically my car doesn't even need electricity to start.

Assuming I can lash a bottle of diesel to above the pump and manually disengage the stop solenoid

[wigglebottom]

In a 106 I got about 20miles, might have got a bit further but was home. The lights were very dim by this point and the wipers were going very slowly but it got there!

On a 406 diesel we got a few hundred miles coming back from Germany. We had no AA cover so wanted to make it to the boat. if we flashed anyone out of our way the speedo would shut down!.
Got to Calais only to stall at the passport control... Had to push to the boat as the French refused to tow before the carpark bit!

[RadQuinn]

wigglebottom said:

In a 106 I got about 20miles, might have got a bit further but was home. The lights were very dim by this point and the wipers were going very slowly but it got there!

On a 406 diesel we got a few hundred miles coming back from Germany. We had no AA cover so wanted to make it to the boat. if we flashed anyone out of our way the speedo would shut down!.
Got to Calais only to stall at the passport control... Had to push to the boat as the French refused to tow before the carpark bit!

One hell of a story! lol

I made it about 15 miles to a repair shop in a Chevy 4cyl when mine was dead. I really didn't want to drive it any further than that..

[Major Fallout]

doogz said:

Depends entirely on the car.

Diesel engines need no spark, and generally have a mechanical fuel pump, so will run for a lot longer than a petrol with a gubbed alternator.

8 months on the old racer, but its only running 4 trembler coils.

[Liquid Knight]

The belt slipped off my E36 320 and I drove the car home 13 miles before the car cooked itself but I drove a Triumph 2000 (Mk2) back 78 miles from Norwich without any issues.

[buggalugs]

Me and a mate bought an old J reg Audi Coupe, 2.3 5 Cylinder job from Scotland once that didn't have a working alternator - we took a couple of spare batteries with us and whenever it died we rotated the batteries and put one back on my old Primera eGT to charge. We were getting 60 mins ish off each battery... Strangely the batteries that wouldn't even keep the old Audi running would start my Nissan without too much mither... that's progress for ya, 80s tech v. 90s.

My E30 managed about 20 miles once, before it felt like the fuel pump was giving up the game and I had to pull over. Only a few miles from home

[Doniger]

Saab 93, battery warning came up on the screen. Turned off all the electrics, pointed it at the nearest Saab dealer (about 20 miles away) and in the last mile before reaching them all the remaining electric systems (ABS, traction control, PAS, airbags) flashed up warnings and turned themselves off. The engine died just as the rear wheels crossed the threshold of the forecourt. To say I was impressed with the timing is an understatement

[RDMcG]

I once drove a huge Buick 100 miles with no alternator..as everything began to dim, then the power steering began to go, and by the time I got it to the dealer I had arms like Popeye....

[ExPat2B]

I once drove a Diesel Mercedes 7.5 ton truck that melted its entire electrical system for 100 miles. The Battery exploded, I had no lights, no indicators, and no wipers. The engine and air brakes kept on working thank god.

[anonymous-user]

Doniger said:

Saab 93, battery warning came up on the screen. Turned off all the electrics, pointed it at the nearest Saab dealer (about 20 miles away) and in the last mile before reaching them all the remaining electric systems (ABS, traction control, PAS, airbags) flashed up warnings and turned themselves off. The engine died just as the rear wheels crossed the threshold of the forecourt. To say I was impressed with the timing is an understatement

Serious Apollo 13 stuff there!

[Mazdarese]

HAG LS1 said:

As far as you like on a bus or train but I wouldn't try and take one through Airport security, hope that helps.

Why would airport security be a problem without an alternator?

[Doniger]

sebdangerfield said:

Serious Apollo 13 stuff there!

Not reeeeally - I'm sure the AA would have turned up before I ran out of air.

Edited by Doniger on Wednesday 24th November 17:32

[wooooody]

I made it 30 miles in the elise at night to start a night shift at work. Had to nip home on the way past, bump started the car down the hill and rolled into the carpark just as the engine died. Phew!

[GKP]

Just under 200 miles. The light came on in the pits at Donington and home is SE Hampshire. Turned everything off (including the heater!) and ignored the rain on the A34. The wiper goes verrrry slowwwwly with no volts. I tried to use the brakes as little as possible (because of the lights) and the indicators were out of bounds.
Made it back ok and changed the alternator a few days later.