Car trouble, need answer ASAP!
08-18-2006, 03:44 AM
#1
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 593
Car trouble, need answer ASAP!
First of all i have a 91 se auto. ok here is the deal, last week when I went to put gas, the car wouldn't start...so I immediately thought that it's a dead battery. I cranked it probably about 5 times to see if it would start up again but no avail, then got it jumped started, took it home and bought a new battery. question is, is cranking the engine that many times harmful? yes it might of been stupid of me but just wanted to see if it would start up again. When i went to crank it, it went click click click, tick tick tick. well, more trouble on the way, about four days later on my way home from work in the morning the anti lock brake light stayed on and noticed that the speedometer lights aren't as bright and the dimmer is set to the max. Then all of a sudden, whenever im stopped at a red light, the rpm's would fluctuate up and down around 1k, and it sounded like the engine wanted to die, so I decided to make a right into this store parking lot, then the worst happened...the steering wheel was very very jerky, very hard to turn and all the dash lights came on, so i shut off the car and it wouldn't start up again, it just makes the tick tick tick click click noise. couple of questions..before jumpstarting car, did cranking the car 5 different times to see if it would start up again did major damage to the engine? What could the problem be, alternator, starter? (the current battery is new, only 3 days old. any sugguestions would be appreciated.. the car is currently sitting in a store parking lot.
08-18-2006, 06:10 AM
#3
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Posts: 593
Originally Posted by internetautomar
have you even popped your hood??
I'm gonna go with siezed alternator and bad belts for $150
I'm gonna go with siezed alternator and bad belts for $150
08-18-2006, 08:12 AM
#4
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Posts: n/a
a bad alternator. And if you went to advance, I know all the local ones to me ask if its a bad battery or a bad alternator when ever they sell you a battery. Not sure about napa and autozone.
You can go to advance and Azone and maybe napa and get the alternator checked in car. Thats your problem though.
~Alex
You can go to advance and Azone and maybe napa and get the alternator checked in car. Thats your problem though.
~Alex
08-18-2006, 09:42 AM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 563
Check all your connections ect. you probabaly didn't hurt anything by trying to start it, as long as you weren't just holding it for a long time while it was clicking, low voltage starts are hard on the starter but it takes alot to kill it..Definatly your alternator though.
08-18-2006, 10:43 AM
#7
The brake light came on because of the alternator. I had an identical problem about 8 months ago, you will need a new one. Get the car running and use a voltmeter/multimeter to check the voltage accross the battery, if the alternator works it should be around 14V.
If you want to do the replacement yourself, its fairly simple but get some goggles so falling dirt doesnt get in your eyes:
get under the front right part of the car after you have it safely supported
take off the plastic panel
unplug cables from the alternator
note the position of the belt tensioner and loosen it
remove the bolts holding the alternator and take it off
once you have the new one just do all this backwards
If you want to do the replacement yourself, its fairly simple but get some goggles so falling dirt doesnt get in your eyes:
get under the front right part of the car after you have it safely supported
take off the plastic panel
unplug cables from the alternator
note the position of the belt tensioner and loosen it
remove the bolts holding the alternator and take it off
once you have the new one just do all this backwards
08-18-2006, 10:46 AM
#8
BTW not being mechanically inclined is a good reason to do this yourself 
Its an easy replacement, you will feel good about yourself once the car starts working correctly after YOU personally put in the work, and you will learn about the functionality of the car.
Its an easy replacement, you will feel good about yourself once the car starts working correctly after YOU personally put in the work, and you will learn about the functionality of the car.
08-18-2006, 11:01 AM
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 118
If you're from around my area bring it to Auto Zone if you can, we check that. Not really the greatest machine cuz all it really checks is the diode. The bench test (taking it off the vehicle) is the best way to test it there. The machine inside tests a little more than the portable one. But I agree with everyone else, I'm leaning towards that being your problem.
08-18-2006, 01:32 PM
#10
Originally Posted by klown_phreak
If you're from around my area bring it to Auto Zone if you can, we check that. Not really the greatest machine cuz all it really checks is the diode. The bench test (taking it off the vehicle) is the best way to test it there. The machine inside tests a little more than the portable one. But I agree with everyone else, I'm leaning towards that being your problem.
it didn't pass the mechanic driving it back home test though.
08-18-2006, 01:34 PM
#11
Originally Posted by internetautomar
The last alternator I replaced, passed the bench test and the Diode test.
it didn't pass the mechanic driving it back home test though.
it didn't pass the mechanic driving it back home test though.
404: Mechanic not found..
08-18-2006, 02:49 PM
#16
Originally Posted by MyGreenMax94
Oh...I thought you meant you..
AZ alternator FTL!
08-18-2006, 02:58 PM
#17
Originally Posted by internetautomar
I knew it was bad, but he didn't believe me, he saw the light show while driving back with me. never did make it back to the house, just turned it right around back to the shop.
AZ alternator FTL!
AZ alternator FTL!
I would rather take my luck with a low mile used oem one....
08-18-2006, 04:05 PM
#18
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 118
Originally Posted by MyGreenMax94
Yeah,i will NEVER buy another az/advance alty again...I am on my second advance alty,the first one lasted about 8 months,the second one is still on the car[about 1 1/2 yrs now] but the main bearing is grinding like crazy now...
I would rather take my luck with a low mile used oem one....
I would rather take my luck with a low mile used oem one....
Hey I never said to buy one from Auto Zone, hell I don't buy ANYTHING electrical there. I REFUSE. Only thing I buy is accessories cuz I get 20% discount.
08-18-2006, 04:14 PM
#19
Originally Posted by klown_phreak
Hey I never said to buy one from Auto Zone, hell I don't buy ANYTHING electrical there. I REFUSE. Only thing I buy is accessories cuz I get 20% discount.
Settle down beavis..
I never said you said anything..I was just reinforcing the fact that az/advance alty's are crap..
I wasn't even talking to you....
08-18-2006, 04:35 PM
#21
Originally Posted by klown_phreak
Hey I never said to buy one from Auto Zone, hell I don't buy ANYTHING electrical there. I REFUSE. Only thing I buy is accessories cuz I get 20% discount.
08-18-2006, 06:10 PM
#23
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Okc 405
Posts: 999
lolz i had that very same problem when i had my 91 se 5 speed it is the alternator even though by now i may sound stupid for saying the same thing but i had the very exact thing happen to me one day going home from work. juz my 2 cents
08-19-2006, 07:41 PM
#26
Originally Posted by klown_phreak
Someone ALWAYS gets the good deals 
lol
lolthe owner of the NAPA I'm at doesn't pay much but the discount is cool.
Don't need it though. NAPA handles so little of what I want
08-20-2006, 04:21 PM
#28
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Bellevue, WA
Posts: 702
Originally Posted by maxima2k2
the drainage started happening approximately 2 weeks after the shop replaced all the belts and front axle.
08-20-2006, 05:23 PM
#29
Originally Posted by 92 Max
Check the alternator belt. They may have overtightened it and burned up the bearings. You should be able to take the longest span of the belt, under the car, press on it with a firm pressure and get about an inch of flex in the belt. If it feels like a steel band without play, they overtightened it. That's how I lost my water pump.
08-21-2006, 11:25 AM
#31
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Location: Bellevue, WA
Posts: 702
Yes, I don't have the FSM in front of me for the exact spec. My point was that there should be some give in the belt when pressed and if there isn't then that can ruin the alternator bearings. I bring this up because of the belt replacement mentioned.
08-25-2006, 08:05 AM
#32
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 593
well, the mechanics at a local autobody shop can't seem to find out the problem. Battery is still draining, after driving the car with it fully charged, it usually drains within 2-3 days and doesn't start up after that.
09-04-2006, 06:19 AM
#33
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2
an easy way to check the alternator is to get a digital multimeter and check the voltage at the battery. with the engine running it should be somewhere around 14 volts. turn on the electrical accessories (headlights, radio, etc.). if the voltage drops somewhere below 13 volts (not sure about this value but it should not drop all that much) I would suspect a faulty alternator. it's an easy install. I did mine last summer. it took about 2 hours and thats only because i had to take some metal off of the mount point on the alternator (was too fat and wouldn't fit between the mount on the engine.) good luck.
also, like the guys said, check the belt and make sure it is not too lose or too tight.
btw. i'm selling mine's for $700 email me for details.
also, like the guys said, check the belt and make sure it is not too lose or too tight.
btw. i'm selling mine's for $700 email me for details.
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