do I need an alternator?

[stephen_gst]

Ok, so the other night I was driving next to my friends subie and we got pulled over, nothingnunusual in my town cause the cops are jerks. But my battery has died in the car many, many times before and so from sitting for 25 minutes while the car was on, I was listening to low music and then my radio shut aff and my lights went dim, and I knew battery died again but I didn't want to rev the car whike the cop was still there to try and charge the battery. As I'm leaving once the cop lets me and my friend go, my car barely wanted to move and my headlight tirned off, I barely made it to a parking lot I could see from the spot I was pulled over, I had to lave the car at the place overnight, jumped it in the mprnig and it started, did on a 2 minute ride from the parking lot to autozone, I bought a new battery and then it worked for a bit and then started happening again. I also noticed that my srs light will ppp on once I feel the car losig plwer and then the battery light will pop up too. I think its my alternator but I'm not sure. help!

 

[Rs AWD]

there is a 80 or 100amp fuse the runs to the alt, make sure that isn't blown first.

 

[Mr_YuK]

easiest way to test would be to start your car then unhook the battery. If your alt. is good, your car should stay running. or

take it to an auto parts store and have them test it.

good luck .

 

[boost97gst]

If your fuse is good then your alt is shot. Cant believe even the autozone guy didnt check it before selling you the battery? Get an alt

 

[99ECLIPSEGSXDSM]

easiest way to test would be to start your car then unhook the battery. If your alt. is good, your car should stay running. or

Yeah... Don't do this.

Don't Disconnect the Battery with the Engine Running

 

[5150DSM]

Quick and dirty test is to throw a multimeter on the battery with the car running... Charge voltage should be in the 13.9-14.3 range much outside of that and I would suspect a bad alternator.

 

[RamenPride]

easiest way to test would be to start your car then unhook the battery. If your alt. is good, your car should stay running.

DO NOT DO THIS! You can easily fry your ECU among other things.

You have a new battery, but if the problem is still there then it is most likely your alternator. Also, someone mentioned to check your fusible links. Also check your grounds and connections.

 

[lons99gsx]

Yeah, borrow or buy a cheap multimeter and test voltage at the bat while at idle. If its under 13 volts then you most likely need an alternator. Check the main fuses as suggested and make sure the belt and crank pulley are ok. Also make sure the bat terminals and grounds are good. Good luck!

 

[99ECLIPSEGSXDSM]

I'd get your alternator tested out and if its bad (which it probably is) I'd contact miller imports for a good OEM one. I've had mine rebuilt and have bought advance/autozone alternators and they don't last very long. I swapped alternators out 3 times during one summer because they just don't cut it.

 

[91Bomb]

Easiest way for sure is getting a cheap voltmeter and see what it reads with car running. If it doesn't show 13.5-14.xx check connections and that 80 amp alt fuse. (A good Battery with no alt current reads 12.2-12.8)

Keep in mind aftermarket alts form places like pepboys have been know to cause these cars problems so think about having your mitsu rebuilt.

Definitely keep voltmeter in car because sooner or later again you'll need to do some voltage checking and it's the quickest way to know what's going on.

 

[YUPOK]

I think it's most likely the alternator but that is just my opinion. Check out the other things posted above those are all legitimate. If the alternator is bad, look into having it rebuilt. I know a company in Tamaqua PA that does starter and alternator rebuilds. Name of company is Martin's Electric. They can help you out and save you lots of money. Also the owner and I are looking into a reliable way to get more amperage out of these alternators without doing a Saturn swap. It's still in R+D though. Hope you get your car up and running soon.

Happy Spooling!

 

[stephen_gst]

Thanks for all the info guys! Ill check my fuses when I get home, I just spent the day at the masstuning dragway event and it was awesome!

 

[turbo98eclipse]

If it was a fuse the entire circuit would be open, not barely work

 

[stephen_gst]

If it was a fuse the entire circuit would be open, not barely work

It'll onky work when jumped, I'm gonna try the alternator later this week cause that's all I can think of, til then its bummin rides for me!

 

[boost97gst]

Ok, so the other night I was driving next to my friends subie and we got pulled over, nothingnunusual in my town cause the cops are jerks. But my battery has died in the car many, many times before and so from sitting for 25 minutes while the car was on, I was listening to low music and then my radio shut aff and my lights went dim, and I knew battery died again but I didn't want to rev the car whike the cop was still there to try and charge the battery. As I'm leaving once the cop lets me and my friend go, my car barely wanted to move and my headlight tirned off, I barely made it to a parking lot I could see from the spot I was pulled over, I had to lave the car at the place overnight, jumped it in the mprnig and it started, did on a 2 minute ride from the parking lot to autozone, I bought a new battery and then it worked for a bit and then started happening again. I also noticed that my srs light will ppp on once I feel the car losig plwer and then the battery light will pop up too. I think its my alternator but I'm not sure. help!

A bad battery does not cause the lights to dim while driving or the car to die. You can drive for as long as the car is running with a bad battery/good alternator and not see much of a difference(if youre running a massive stereo then YES you will see a difference). But dont get side tracked. Check your damn voltage with the car running at the alternator or battery and end this thread . I can say 99% sure its the alt.

 

[fordster]

Seems pretty much like a bad alternator. Happened to me once and changed battery twice but the real culprit is the alternator. I would suggest looking for some common bad alternator symptoms and testing your alternator voltage output using a multimeter while your engine is running. Check the video at http://automotivez.net/bad-alternator-symptoms.html‎ for testing with a multimeter.

 

[stephen_gst]

im pretty sure the kid who had the car before me replaced the alternator and gave me the receipt with warranty, so im gonna take it out when i get the chance this week(probably thursday) which is my only day off and see what happens with a new one in

 

[thomcasey]

Yea, I'm sure he did. He replaced it with an AutoZone/Advanced/O'Reilly's rebuilt model. These are junk. They are based off the N/A alternator and are very sensitive to heat. If you have an aftermarket downpipe, then you most likely don't have any heat shields in place. This will allow the exhaust heat to soften the voltage regulator in the alternator, allowing it so sage and eventually fail.

Get it replaced and wrap that exhaust, or relocate the alternator with the jay-racing kit.

 

[stephen_gst]

i also have 10k HID headlights and 2 12 inch rockford fosgate p3's on a 1000 watt fosgate amp... i think that mightve helped kill the laternator seeing how my battery had died before i had installed the subs and the subs have been installed for about 4 months

Yea, I'm sure he did. He replaced it with an AutoZone/Advanced/O'Reilly's rebuilt model. These are junk. They are based off the N/A alternator and are very sensitive to heat. If you have an aftermarket downpipe, then you most likely don't have any heat shields in place. This will allow the exhaust heat to soften the voltage regulator in the alternator, allowing it so sage and eventually fail.

Get it replaced and wrap that exhaust, or relocate the alternator with the jay-racing kit.

youre right, no heat shield covering the manifold/turbo, and the alternator was bought from advanced, but should i just go get another one from advanced for the time being if if i have the lifetime warranty? and then buy an OEM one from extremepsi?

Turns out the warranty is expired, looks like i wont be able to exchange it:/

 

[an orange crayon]

If you like to have a system I would look into the Saturn alt swap.

 

[stephen_gst]

If you like to have a system I would look into the Saturn alt swap.

i'll check into it, i've seen it mentioned quite a few times

 

[thomcasey]

Go ahead and get a freebie. Then wrap the exhaust and you should be good. I am running on a used AutoZone alternator with no issues. But, my downpipe is wrapped to protect the alternator from heat

 

[an orange crayon]

Yes I would get the free one first, but long term if you have subs, save up for a Saturn one and do the swap, cause it will save you time of running back to AutoZone in a year to replace another alternator with those subs.

 

[Bud92gsx]

If you like to have a system I would look into the Saturn alt swap.

Isnt there people using the higher amp galant alternators now without too much modding?

 

[stephen_gst]

thanks again, you guys are great and i appreciate all the help, ill look into the galant one too