So the other day when I got off work, i started my car and noticed a slight whining sound. I wasn't sure what it was, but it went away within a minute. Well, tonight i was cruising around and my radio started cutting out and my headlights were getting dim. So i pulled into a gas station to check it out. I looked at everything....didn't see or smell anything unusual. I tryed to start it again--click. So i call my friend and tell him to go to my house and get another battery out of my garage. He shows up, we change the battery, and it fired right up...The noise i heard the other day is now pretty much constant....it seems to be coming from the general area of the alternator, and when i got it home and parked, i noticed a funny smell. Is this my problem, or is there something more complex (or simple) that i'm missing?

thanks

 

sounds like a faulty alty.

Pull off the alti and have it tested. Replace if needed

 

Sounds like your alt. bearing has gone out or "burnt up" hence the smell.. It's probaly time for a replacement.. Is your battery light on? It should be because of the battery voltage dropping which means it's not charging the battery..

Replace the alt. and you should be good to go..

 

I had some whining noise and then my battery died the same day. So I installed a new battery but I can still hear the whining noise when the car sits. (It doesn't smell)

Recently I used Lucas injector cleaner/fuel treatment so may be the injectors are making that noise ?

 

injectors tick, they dont whine. Alternators whine, if the whine pitch increases with the rpms, definately is the alternator.

Get it tested and replace as needed.

 

Motorvate.ca has a writeup on that.

Quote:
"Get a long flat blade screw driver eight to ten inches long

Hold the metal part on the end of the alternator (CAUTION: do not jam anything in the alternator!)

Place your ear on the handle of the screw driver

Listen

I heard a very loud knocking sound. Then I placed the screw driver on the compressor for the air conditioning, the idler pulley and they were almost silent." End Of Quote

So according to this , the Alternator should make knocking noise

 

Mine died when I tried to jump a friends car. It also gave off a burning smell but also turned on the brake and battery lights on my dash. If both of those lights are lit, i'd say it's the alternator.

 

Test it out and let me know what you hear.

 

I tested it, but I don't hear any knocking noise. It sounds and feels like a pizoelectric kind of noise. It slightly vibrates and feels the same as the front valve cover.

I think the whining noise comes from the alternator area. May be the old belts make this sound ?

I seen a 2003 Mercedes c200 today with the same type of noise when it was accelerating after a stop. Sounds like an electric motor.

 

I tested my alt. today and here's what I came up with-test one, idling, no problem....test two, idling with headlights, radio, fan, and interior lights on--not drawing enough power. I'm gonna replace it and the belt and hopefully it's better afterwards

 

dead altys arent fun. My brothers is dying. You can jump the car, it will idle, and rev fine, headlight ok. Put it in drive, all power gone, car died and wont have enough power to start back up.

I think the alternator can be removed with out taking off the A/C, but it might be cramped. I'll post back after I change my brothers tonight.