1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: HELP! Mini drawing 17+volts at idle

  1. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    #15 Tummi_Gummi, Mar 8, 2013
    Spent the night changing the alternator. it wasnt too bad of a job. Got her all put back together and started and volts were at 14.3 on idle. :) Drove her about 10 miles around town and had absolutely no problems. So I suppose the alternator was bad and that was my problem cause the new one seemed to fix everything,
     
  2. Gramps

    Gramps Active Member

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    #5 Gramps, Mar 6, 2013
  3. LoLowe

    LoLowe New Member

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    #7 LoLowe, Mar 6, 2013
    Nathan you are correct most of the time if it is over charging I would look at the altenator regulator, as the defective item.
     
  4. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    #2 Jason Montague, Mar 5, 2013
    :cornut: You're over my head but I'll 'BUMP' your post.:cornut:

    Jason
     
  5. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    #3 Tummi_Gummi, Mar 5, 2013
    Thanks, perhaps you know if these relays are in the right order? I remember moving them around and I didnt notice until today that one has a different number.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    #4 Jason Montague, Mar 5, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2013
    :cornut: No Sir, I don't know but, you might just send a PM to k-huevo. He used to have a thread on MA. I haven't seen anything from him lately though. He is a professional MINI tech/mechanic par excellence down TX way in a little town outside of San Antonio. I don't know of anyone who has more hands on experience will ALL MINI systems then he does.:Thumbsup:

    Jason

    PS I just tried to send him a PM and his name doesn't come up on the list anymore. Sorry
     
  7. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #6 Nathan, Mar 6, 2013
    Doesn't the alternator have a built in Voltage Regulator?

    Possibly that went south...
     
  8. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    #8 Tummi_Gummi, Mar 6, 2013
    Thanks guys for your replies! Now I am not so sure if it is the voltage regulator. This morning when I went out there to check on it again the battery was at 8.5volts when i do remember a clear 12.5 last night before i left it for the night. So Something is drawing the power when the car is off and then shorting it out when the car is on. Sounds like a ground is contacting a positive connection somewhere. I have no idea what caused it, I just remember this all happened after I got on it so maybe that shook something loose?
     
  9. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    #9 Tummi_Gummi, Mar 6, 2013
    I jumped the car, and it had 3 codes. 1 for the 1st o2 sensor said current fault, then another for speed sensor, current fault and then the last one was also powertrain and something about catalyst below threshhold. So I know the 1st o2 was from the melted wiring, and the cat is hollowed out now so definitely why the 3rd code. But the speed sensor?? Why is the speed sensor having issues? it actually worked fine when I drove it around, so I reset the code and drove it again and it was fine. Code did not come back. That jumper box up front where all the power cables plug in together is melted and gone. I touched that when I turned the car on about 10 seconds into it idling and it already was able to burn your skin. This is getting way too hot. So I am going to replace this box, and then replace that bst switch thing in the trunk.
     
  10. grodenglaive

    grodenglaive New Member

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    #10 grodenglaive, Mar 6, 2013
    That sounds pretty messed up, could be a short as you say - that would cause a lot of errors. Good luck with the fix.:fingerscrossed:
     
  11. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    #11 Tummi_Gummi, Mar 7, 2013
    I replaced the battery and the mini still reads 18.5v at idle. All of the cars internal computer systems are going hay wire until I flip on the headlights and the blower fan to max and the volts drops to 15.5 then everything acts normal. That wire at the jumper box up front is still extremely hot.
     
  12. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #12 Nathan, Mar 7, 2013
    I'd think you have a short someplace.
     
  13. Angib

    Angib New Member

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    #13 Angib, Mar 7, 2013
    Bad eggs means massively overcharging the battery (as you already know), so I second the alternator voltage regulator suggestion. I can't see the car's BCU or other systems causing this - though clearly they don't like the result.

    In the tail end of the bad ole days of Communism, I was driving a hire car (Polski-Fiat) in Gdansk that did this but it was only when we got to traffic that we could smell the bad eggs. By the time we pulled over and opened the bonnet/hood, the battery casing was beginning to bulge its sides from the heat....
     
  14. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    #14 Tummi_Gummi, Mar 7, 2013
    Im just trying to figure out why getting on it would cause my alternator voltage regulator to fail fi thats what happened. If the negative cable on the battery came off while driving the car and u got on it would the alternator not be able to read the voltage of the battery and put out max volts then overheat itself and screw itself up? The optima battery boiled
     
  15. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    #16 ScottinBend, Mar 8, 2013
    Getting it on and this problem are probably not related, just a coincidence.
     
  16. LoLowe

    LoLowe New Member

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    #17 LoLowe, Mar 8, 2013
    Was going to say the voltage regulator will also drain the battery too so that would cause the next morning problem. And high voltage would cause the wierd codes to set, sometimes. Glad replacing Alt. fixed the problem..