Would a seized alternator hinder the motor's ability to turn over?

[supergoat]

I was driving home yesterday and my electrical power slowly faded out. Then the car died. After I came to a stop I noticed that my radio, lights and all other electrical goodies came back to life. So I had battery power. I try to crank it and the engine refuses to turn over even a full rotation.

Now since the car died while I was driving it I'm certain it's not the starter. I put a new battery in..well a spare one I had here but it was full charged, and the engine cranked over maybe 1/2 a rotation, a little more willingly too. So I figure the lack of alternator power drained the battery in the car some.

Obviously it seems like my alternator went out which is why the car died, but if it's seized would it cause so much of a load on the engine that the starter could not turn the engine over a full rotation?

It's icy, snowy and rainy outside so I haven't taken a very good look into the car yet. Any opinions on this? need more detail?

 

[44pirate]

If the Alt seized.In a word yes.

 

[Enigma_Man]

Easy way to see if the alternator is seized:

1) get a friend.
2) pop the hood
3) have friend try and start the car
4) watch to see if the alternator is seized.

It's easy! When the weather improves, give it a shot, and it'll answer all your questions right away.

I can imagine that a seized alternator, if your belts are all nice and taught could possibly cause hard starting... but it's unlikely.

-Jesse

 

[Coldandafraid]

the engine is connected to the alt by a belt... so if the alt will not spin, the belt wont move, so the engine cant turn against the friction. Same thing happened to me when my water pump seized, but it seized on the highway, and the belt just squeeled, and melted, and fell off, and I kept driving....

 

[supergoat]

OK, I removed the belt(it warmed up outside) and tried starting the car. No dice.

But I tested my battery and the one I thought was fulley charged is not. So I now have two dying batteries. Now neither of them even attempt to crank the motor over.

So I have a friend on the way and I'm going to try and jump my car...or in a sense run my engine off of his battery since my alt. belt is now removed. So that will tell me what I need to know hopefully.

On a good note I have a spare alt. I can install temporarily until I buy a new one. But I still need someone to jump my car.

 

[Coldandafraid]

hmm.. that may not work... its hard to start a VERY dead battery by just boosting it with another car, let alone, a car with a dead battery and no alt. And with no Alt going, you will be running the fuel pump, and stuff just by the battery from the other car...

With the Alt belt off, does the alt wheel spin at all?

Seized or not, it sounds like for some reason the Alt isnt charging the battery anymore. If you are able, I wold say slap in the spare Alt, and get the old one bench tested to determine if thats the problem.

 

[supergoat]

Welp, just got done installing my spare alt. into my car and she is alive again!!!!!!

And holy crap that was easy. Also, I never really thought about how a dying alt. can effect performance. It must have been dying for a while because with the "new" alternator in there my low end power has improved and over all throttle responce and pickup has gotten much better. I was very surprised when I went on my test drive. But then my dead alt. looked pretty nasty. My coil pack must be getting the voltage it needs to be happy now.