alternator problems I think...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 16
How can I test the alternator if its good, because my battery went dead, and I thought that was the cause so I bought a new one. But now this battery has gone bad to after a week. So now I'm thinking it’s the alternator but I don’t have a Voltmeter to tested, is there another way of knowing if its good?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 313
Not really. If the lights on your car get brighter and dimmer as you increase or decrease the revs on your car it could be symptomatic of the alternator playing up. Take it to a good auto shop and they might test it for free (especially if you get the repair work done there).
When the alternator died on my Max, the lights went all electrics went, no power steeering and no ignition. Not a good look on the Freeway
Brent
When the alternator died on my Max, the lights went all electrics went, no power steeering and no ignition. Not a good look on the Freeway
Brent
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,004
well looks like i have the same exact prooblemhappen to me today too.... i havent bought a new battery, but i think its the chargind system or bad alternator. my voltage count at idle was 11.4 and it should have been around 13-14. my mechanic wanted 18 bucks just to check it, so i said screw it and im gonna look it over with my dad, and se what we find, he thinks its the alternator too from our phone conversation.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 16
Thanks on the advise, I took it to a shop and the reading at idle was 14.3 volts, so the charging system was OK. They say that a good alternator has to read 13 to 14 volts on idle , so the problem was battery related, the good thing was that the battery had 2 years of free replacement so I took it to the store and change it, problem solve… I hope
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 236
for any one else
to test alternators, start car let it warm, shut off all accessorys, not engine, then disconnect the battery while running if the car stalls it means that the alternator is not running your car it is your battery. When you start your car and when the engine is not on is the only time you use the battery(except some stereo systems), after the car is started the alternator takes over and recharges the battery. When or if the car stalls with the battery disconected take your alternator out and bring it to auto zone they will test it for free
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post