Alternator problem (pics)

[Nelstar800TSi]

Just got my car back from timing belt/balance shaft removal this past weekend. She was running like a champ. Yesterday, she started to start hard. today, I need a jump to start her. Battery doesn't seem like it's charging. Battery is 6 months old. I poped the hood and found these loose wires around the alternator. There's a yellow one that comes out from the harness area, another yellow one (with the red crimp connector) coming from the power stering pump, and a blue one coming from the the middle of the wire cover. Are these affecting my alternator from charging? Where are these supposed to connect? please help and thanks.....

 

[Nelstar800TSi]

Almost forgot, theres another yellow wire not connected anywhere coming from the same place the blue on is. I'm going over my haynes manual, I can't figure this out.

 

[Nelstar800TSi]

Okay, It's freezing out there.... I checked all the alternator fuses, they are fine. If I'm not mistaken, there are only supposed to be 3 wires (2 on the harness and the 1 for the battery). I have no clue what these wires that are cut do. The blue and yellow cut wires that come from under the electric tape from the wire holder don't seem to attach anywhere to the alternator and I don't think the one on the power steering pump shouldn't attach to the alternator either. This is driving me nuts and my lack of volt meter isn't helping.

 

[Nelstar800TSi]

I'm freezing and give up. Maybe those wires don't have anything to do with the Alternator. My car runs fine after a jump and my lights don't dim or anything. I don't have a audio system at all (not even a head unit) so I can't really tell what's going on. Anyone think it can be the battery? I'm going to go to grab a cheap one really quick to test my theory....

 

[huafist]

Take it to your local auto parts store. They can check the charging system and tell you if it's working properly.

 

[Nelstar800TSi]

I put a new cheapy battery in... started right up - thank God for 24hr Meijers. the real test will be to see if it charges or holds it's charge. = I might have just bought a battery that was fully charged. It should make it to work tomorrow. I'm going to buy a volt meter tomorrow. I've read some post on it's use to check the charging system, but still a bit hazy on it. Is it 14 volts when car is off and supposed to drop when started? -or is it the other way around. I'm glad it works now, but what were those wires for.....

 

[TurboJunky]

I put a new cheapy battery in... started right up - thank God for 24hr Meijers. the real test will be to see if it charges or holds it's charge. = I might have just bought a battery that was fully charged. It should make it to work tomorrow. I'm going to buy a volt meter tomorrow. I've read some post on it's use to check the charging system, but still a bit hazy on it. Is it 14 volts when car is off and supposed to drop when started? -or is it the other way around. I'm glad it works now, but what were those wires for.....

should be the other way around. you should be showing 12ish volts when the car is off and higher when it's running. the more important numbers for your alternator are amps though. take it to an advance auto parts, they'll test it for free and let you know if it's putting out.

 

[Nelstar800TSi]

How and where do I check on the alternator? I'm thinking (and hoping) it's not the alternator becuase I know it's a pain to replace and my car was already in pieces last week (would have been nice to replace things then and cheaper). Also, it only has about 12K miles on it (factory replacement, not rebiuld). Anyways, I'd like to check... with my luck with this car and all..... This thing is going to be on ebay soon if it lets me down one more time...even for somehting petty like this. spent almost 5 grand on it in the last 6 months..... coulda bought a working, later model DSM or a new model Kia.

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

How and where do I check on the alternator? I'm thinking (and hoping) it's not the alternator becuase I know it's a pain to replace and my car was already in pieces last week (would have been nice to replace things then and cheaper). Also, it only has about 12K miles on it (factory replacement, not rebiuld). Anyways, I'd like to check... with my luck with this car and all..... This thing is going to be on ebay soon if it lets me down one more time...even for somehting petty like this. spent almost 5 grand on it in the last 6 months..... coulda bought a working, later model DSM or a new model Kia.

What do you mean how and where do you check on the alternator?
Take it to auto zone they will test it for free, it sounds like advanced will as well.
The alt is not that hard to replace, I am sure there is a faq here or vfaq.com. If not we could walk you through it. It may just be one of those wires but it is hard to tell from the pics. If you don't find the problem I can go look at my alt and see.
If you are paying other people to do your basic maintence you probably do want a very reliable vehicle, otherwise I wouldn't let this little stuff get you down. A used alt would be like $30, maybe a little more or less, The first time it might take 2 hours to do but after the first time it should take about 30 minutes to an hour.

 

[Defiant]

Get one of those $6 testers that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Easiest, cheapest first-test. Or, if you have a voltmeter, you should be about 14V with the engine running.

 

[AL92]

I just lost and alternator in my car but it had 130,000 miles on it pretty sure it was original one.Now I also changed turbo and the stock heat shield didn't bolt up so I left it off.That might have pushed it over the edge not sure.It tested ok though at first but a week or so later all lights dimmed and car ran like shot full of holes WW1 fighter plane and sort of left me stranded twice.The other day I took it to speed shop buddies shop and it looked ok at first on my palm which reads voltage but then it started diving on the voltage bad.

I got a replacement.Went with 90 amp bosch one guaranteed for 5 years on sale.They had it in stock.We did replace it on an overhead.It is only two bolts and three wires and it might look hard but its not hard at all..its cake.the one bolt can be taken out with gear wrench from top and the second nut but we lifted it and pulled back the plastic shield it was kinda broken up a bit already and didn't even have to pull the wheel so we could take the long bottom bolt up.the wires just unpug and couple unbolt.

Anyway car is running better now for sure.Not sure how long that other alt was acting up.I changed battery too as think maybe my other bat is also bad but they tested it awhile ago and it was good but who knows.it is optima yellow top and hard to test supposedly.
I got a red top optima in there now.Everything seems fine.

So don't be discouraged the alt is easy as heck to swap out.We also hacked the heck out of the lower heat shield and put what was left of it back on there.That should help keep my pretty new alt alive.

Oh and yeah some people think the alt is gone but its really the 80 or 100 amp alt fuse under the passenger side fuse panel.My fuse was fine.I did have a blown 30 amp fuse marked alt sens or something not sure what that one does have a few posts.I replaced it and didn't seem to do anything.Another thing is way loose belt.They do need to be tightened up.

I am willing to bet thought that lots of guys take perfectly good alternators back when that big alt fuse is blown.They should mention that fuse in the manuals.No mention of it in my haynes or chilton dont' think or factory little owners manual.They do mention it in the box with my new bosch alt.Stupid fuse!!

 

[AL92]

Update..today car didn't want to stay running and wouldn't idle right and was kind of doggy also.I checked my voltage and it was low..it would go higher sometimes but when put a big load on the alternator it dropped way down so its fubar.So guess when read what other people said about the bosch alternators is true.They must be junk.I just ordered a 90 amp oem one.And managed to get my money back out the parts store that sold me the bosch.Rather spend a bit more for something that will work..