Alternator/Battery Problems On 2000 LS1(Detailed story)
11-19-2010, 11:39 PM
#1
Alternator/Battery Problems On 2000 LS1(Detailed story) I have been having problems all day with my battery on my car. Today around noon i went outside to start up my car to go get my paycheck. I turned the key and it cranked really slow and it felt like it wasnt going to start. I turned the key off immediately for about 5-10 seconds and turned the key again, It cranked really slowly and finally fired up. I went to pick up my paycheck then to the bank to pay some stuff, went outside and the car started up perfectly fine.
Well later i went to Walmart then i went to go get a haircut, went inside for about 30 mins, got my hair cut, then i go outside towards my car and i noticed i left the damn fog lights on(after market fog lights). I got in my car and sure enough My battery is dead. I called my Brother and he came and helped me jump start it with jumper cables. I went home parked it and went inside my house and just chilled. This was around 3:30pm. At around 7:00pm i decided to leave and go for a cruise. Car started up perfectly fine, No problems there.
Well i was at the hang out spot chillin wit some of my friends. We were there for about an hour and it was fukin cold outside so we all decided to go bust a cruise. All my friends fired up their cars and when i got to fire my car up, The battery is dead. Wont start up. My friend had to give me jumper cables and started the car, well we went for a cruise busted a lap around town and came back to the hang out. I looked at my battery guage and noticed its on the red about 10 volts and my car is ideling lower than usual. I turned the car off and tried to start it and sure enough, nothing! My buddy jump started it again and this time The battery guage is way lower, and my "Service Vehicle" light came on.
I decided its time to go home before things get worse, so i put the car in drive and left. When i was driving all the lights in my car were going crazy, It looked like i had strobe lights installed in my car lol. I decided to go to my friends house which was closer than my house and connect my battery to the charger. Well I finally made it to his house running on the alternator only i think. I stopped the car and let it idle for a little bit and the car finally shut off on its own. I connected the battery to the charger and let it charge for an hour. I drove my car home and i noticed the battery gauge is showing 13 volts, but slowly going down, and when i stop, the battery gauge goes down, when i give the car gas the gauge goes up to 13 volts. I have the car charing right now on a slow charge, I gotta get up at 6AM tomorrow and be at work by 7AM So i need my car to start. If i have to i might call in a little late and go by autozone and get a new battery.
Pretty much it doesnt feel like my alternator is even charging my battery at all. I dont know what to do. Is changing the alternator easy? What do you guys think?
Well later i went to Walmart then i went to go get a haircut, went inside for about 30 mins, got my hair cut, then i go outside towards my car and i noticed i left the damn fog lights on(after market fog lights). I got in my car and sure enough My battery is dead. I called my Brother and he came and helped me jump start it with jumper cables. I went home parked it and went inside my house and just chilled. This was around 3:30pm. At around 7:00pm i decided to leave and go for a cruise. Car started up perfectly fine, No problems there.
Well i was at the hang out spot chillin wit some of my friends. We were there for about an hour and it was fukin cold outside so we all decided to go bust a cruise. All my friends fired up their cars and when i got to fire my car up, The battery is dead. Wont start up. My friend had to give me jumper cables and started the car, well we went for a cruise busted a lap around town and came back to the hang out. I looked at my battery guage and noticed its on the red about 10 volts and my car is ideling lower than usual. I turned the car off and tried to start it and sure enough, nothing! My buddy jump started it again and this time The battery guage is way lower, and my "Service Vehicle" light came on.
I decided its time to go home before things get worse, so i put the car in drive and left. When i was driving all the lights in my car were going crazy, It looked like i had strobe lights installed in my car lol. I decided to go to my friends house which was closer than my house and connect my battery to the charger. Well I finally made it to his house running on the alternator only i think. I stopped the car and let it idle for a little bit and the car finally shut off on its own. I connected the battery to the charger and let it charge for an hour. I drove my car home and i noticed the battery gauge is showing 13 volts, but slowly going down, and when i stop, the battery gauge goes down, when i give the car gas the gauge goes up to 13 volts. I have the car charing right now on a slow charge, I gotta get up at 6AM tomorrow and be at work by 7AM So i need my car to start. If i have to i might call in a little late and go by autozone and get a new battery.
Pretty much it doesnt feel like my alternator is even charging my battery at all. I dont know what to do. Is changing the alternator easy? What do you guys think?
11-20-2010, 04:35 AM
#4
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How old is the battery?... How old is the alternator?... If you can manage to get to an autozone, ask them if they can plug in and check for the codes your throwing.
11-20-2010, 10:48 AM
#7
There's a couple things you know from your story.
1. The battery will take a charge.
2. The alternator isn't working because every time you drive the battery discharges, and system voltage isn't being regulated.
I would look into repairing the alternator, or charging wiring, and get your battery back on a charger in the mean time. It can take 12 hours to recharge a dead battery. That's why it keeps going dead on you so quickly with the really short charges you've been doing. Cranking batteries in your car DO NOT like to be discharged. You can take 50% life off the battery with a deep discharge, or kill it altogether if the plates have time to sulfate. You can have your battery load tested to see if it can deliver rated current and voltage over time. If it can't then it will feel weak and need to be replaced sooner or later.
1. The battery will take a charge.
2. The alternator isn't working because every time you drive the battery discharges, and system voltage isn't being regulated.
I would look into repairing the alternator, or charging wiring, and get your battery back on a charger in the mean time. It can take 12 hours to recharge a dead battery. That's why it keeps going dead on you so quickly with the really short charges you've been doing. Cranking batteries in your car DO NOT like to be discharged. You can take 50% life off the battery with a deep discharge, or kill it altogether if the plates have time to sulfate. You can have your battery load tested to see if it can deliver rated current and voltage over time. If it can't then it will feel weak and need to be replaced sooner or later.
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11-20-2010, 05:49 PM
#9
Ok went to autozone today, got the battery tested and it said bad battery, Then got the alternator tested and it showed Good Regulating, bad diodes. What are diodes? Any way i got a new battery from warranty on the old one, connected it up and still voltage is dropping to the red 
...Its gotta be the alternator, As soon as my voltage drops i hear a whinning sound like something is stressing out(possibly alternator idk.) I think im gonna hit up the junk yard and install a 99-03 truck alternator 145 amp if i can find one. Thanks for all the help guys i really appreciate it 
...Its gotta be the alternator, As soon as my voltage drops i hear a whinning sound like something is stressing out(possibly alternator idk.) I think im gonna hit up the junk yard and install a 99-03 truck alternator 145 amp if i can find one. Thanks for all the help guys i really appreciate it
11-21-2010, 03:18 AM
#12
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Charging 101
Your alt produces AC or alternating current , your cars electrical sys requires DC or direct current, a diode turns or rectifies AC into DC. More than one diode is called a rectifier pack. Keep in mind that your alts job is to keep the batt charged, the batts job is to run the cars electronics, either can take out the other. A bad diode is what gave you the disco lights. I just did the truck alt mod to my 99 and love it, pm me for more info.
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Your alt produces AC or alternating current , your cars electrical sys requires DC or direct current, a diode turns or rectifies AC into DC. More than one diode is called a rectifier pack. Keep in mind that your alts job is to keep the batt charged, the batts job is to run the cars electronics, either can take out the other. A bad diode is what gave you the disco lights. I just did the truck alt mod to my 99 and love it, pm me for more info.
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Last edited by Anthony Williams; 11-21-2010 at 05:58 PM.
11-22-2010, 03:26 PM
#15
Ok guys i picked up the Alternator today for 70 bucks from a salvage yard. Its out of an 03 Suburban, has the 4 pin plug in 145 AMPs. The guy gave me a 1 year warranty on it and didnt charge me any kind of core fee, he just said to bring them the old one when i get it off. To be honest i think my old one is a heavier duty alt. then a regular F-body alt.-105 AMP. My car is a B4C used to be a colorado highway patrol car, so im pretty sure its bigger than 105 amps, since it had to power all the electrical gadgets,Strobes, radios, scanners, sirens, etc. I might just keep it and get it rebuilt later down the road.
Im going to switch them out tomorrow Since im off work. Im off pretty much the whole rest of the week after today for the Holiday.
Im going to switch them out tomorrow Since im off work. Im off pretty much the whole rest of the week after today for the Holiday.
11-22-2010, 06:21 PM
#16
The alternator charges batteries and provides power for vehicle electrical. The only purpose of the battery is to provide energy storage to start the engine and temporarily supplements when the alternator output is exceeded. An alternator will not be ruined by a discharged battery. The alternator can run 100% output continuously for many thousands of hours.
11-22-2010, 10:32 PM
#17
The alternator charges batteries and provides power for vehicle electrical. The only purpose of the battery is to provide energy storage to start the engine and temporarily supplements when the alternator output is exceeded. An alternator will not be ruined by a discharged battery. The alternator can run 100% output continuously for many thousands of hours.
Im going to change it out tomorrow since im off, just hope it isnt really cold outside since i dont have a garage or shop.
11-22-2010, 11:16 PM
#18
Be sure to disconnect the battery before you touch anything. The alternator is tied directly to battery so if you short it to ground there will be a lot of sparks, damage, and maybe fire. Best practice is to disconnect the battery B- cable (black cable to the battery negative post). The rest of the job is just nuts and bolts. You'll do great. 
11-22-2010, 11:54 PM
#19
Yea i hope i remember that step lol. If i dont come back on here, It probobly means im fried up and in ashes under my car hahaha. Hopefully i can get it done and over with man, I hate driving around with no stereo on, havin to rev up my motor when i come to a stop, and having to keep one eye on the road, and the other eye on the damn battery guage! It cant be as hard as doing a Header install lol, that was a pain in the ***!
11-23-2010, 12:18 AM
#20
Ok guys i just went outside to look at my alternator, I should of figured! Lately my power steering has been acting up making noise. Well i looked at my alternator with a light and its soaked with fluid, possibly ps fluid! > Is that probobly what killed it?
Is that probobly what killed it?