alternator gone bad?????

[ELMACHOGERACHO]

i just got done doing the three free air intake mods, as well as installing a k&n air filter, and when i went to start my car, nothin happened. all of the lights that come on when the key is in the on position went off, but theres no clicking like if it was the starter. any advice? 92 talon tsi awd

 

[Jetblack]

Make sure the terminals on the battery are tight, that they don't move if you turn them and also clean no build up.

 

[ELMACHOGERACHO]

did that and it didnt work. now sometimes it clicks when i try and start it and sometimes it doesnt. WTF?!?!?!!?!?!

 

[hewhoisknot]

jump it, start it, the pull the neg terminal off the battery, if it dies then ur alt is dead... who long did u let it sit that the battery is dead too?

 

[92awddsm]

Check the signal wire to the starter. It is the smaller of the 2. Ive seen them wiggle loose and cause the problems you are having. Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[ELMACHOGERACHO]

where is that starter located?

 

[johnh]

it is located directly underneath the intake manifold. it's a real pain to get to but try jumpering 12V straight to the solenoid. make sure it is in neutral. if it turns over, you know it is not the starter.

 

[RamenPride]

jump it, start it, the pull the neg terminal off the battery, if it dies then ur alt is dead... who long did u let it sit that the battery is dead too?

try jumpstarting it first. don't pull the negative terminal off of the battery while it's running though; not a good idea.

it may be the wire going to the solenoid coming loose as was mentioned before, or just a bad solenoid.

 

[prodsm]

which solonoid are we talking about?

I think i have the same problem, could you specify the
soloniod, where it is located and how to fix it.


Thanks

 

[ELMACHOGERACHO]

i think i figured out the problem, i have dying battery. i let it charge off another car and it started fine but aftr i turned the car off the bettery slowly lost power. i was thinkin about getttin an optima yellow top. are those good?

 

[Jetblack]

Bring the battery to the local auto parts store for testing. If it tests good then your alternator is probably shot. I now have an extra alternator just in case mines goes again.

 

[RamenPride]

I now have an extra alternator just in case mines goes again.

so do I. I'm on my 3rd one

 

[ELMACHOGERACHO]

are alternators that bad on dsms or what? i do think its the battery cuz aftr i let the car warm up then turn it off, the dash lights start to dim.

 

[realhp=turbo]

dude your alt is toast, accept it and buy a new one. The only way that a battery can go bad is if it is overcharged. That happens when the voltage regulator goes. In older vehicles you can get away with replacing just the vr and not the alt. But in the new vehicles, its built in to the alt. Its most likely time to now replace both the bat, and the alt. I know that my time is coming too. Ever since I bought my GST Ive had a power steering leak and my alt. has been slathered in ps fluid. So far no related problems but Im waiting. electrical problems suck ass

 

[leakyfaucet]

The only way that a battery can go bad is if it is overcharged.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that's the only way.

 

[PlayerZ]

let the car sit and check batt voltage it should be close to 12.6 and if a batt sits un charged for a little while a cell can die, and if it dies and gets charged alot will kill it (boilover) my freinds 99 gst just had this problem and replaced the battery and fixed it. if the batt voltage is ok then check it when its running it should be close to 14.4, if it reads lower like 13.8 have a load test done on the batt because it can have the right voltage but not make enough amps to run the car these cars will not run well if either one is bad. if a load test is good then check the alt. if you get a optima they used to make a 1000 thats what i got i think the biggest starting battery the have now is a 950 cold cranking amps. its a blue top( not a deep cycle marine batt) not the 900m. a problem with the battery can put alot of stress on the alt and make it go bad.

 

[Jimmy Jr.]

I've gone through 3 alternators and now the one i have is dying again. It's the voltage regulator and I can always tell when the thing is ready to die. First the battery and brake lights start to flicker and that means i have about 500-1000 miles before the alternator is going to die for good. The voltage reading on the afc randomly goes from 12.0 to 15 sometimes 17 volts and I adjust my electrical devices accordingly. If the reading is 14.0 - 14.6 I do nothing but if it goes over that I turn on the headlights and it will drop down a little. If the reading is lower than 13.8 I turn something off to make it go back up. It's like driving freaking Apollo 13 down the road. Eventually the regulator dies and the voltage will just steadily drop down until it reaches about 8.5 volts when things slowly die on their own. Like the radio will go off and then lights will start flashing and doors unlocking and locking. Then the gauges stop working and the car starts misfiring. And finally around 7.5 volts the afc turns off and the car officially get fubar. Then it dies. All that is while driving down the highway too.

 

[RamenPride]

Eventually the regulator dies and the voltage will just steadily drop down until it reaches about 8.5 volts when things slowly die on their own.

or the exact opposite happens with too many volts and you blow fuses and fry electrical components