Alternator still good or what?

[FullthrottleGST]

so my alternator shitted on me yesterday(battery light came on while I was on the freeway). I had a spare used one laying around so I swapped it out(battery light is off now). I started the car and then disconnected the power cable, the car dies. I assumed that alternator was bad too. so I removed it today and had it tested at a local parts store. everything on their test passed. the person there told me that someone or something mustve have bypassed whatever it is that makes the car die when I remove the battery cable.

so my question is...is he right? is this normal? is my alternator still good? because I know the car isn't suppose to die when u remove the power cable since the alternator will keep it running. I've driven on this alternator for 3+ hours now and battery is not dead.

 

[BrokenTsi]

Removing the battery cable is not the best way to test an alternator. Load testing it with the engine running at autozone, midas, or whoever is really the only correct way of doing it. Some cars just require the battery and some cars shut off as a safety mechanism. Yanking off a battery cable is a good way to burn out some electrical components. If you drove 3 hrs, and the car still starts, then I would say that you're good to go.

 

[FullthrottleGST]

ohhkay...thats what I wanted to here, thanks! I actually went to autozone to have it tested while the alternator is in the car but they were short on people inside the store, so they couldn't come outside and test it.

 

[luv2rallye]

Read here about auto chain store alt testing: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?p=151176838#post151176923