Alternator? Car dead, Help me out.

[fat pat]

I was driving last night, car started up fine innitially, then lator i noticed my lights had dulled very considerably(my boost gauge and dash were basically black) so i decided to test by turning the car off and trying to start it again. It didnt crank at all, so i got a jump. It jumped and started again. I tried driving around a little bit to get some power back into the battery, but i noticed if i booked it, and got into boost, the car would stumble, buck, and really wouldnt get over 3 grand. It died again, had my mom come out and jump me and it started once more. On the way back home, it died one more time, and wouldnt jump, everything connected right, car wouldnt turn over, or even crank. We pushed it home, and now its outside. Im thinking its the alternator, any other ideas? The car ran fine up until this point, then suddenly, BLAOW, wont start.

 

[luv2rallye]

Alternator.

 

[FASTSPOOLINGST]

I thought it was my alternator when that happened to me, so i bought a new one, it did it again. So i had my battery checked....and although it was brand new, not even a week old, it was dead as a door knob. They gave me a new one at the "Zone" So take instead of wasting money like i did. Take both out of your car and take both of them to your local store that will test both and then you will see which it is.

 

[CurtTSI]

I would take the battery out and test it first. That's easy to do. Removing the alternator is a bit more complicated. Do the easy stuff first.

If it were me, I would just charge the battery and then start the car. Measure battery terminal voltage before starting and while the engine is running. If voltage decreases, after engine has started, rather than increasing, the alternator is toast. BTW, I have a new, not rebuilt, Mitsubishi alternator (MD136839), that I would sell you for $65. These things cost over $250 at the dealer and about $100 exchange for a rebuilt one.

 

[ThUnDaKaT85]

well, alternators are only 75 at the Zone with core return. and theyre not that hard to take out, took me less than 30 minutes. take out the fan on that side(10mm), unscrew the bolt that hold on the adjustment bracket(12mm *i think*), then unscrew the big long bolt on the bottom(14 or 17mm). unplug/unbolt all the wires and your done. but space is tight, so you wont be able to use socket wrench, youll have to use crescent wrenchs(gear crescent wrench works best).

 

[bnpimpn]

i swapped my alternator in and out about 6 times...its pretty easy...takes about 1/2 hour to an hour the first time...but after that it becomes like a 10-15 min job max haha. Best thing to do would be like the guy mentioned above take both the battery and alternator out, and get both tested....but make sure the people that test the stuff know what there doing. I found that my leaky high pressure power steering hose, was the cause to my alternator problems. Also check your grounds. PM me if u have questions about alternator Or power steering hose removal & installation.

 

[fat pat]

curt, pm sent

 

[1stGENracer]

Battery, or just corrosion on the terminals can cause this. Clean off the battery terminals real good, put them back on and try jumping it again. If it doesn't jump right away try moving th cables around a bit, and make sure your getting good connection. If it still doesn't seem to charge after that then go on to the battery, and then the alternator.

I've had many problems like this before with a lot of my cars, and most of the time it just turned out to be loose, or corroded battery terminals.