Today my car wouldn't start, I jumped it, it fired up and I left.

2 or 3 times on the way to work, it sort of flickered and died for a moment when I was easing out the clutch to start going in traffic.

Once I got going, it was fine, drove 18 miles, so I'd be surprised if it was the alternator.

When I got to work, I turned it off and then tried to restart it, battery was still dead and it wouldn't start.

I'm guessing the battery is toast, but it's been running fine lately, I didn't drive it over the weekend and it got cold, nothing else happened.

 

If the battery is that dead, then yes. Keep the rev's up so the alty can put out enough current to keep the car powered up.

Get the battery replaced asap.

 

UPDATE

the problem was the battery terminal itself had corroded a bit, then weakened, then broke. So, it was barely connected, and as such really wasn't getting any juice from the alternator.

Over the summer, I had to replace the bolt that keeps the terminal tight on the battery, I had to bend the terminal apart to accomplish this. I am guessing that bending, and the fact the car has 180k+ just weakened it to where it broke.

the terminal fell apart when I took it off the battery last night to get the battery tested.

It's probably been somewhat disconnected for a while, but sitting for two days was too much.

So, in conclusion, I bought a universal battery terminal, bought some heavy duty wire cutters, and hooked everthing back up.
It's started 3 times already and will most likely be fine, despite the auto parts store saying I had to replace the battery.....whatever....

 

no need to replace, you found the problem.

 

Like Max said you seem to have found the problem..sounded like the alternator in the OP but you found the culprit sounds like you should be a ok

 

I am going to keep updating this thread just to prove those guys at the auto parts store are....full of ****.....new battery...pshh..

let's see how long I can drive on my "shot" battery

 

the alternator "should" be able to power the car w/o any problems.. basically what is happening is that the battery is probably putting a load on the alternator and that isnt good... i just finished my dads car the alternator went bad... i replaced it and turn the car on and immediately the new alternator gets hotter than the africa.. what do i find? the battery it self took out the alternator.

the battery ALWAYS showed 14.3 volts untill you started to run the car, all of a sudden it dropped to 10...

so in conclusion bad battery killed the starter... so change ur battery...

 

i agree. at least test the battery. and fwiw a new batt with 850CCAs is like 40 bucks. throw the old one on the work bench and use it for random tests and such that's i what i always end up doing.

 

you are one dumb sob


;-)

 

I would like to know what type batt you are using that puts out 14.3 volts. Any auto parts store top of the line battery will range between 12.80-13.50 volts strait off the shelf. Your alt. will put out 14+ volts if in good working order or new. Anything above 14.6 from the alt. isnt good for the car unless you are in baja or have a high wattage system.

 

no wai....

I'm wicked smaht....

and mai cah is still stahtin' and runnin'

 

Failed batterys can read higher surface charges than normal. Thats why when checking a battery you should always eliminate the surface charge.

The point I'm making is, bad batteries don't always read low voltage, sometimes they can read excessivly high voltage.

Obiously the battery he had was no good.

 

sorry my bad.. i meant 12... basically what was happening was that when i turned the car on with a new alternator it would drop to like 10... then i put another battery in with the car on it it showed 14 right away..

if you tested the battery with a dmm it showed 12...

 

I thought a light on the dash showing the battery was a guarantee alternator problem. Do you mean to say, there were no battery light on to begin with?

 

i had the same problem with the battery terminal...and my battery was bad at the same time. it ended up fawking up my alternator within a month

 

who are you asking?

I had no battery light

 

my battery died finally, it died, then I got it tested, it just said recharge and test...it was ok for a few more days...then it got cold and it died again.

I just got a new battery, it's not been starting great, but I think my fuel filter needs to be changed and it's been snowing

 

if BOTH the brake and battery lights are on at the same time, then its a guaranteed alternator problem