Bad alt or some sort of short?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 19
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From: MD
Bad alt or some sort of short? Ok heres the deal, car has been fine up until around last Sunday. Voltage meter would sit at around 13 and randomly drop to 11(no lower) and check gauges would pop on. Sometimes it would shoot back up to 13, others it would sit and bounce between 11-13, and by bounce I mean it would be at around 11 until I would accelerate above 2500(from what I noticed), it would push back up to 13.
Today I noticed the car was at around 9 when I started it, tried starting and had nothing(no clicks etc), waited a second and tried again, few turns and it started. Drove it up the street with it sitting at around 8, hit the top of the road and lost power to the radio and gauges. Backed down the road and had the gauges pop back on, still no radio and let it run in the driveway where I looked for bad connections etc. Battery was slowly draining while idling, more lights popping on the dash(ABS, TCS off, and then airbag) before I lost the gauges again and the motor was finally having issues idling and died(Volt still read at 8). It all points to the alt from what I can tell, but I am wondering if there could be a short causing this issues.
Today I noticed the car was at around 9 when I started it, tried starting and had nothing(no clicks etc), waited a second and tried again, few turns and it started. Drove it up the street with it sitting at around 8, hit the top of the road and lost power to the radio and gauges. Backed down the road and had the gauges pop back on, still no radio and let it run in the driveway where I looked for bad connections etc. Battery was slowly draining while idling, more lights popping on the dash(ABS, TCS off, and then airbag) before I lost the gauges again and the motor was finally having issues idling and died(Volt still read at 8). It all points to the alt from what I can tell, but I am wondering if there could be a short causing this issues.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: N. FL
There could be a short, but it's likely you have a bad alternator and a bad battery. At very least, get the battery recharged(before installing any new alternator) and have the alt tested off the car at at least 1 auto parts store you trust has knowledgeable people.
Ditto. When my alternator was on its way out, I also noticed that the exciter wire to goes the regulator was pretty charred. I went to pull the connector and the wire came apart. Definitely cheap insurance.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 19
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From: MD
Swapped out the alt and she ran well for a few days, now I have another issue. When starting the car it sounds like a relay is causing the starter to not fully start, it turns over but with intermittent clicking that is not the starter. Tuesday it wouldn't even get power to the starter, tried a few times and finally it got some power and turned over(no idea why) No problems till tonight, no power to the starter again. This time, no luck at all and had to push start it to get it home. After it was back, attempted to start again and obviously nothing. Is late so I don't feel like checking too much, but any ideas what it could be besides a bad fuse, relay or short? Just for reference the battery is good and starter is very strong.
What should be my plan of action, work my way from the battery, check fuses and under the dash?
What should be my plan of action, work my way from the battery, check fuses and under the dash?
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TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,708
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From: N. FL
Right off, I'm thinking the battery. Then again, I thought that before due to the alternator issue. Maybe not, but that's my 1st guess and beware, if it is that, your alternator was/is truly over-working and you need to get that battery replaced ASAP or you'll kill that fresh alt.
Other than possibly a problem in the ignition switch itself, there isn't much left. Wiring or the starter. My guess is the starter, even if it was working fine a day ago. Electric stuff really has no shelf life and can be good now and bad... now. I'd get that off the car and tested right along with the battery.
Other than possibly a problem in the ignition switch itself, there isn't much left. Wiring or the starter. My guess is the starter, even if it was working fine a day ago. Electric stuff really has no shelf life and can be good now and bad... now. I'd get that off the car and tested right along with the battery.
pos I parked my 2000 camaro a few weeks ago and charged the battery for 4 hours while I was finishing up some little projects and negative has been undone for a while and charging was done with a spare bolt in the negative hole and was not hooked up to car, volt meter checked out good etc, finally attempt to start and nothing but a solid click and then slow click (not the rapid low battery click) interior dash lights eventually go nuts (flashing) and speedo and tach go crazy as well! Didn't continue to investigate because I had been thrashing on car all damn day and I called it quits, so I am hoping someone has experienced the same thing and would give me some good feedback on this scenario...
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: N. FL
Have a true load test done on the battery, alternator and starter, OFF the car, starting with the battery. If they all check out good, you probably also have a bad ground. You may clear that issue during re-installation of each part. Cables also go bad, so check 'em as you go.
Have a true load test done on the battery, alternator and starter, OFF the car, starting with the battery. If they all check out good, you probably also have a bad ground. You may clear that issue during re-installation of each part. Cables also go bad, so check 'em as you go.
Corrosion can lead to a bad ground... all to common. You're quite welcome. Glad you found the problem. 