Hi all, looking for some suggestions (or confirmation!) about a problem my sons Mini One 1.4D is experiencing. Symptoms are:

Recently he had a couple occasions when the electrical system would fail completely and without warning, but the fault was very random and infrequent. However, yesterday he parked it on the drive and went back out to it about 10 minutes later and it would not start - nothing, battery was flat. I connected jump leads to it from my car and we couldn't get it to jump either - whilst the ignition lights came on they were flashing on and off and and we couldn't get the engine to turn - just the solenoid click.

I noticed the battery casing was very warm and we replaced it today with a brand new Bosch Silver. The car fired immediately and we assumed that was it. He let it run and switched off, and went to go out in it about 20 minutes later -again the car wouldn't start, no ignition lights or anything.

On this occasion I noticed a slight electrical burning smell, opened the bonnet and noticed the alternator was very hot - so much so it was hot enough to burn. I immediately disconnected the battery (which was warm on the casing) and we've left it.

I'm assuming the fault is a short, and that it is likely to be the alternator but he's short on money and the Mini alternator is VERY expensive so am hoping for anybody who can confirm this assumption, either from experience or knowledge, before I encourage him to spend his hard earned (bearing in mid he's already spent on the new battery!) on a new alternator?

What you think - all the symptoms of a broken alternator or could it be something else?

Edited by steveatesh on 04/07/2010 at 20:23