Car died have question about battery
07-19-2006, 05:06 PM
#1
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South FLORIDA
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car died have question about battery To make a long story short, the car just died on me on saturday and I was told it was the alternator. Replaced the alternator, car started fine and ran for 2 mins before it died again. So i charged the battery and it also ran fine for about 10 mins then I saw my Battery gauge start dropping see pic....
Later my battery was completly dead, so i bought a new battery. SO now I have a new alternator and battery. I started the car and the gauge still reads low (see pic) I have aftermarket gauges so i dont remember if the warning level is the same for a stock gauge and the aftermarket one. However it seemed to hold its position right where it shows in the pic, after i drove it for about 15 mins where as before it droped down to 8 and died! Is this a normal reading or is my car reading low still and what can it be? Its driving me insane!!
Later my battery was completly dead, so i bought a new battery. SO now I have a new alternator and battery. I started the car and the gauge still reads low (see pic) I have aftermarket gauges so i dont remember if the warning level is the same for a stock gauge and the aftermarket one. However it seemed to hold its position right where it shows in the pic, after i drove it for about 15 mins where as before it droped down to 8 and died! Is this a normal reading or is my car reading low still and what can it be? Its driving me insane!!
07-19-2006, 06:41 PM
#2
TECH Resident
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmm I had the same problem, but I got a new alternator and battery and that seemed to fix it.
I had to get both new because when I drove I wouldnt let it run very long before I left, so it was messing up because I didnt give it time to warm up and charge everything.
Now I let my car run for a good 5-10 mins before I go anywhere, havent had a prob since
I had to get both new because when I drove I wouldnt let it run very long before I left, so it was messing up because I didnt give it time to warm up and charge everything.
Now I let my car run for a good 5-10 mins before I go anywhere, havent had a prob since
07-19-2006, 11:40 PM
#3
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Albany, GA
Posts: 749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When you turn on the key, does the speedometer and tachometer max out then return to zero along with zeroing out the trip meter? It might be a problem with the wiring in your starting or charging system; possibly corrosion.
Last edited by Marc '99T/A; 07-19-2006 at 11:47 PM.
07-20-2006, 03:06 PM
#4
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South FLORIDA
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When I start the car gauges do jump like you are saying. The trip returns to 0! Car will start and run great for maybe 10 mins then the battery meter slowely gets lower and lower. 
I am going to check the wire going from the battery to the alternator now... Be back when i do!
I am going to check the wire going from the battery to the alternator now... Be back when i do! Last edited by Cobra2WS6; 07-20-2006 at 03:45 PM.
07-20-2006, 03:44 PM
#7
I agree. Check the alternator. Replacement alternators seem to have about a 50% failure rate for some reason, it's terrible.
A fully charged battery will carry the car for a little while until it dies even if the alternator is bad.
A bad alternator will not properly charge the battery.
A bad battery will put extra load on the alternator which can cause it to overheat/overwork and fail.
Even if you find the alternator is the problem - if your battery was more than a couple years old I would go ahead and keep it, but get it charged fast. Letting a battery stay at full discharge is bad for it.
A fully charged battery will carry the car for a little while until it dies even if the alternator is bad.
A bad alternator will not properly charge the battery.
A bad battery will put extra load on the alternator which can cause it to overheat/overwork and fail.
Even if you find the alternator is the problem - if your battery was more than a couple years old I would go ahead and keep it, but get it charged fast. Letting a battery stay at full discharge is bad for it.
Trending Topics
07-20-2006, 04:27 PM
#10
TECH Senior Member
Just low voltage if it's sweeping/resetting at start up - if the battery is new (and assuming it's good) take another look at the alternator. My buddy went through a couple "rebulit" alternators from autocrap parts stores until he sprung for a new GM one.
07-20-2006, 05:38 PM
#11
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South FLORIDA
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well i tried running a new wire from the battery to the alternator and did nothing, by the time i tried starting the car after twho times it was almost dead! So I guess its time to rip the alternator out and have it tested!
07-20-2006, 06:35 PM
#13
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Albany, GA
Posts: 749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trust me, I had the same problem. My alternator was good. Yours probably is also, espically since you've already replaced it. My problem was corrosion in the wiring. Check the wiring!!!
07-20-2006, 07:52 PM
#14
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South FLORIDA
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got the alternator at NAPA, What I did was grabbed like a 10g wire I had lying around and ran it from the alternator to the positive battery terminal and the car did nothing different. Is that a good enough way to test the wire like you guys are saying? The other wire is still inplace
07-21-2006, 12:38 PM
#15
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South FLORIDA
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well i took the alternator to discount auto to have it tested and it was completly dead! So I had to order a new one through NAPA and it wont be here till tomorrow. So hopefully everything will be ok now
07-22-2006, 01:16 PM
#17
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South FLORIDA
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WOW the nightmare contiunues!!! Ok so I bought a new alternator and had it tested before i had it installed, and came back good. Installed the new alternator and the car does the same thing. Now I know it has to be a wire problem somewhere. I tired a new wire from the battery to alternator and it did nothing as well. Is there any kind of regulator that can be bad? Also When i re-ran the wire from the alternator to battery all i did was have a friend touch the positive terminal on the battery and I wrapped the other end around the nut on the back of the alternator. That should be enough to test it right? Any thoughts???? HELPP!
07-23-2006, 10:35 PM
#20
TECH Resident
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Cobra2WS6
Wow this really sucks...
DUDE THE SAME **** IS HAPPENING TO ME NOW
I just got a brand new alt + battery like 2 weeks ago!
Fkin car just died. My father had to use his subaru to tow it back to my house.
Taking my alternator out AGAIN tomorrow and throwing it back in that d-bags face. Im so pissed at my car right now. Is it me or does the firebird/trans am series have THE MOST problems electrically? This is insane.
Is your car fixed? What did you do?