I barley got it home...

[Daedalus]

Ok, the new engine has about 750 miles on it and has run strong for those 750 miles. Tonight I was driving and the radio turned off, then on, then off in a sporadic fashion.

So I turned it off, thinking I needed to check a few connections the next day. Then I noticed while I was driving with the parking lights on that my dash was very dim.

I went to start up the car after about an hour of it sitting and it barley cranked over. I turned on the lights (it was now dark) and the entire dash was dim and the car started to die.

I was trying to get home to avoid a hail storm and was driving home when the car started to stutter and hesitate under power. Then I noticed the lights were not even on (fliped on, but not shinning). The car would die when the clutch was in without reving it. The hesitation continued, and then the seat belt light turned on and a faint beeping could be heard. Then the CEL light came on for about 15 seconds during a left hand turn. The beeping could be heard. I also noticed that the temp gauge did not reach the half (12:00) setting that it usually had. Now that I think about it, it was slightly lower than usual earlier in the day.


WHAT IS THE MATTER!? I would greatly appreciate any help you could provide!!!!

 

[AwdMikey]

Alternator is not charging your battery, or your battery won't hold a charge. Hook up a car charger and take it to the shop in the morning.

 

[BISHILVR]

bad alternator....

 

[Daedalus]

that makes sense. Is it possible that it might be just a lose connection to the alternator. I ran the A/C today for the first time as well. Might that have caused something to let go?

thanks!

 

[BISHILVR]

make sure you did'nt throw a belt....., also the a/c places a huge load on the alternator so it might have been the last operating cycle for the alternator.......

 

[Defiant]

Make sure the positive post isn't grounding against the underside of the hood. Get a vinyl cover for it, and bolt down the battery.

 

[Charles1]

i had the same problem but iwas not on a hail storm sorry. but this is my story it ended up being a bad wire leading from batt to the alternator . costed me 60 dollars to fix it and at the same time i got a new alternator might as well and a belt.

 

[Daedalus]

I went to check out the car today when I could actually see underneath the hood. I noticed something a little strange. A plastic bracket with wiring and a ground broke off of the alternator and is just hanging there... (Looking at the engine from the front of the car, it is on the side of the alternator facing the exhaust manifold)

Could this be my problem????

 

[Defiant]

Uh....

 

[doodie]

Uh....

I think he means DUH, and theres your answer.

 

[Daedalus]

Yea, so the problem was the wires...

It turns out the stud that held the bracket shered off for some reason and was left cut in half...

Luckily I had an exrta alternator from my spare swaped out engine and the repair was made easily and for free!

 

[Defiant]

Make a good check of the area and see if you can find what caused that to get knocked off like that. Check your harmonic balancer, although I don't know if it'd allow enough wander to let that happen.