HELP! Alternator Problems

[OverBoostinGST]

So I just installed my alternator and v belt, along with my harmonic balancer pulley. But my dumbass FORGOT to disconnect the negative battery cable, and when I went to tighten the lower alternator bolt I got a big spark (didnt get shocked though thanks god). But after I did this my car did not sound right, I mean it drives fine. Then on my way to work today my car just died in the middle of the street. My dad jumped me and I didnt get more than 100 feet away before it died again. Whats wrong with my car now? Is it the alternator? I have a warrenty on it so im going to replace it tommorow. The thing is its brand new and so is the battery could the spark have messed up the alternator? Please help me out. I also changed out the 80 amp alternator fuse, do you think this could be blown now after the sparks? Thanks Guys, Jesse

P.S- All the bolts on the alternator and correctly tightened

 

[kspharris]

I would take it to the local auto store and have them check the battery and the alternator. You could have hurt one of those pretty bad. I would also check ALL fuses. I hope that you get it fixed.

 

[blackbyrd]

My dad jumped me and I didnt get more than 100 feet away before it died again.

My vote is you fried the alternator, and wont put out enough voltage to keep your car running. You can verify it by getting a voltage reading off of it.
Should be at least 14v. Can either read it from the battery(while running) or by probing the output wire on the alternator and grounding to the chassis.
You could've fried the battery too.
Check out your fuse too, It's pretty easy to look at it and see if it's blown.

 

[steve]

The alternator fuse protects the cable from the battery to the alternator. If you got a spark while tightening the alternator stud then you blew the fuse. Otherwise your wrench would still be welded between the two.

I wouldn't expect the alternator to be damaged unless the car was running at the time you shorted the output.

You can verify this in less time than it took to post. Just put your meter on the B+ stud and measure the voltage if it's 0v then the fuse is blown.

Steve

 

[blackbyrd]

I wouldn't expect the alternator to be damaged unless the car was running at the time you shorted the output.

Yeah, yeah. Steve's probably right on it just being the fuse. Got a question for you though. I had my car down for a few weeks working on it, and the battery was dead by the time i went to start it(left lights, radio on, etc) So i hooked up one of those "emergency jump start" batteries/chargers. And it fried my alternator, my fuse, my battery, and the emergency jumpstart(never got it to charge up again)..Oh it might've fried my ECU too, I had several components catch on fire and melt(not capacitors), shortly afterwards.. Never heard about anyone else having that happen? .
Anyways the car wasn't running.
I'm sure it was just a freak accident by fault of the damn jumpstarter, but I've seen things fry with it not running.

 

[OverBoostinGST]

It was the 80 amp fuse. Thanks anyways guys.

 

[steve]

It was the 80 amp fuse. Thanks anyways guys.

Thanks anyways??

I'm pretty sure I nailed it.

Steve