Ok, so i was driving yesterday, all day, no problems. Last night i get in my car and i turn the key....nothing. Tried a few times and still the same. I open the door and notice the lights are all on. I use the key fob and it unlocks and locks the doors. I try again and it starts. I drive to autozone and they wont test stuff at night. I drive home and figure i'll do it tomorrow. Next morning(today) key fob unlocks my doors, i get in and turn the key...nothing. Try it a few times and still the same. I open the doors but this time the lights are VERY dim. Wont start and key fob doesn't work. For some reason i leave the key in the ON pos and all of a sudden my radio turns on and everything else too. I try and start and nothing. My friend comes and i get to jump the car, it starts. Go to drive away and it dies. Jump again and we move and it dies. Third time same thing. We push my car so i am facing down hill and i pop the clutch while moving and it takes off. I drive it all the way to autozone(3-5 miles). when i get there i'm putting up my window and the car dies. we test the batt and it says BAD BATT. We replace the batt and i ask them to test it again. The voltage tests fine. The amps were 99.6(100 amp alternator), but then it says diode: bad. They told me the diode inside the alternator must be dead, but they've never seen it say that before. the starts and runs fine.

My alternator was replaced a year ago, 2 weeks from today. it was an OEM rebuild i believe. it has a lifetime warrenty. I have 4 gauge wire from the battery to a distro. block and 8 gauge to the amps. I have a capacitor in-line with my sub amp that claims 400 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms, 800 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms. the other is a 4 channel alpine v power with 50 watts rms and 360 peak.

anyone think i have an alternator problem as well. think i should remove my cap? i'm looking for any input, recommendations.

 

If you're running that big of a system to use a cap... then the alternator could be shot. Wouldn't be the first time I've seen a alternator go bad after a year. It also doesn't help if the battery is old. Some of the problems also sound like a loose connection. If it's lifetime, get a new one to be on the safe side. You should be fine for another couple of years.

 

definetly your alternator oem is the best way to go or high output if u want.

 

get your alternator rebuilt, or at least replace it. You'll kill batteries on a weekly basis until you fix that problem.

 

the alternator was putting out 99.6 amps. thats what it should be doing. I was kinda more so leaning towards whether or not i should get rid of the cap. I know to do the big 3 but my ground is pretty solid. I've never had a feedback noise since i installed the amp. I could get thicker wire but it would be a pain in the *** cause everything i have is made for the 4 ga. and an optima batt is deff out of the question.

does anyone think that i dont need a cap? i dont want my lights to dim when the bass hits. i have an Audiobahn 8000T pushing an Alpine Type R(the new one). My other amp isn't connected to the cap but it is powering my 4 speakers. It is an Alpine V power MRP-F240.

 

start with big 3 then see whats up.

 

to quote myself..

 

bump...any advice?

 

HO alternator and get a better battery.

 

qestion how much stuff you got in ur car??

 

Def. its the alternator. If your considering buying a new one. You might as well purchase a higher output one. Heres a link to a web site that makes good alt.http://www.excessiveamperage.com/. Give them a holla.

 

before you do anything check your battery terminals for corrosion....I had a similar problem....replaced the terminals and fixed everything.

 

already answered above

i had corrosion before and cleaned the **** out of it and it has been working fine ever since. my battery and alternator are giving out the power they are suppose to. it says bad diode.

the question i really want answered is should i have a cap in my system for what i am running? details about what i'm running and where cap is located in the system is all above.

 

Sorry, just re-read your original post....a cap should not be causing the problem you are describing. I still say have the alt checked by a certified mechanic.

 

i got my new batt on fri and they told me to come back in 4 days or so to have them tested. my alt is warrentied for lifetime so if its bad i can just replace it. who knows, maybe i just got a bad rebuild. I have bad luck.