Is this my alternator?

[meliketoball]

Hey guys, recently I fixed my water leak and I guess after every other problem I fix, another one comes along.

Anyway, I have a 2gb GST with 192,xxx miles on the original motor. My problem is that my battery died. As I was driving the gauges were going psycho and there was a major loss of power. This morning I went to start my car and didn't have power at all. I thought this was strange because I bought a brand new 100 dollar fresh battery. So, I took it out and popped in my old one. It started and drove.

I drove it to school and back fine then I left it sitting for maybe 3-4 hours. I go back in for a cruise in downtown and as I turn the car on, I notice the gauge cluster lights and my gauge lights are dimmer then usual. I take it my eyes acting up and drive off.

When I exited the freeway and stopped at a stoplight, the tachometer and speedometer just dropped to ZERO! The car was still on and so I gave it a few revs and back it was again.

I drive off and was wondering why it did that. I put in my old battery, which was still good by the way, and left me wondering.

I turn off the car and try to start it again; no luck. The starter just clicked.

Before, I fixed my water leak, I cleaned the engine bay with brake cleaner and sprayed everywhere. Of course, I covered all the electric related parts but not the ALTERNATOR!

I sprayed the alternator..and after when I start my car, I get a little odd rumble/vibration between 750-900 RPM thinking it being my exhaust manifold because I replaced the gasket.



So, I sprayed brake cleaner on the alternator.. Did that kill my alternator? It is the original 192,xxx from day one. As I struggled to drive home, the car was attemping to commit suicide by just shutting down but, I kept it alive by revving it over and over again and as I drove off from a stop, the car would totally lose power.

I am guessing that the alternator just died from the brake cleaner and that is what killed my battery (headlights and foglights in the day, radio playing and just driving the car.) And that when I tried to drive off the motor was running with it dead and trying to work against the alternator belt and leaving me with a pretty bad idle when start. (200-500 RPM)

Does that seem to be an alternator failure? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks for reading my long post.

 

[absolute_DSM]

192k on the original alternator? Damn.

With those symptoms, sounds like you made a safe diagnosis. Go to a parts store if you arent sure enough and have them test it.

But I can be sure its alternator related.

 

[meliketoball]

192k on the original alternator? Damn.

With those symptoms, sounds like you made a safe diagnosis. Go to a parts store if you arent sure enough and have them test it.

But I can be sure its alternator related.

Yeah the guy I bought the car from didn't really give a rats ass about it and didn't know anything.

But yeah, thanks for reading my post; the trip home was sure a fun one; felt like a game.

 

[absolute_DSM]

felt like a game.

I know, its like a time attack on Forza.

 

[DKneble]

Hopefully your race was during the day at least...I had to drive mine up I95 at nite with the headlights on when that happened to me.

Dave

 

[meliketoball]

Hopefully your race was during the day at least...I had to drive mine up I95 at nite with the headlights on when that happened to me.

Dave

Actually mine was at night as well and my lights were as dim as hell! Anyone else put some input before I take off my alternator? I looked at my alternator fuse, the 100 amp one, and is it supposed to be on really tight? Mine is like super glued on and I don't wanna pry at it.

And what does PITA mean?

 

[snowborder714]

PITA = pain in the ass