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Don't know what to do. Car won't stay on under load

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Old Nov 1, 2006 | 08:12 PM
  #1  
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Don't know what to do. Car won't stay on under load

A little long...

I went to work yesterday, car starrted right up in the morning. I was gonna go out for lunch and when i got to my car it wouldn't unlock so i use the key and notice the car needs a jump, i thought i left my lights on. I get a jump.So i think to charge up the battery i will drive it on the highway to the gas station. (10 mins) i left the car running to go in side and it shut off itself and would not start so i got another jump and drove to auto zone. They put there little machine on it and when it put a load on my car it would shut off even if i was reving it up. The machine say my 2 year old optima battery is good. They tell me its the alternator. I buy one at NAPA and just spent 4 hours putting it in myself with regular hand tools.

THE SAME THING IS HAPPENiNG!!!!

If i hit the brakes or turn on the parking lights it just shuts off.
I ran the car for 20-30 mins after i put the new alternator in.
Any kind of load on the car and it shuts off no matter how long you leave it running.

Now i have had an alternator die on me in the past and there was at least some sign it was going bad. Lights on the dash and hard starting. But this is weird even after i get it jumped it runs fine no lights on the dash then i press the brake to put it in gear and it dies.

What is the next step?
Old Nov 1, 2006 | 08:36 PM
  #2  
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Maybe it is the battery.. When I first got my max the old owner put in some remanufactured piece of crap.. when it died, I could get the car jumped and it would run, but as soon as you hit the brakes it would die, or any other load.. Maybe you just got a bad Optima?
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 03:38 AM
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bump......
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 07:12 AM
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+1.... I suspect the battery too. Sounds like a dead cell, its not taking power from the alternator.
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 07:15 AM
  #5  
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ur alternator pooped so u replaced it but when the battery got drained it prolly just couldnt take a charge....so new battery...also make sure ur belt is tensioned as well
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 07:27 AM
  #6  
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my guess is the battery, my buddy had a similar problem so its probably your next best thing to do
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 08:09 AM
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From: norcal
most likely just a bad battery
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 08:29 AM
  #8  
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Ok. I will replace that next. Its just weird becasue Its an Optima Red top thats only 3 years old.
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 08:34 AM
  #9  
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my optima red top died on me .. i know plenty others on ORG who have had bad red tops. it's a POS batery
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