My car's battery keeps dying... Alternator?
02-09-2010, 03:07 AM
#1
My car's battery keeps dying... Alternator? I feel like a noob and I'm not even sure if this is the right section, but i'm sure it'll be moved to the right place if it isn't. I've talked to friends and other car guys, but now i'm reaching out to you guys.
Anyway, my car runs fine and has only the slightest charging problem, but that's from the u/d pulley Ive got installed.
My real problem is that when it rains, my car drives fine,... UNTIL I shut her off. As I walk away and hit the alarm It sounds like the horn is under water...a sure sign of a dying battery, right? If i walk back to it, it wont start. It acts like the battery is dead. The gauges or needles never go crazy while i'm driving it in the rain either, which would make me think alternator. But the gauges go nuts after I try to start it after the funny horn honk.
If I get a jump, the car is fine. And it drives fine too. This all happened again last friday night after work (5am). After I got the jump start and drove home, i never had the problem again....even after driving an hour in the pouring rain.
This whole thing has happened twice now. The first time was in Dec. when I went to see the Lakers play and i slammed my under carriage on a mound in a parking lot. Could I have slammed my alt.?
Do you guys think I messed up my alternator? Is the inner voltage regulator damaged? I can't be worried about being stranded or that my car wont start if its raining.
Let the brain storming begin....
Anyway, my car runs fine and has only the slightest charging problem, but that's from the u/d pulley Ive got installed.
My real problem is that when it rains, my car drives fine,... UNTIL I shut her off. As I walk away and hit the alarm It sounds like the horn is under water...a sure sign of a dying battery, right? If i walk back to it, it wont start. It acts like the battery is dead. The gauges or needles never go crazy while i'm driving it in the rain either, which would make me think alternator. But the gauges go nuts after I try to start it after the funny horn honk.
If I get a jump, the car is fine. And it drives fine too. This all happened again last friday night after work (5am). After I got the jump start and drove home, i never had the problem again....even after driving an hour in the pouring rain.
This whole thing has happened twice now. The first time was in Dec. when I went to see the Lakers play and i slammed my under carriage on a mound in a parking lot. Could I have slammed my alt.?
Do you guys think I messed up my alternator? Is the inner voltage regulator damaged? I can't be worried about being stranded or that my car wont start if its raining.
Let the brain storming begin....
02-09-2010, 03:21 AM
#3
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Did you make sure that everything is tight and no loose connections? It does sound like the alternator is on its way out. First thing i would do is take a meter to the alternator when its running and see what your getting. How old is the battery? Could possibly be a bad battery too.
02-09-2010, 03:42 AM
#6
Here's the thing fellas, Once the cars up and running its 100% fine. No draining or anything else. It only happens on rainy days. That's why I attribute it to the rain and the alternator's distance to the ground. I was told a little while ago that my battery is fine and charges well. The rain shouldn't have any effect on the alt. either....since we've all got it in the same place.
The battery is an Interstate "Megatron" and its probably over 3 years old. (Ive had the car 3 years now)
No start up issues or running issues....UNLESS it was raining.
I guess i'll just have to check the alt on a rainy day.
The battery is an Interstate "Megatron" and its probably over 3 years old. (Ive had the car 3 years now)
No start up issues or running issues....UNLESS it was raining.
I guess i'll just have to check the alt on a rainy day.
02-09-2010, 08:11 AM
#7
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+1 on a battery Sommer. My buddies Malibu will hold a charge for a few days then go down. Battery solved it. If the battery won't take the recharge from the alternator it will just go down over a short time. I bet the rain is just coincidence.
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02-09-2010, 08:13 AM
#8
Here's the thing fellas, Once the cars up and running its 100% fine. No draining or anything else. It only happens on rainy days. That's why I attribute it to the rain and the alternator's distance to the ground. I was told a little while ago that my battery is fine and charges well. The rain shouldn't have any effect on the alt. either....since we've all got it in the same place.
The battery is an Interstate "Megatron" and its probably over 3 years old. (Ive had the car 3 years now)
No start up issues or running issues....UNLESS it was raining.
I guess i'll just have to check the alt on a rainy day.
The battery is an Interstate "Megatron" and its probably over 3 years old. (Ive had the car 3 years now)
No start up issues or running issues....UNLESS it was raining.
I guess i'll just have to check the alt on a rainy day.
02-09-2010, 09:59 AM
#9
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It all can be tested on the car. My alt is acting up lately by squeeling like a bad bearing and stopped. does it only in the rain. Mine is 10yrs old tho-so im looking into a new one and upgrade my ground wires/cables along with the starter cables.
02-09-2010, 10:32 AM
#11
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I always preferred checking the battery out of the vehicle, as they also get charged during testing this way. If its not bad, you've got a fully topped off battery. Alternator load testing can be done on the car as well, but you're also fighting the car's other systems to get a useful reading. Bench testing will also eliminate any other issues that could be on the car side (bad circuit, short, electrical drain) that may skew your results
