my car's just...dead

[ChrisFlo]

So I just put in my t04b. The first time i started it up, it worked fine for the first few minutes of driving, then died. The next day I jumpstarted it, got it to run for about a half mile, and again, it died. So today I went out and got a new battery, put it in, tried a jumpstart, and it kicked on pretty quick. We left the car running with the jumper cables on for about 20 mins, but as soon as we remove them...you guessed it, the car dies.

My first thoughts, obviously, were the battery, because the car had been sitting so long. Now I'm starting to wonder if it's something resulting from the new turbo. I suppose maybe its the alternator as well, but I don't see why the alternator would stop working just because the car was sitting for a while... Any help is appreciated.

 

[ChrisFlo]

any help at all...

 

[JwUoNoG]

I'm having a similar problem. I think it's the alternator.

 

[huafist]

When you have it jumped, do the 3 lights of doom (battery/radiator/brake) come on? If they do, you've got a charging problem (loose ground, fautly fuse, faulty ALT, etc).

 

[ChrisFlo]

When you have it jumped, do the 3 lights of doom (battery/radiator/brake) come on? If they do, you've got a charging problem (loose ground, fautly fuse, faulty ALT, etc).

When its jumped, the only light that comes on is the battery light. It goes off after about 15 mins of sitting with the car on, but still the car dies when the jumper cables are taken off.

 

[huafist]

You've got an electrical short somewhere that's preventing the battery from charging properly. Could even be a bad ground.

 

[RedRain]

Check to see how much voltage your battery is getting... It has to be atleast at 14v while the car is running to make sure the charging system is working properly. If its below that then something is going wrong with the charging system.

 

[GTM]

When its jumped, the only light that comes on is the battery light. It goes off after about 15 mins of sitting with the car on, but still the car dies when the jumper cables are taken off.

With a test light on the B+ lead of the Alt. That's the big wire, it must have battery voltage at all times. If not, check your main fuses.

With key on, probe the 2 wire plug on the back of the Alt, one will be bright light and the other will be dim. Start the car and the test the dim wire again, it should now be bright and get brighter as rpm is increased. If it fails this test then the Alt is probably bad.

Keep us posted and let us know hat happens.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[moliver]

same thing happened to me a while back, replace the altenator and you will be fine.

 

[ChefTSI]

I had something along the same lines once, my turbo timer was only reading 11 volts so i thought i had a dead alt, but i didint have the idiot lights on. Turned out i had thouched the alt with a wrench, with the batt. still conected, Killed the alt fuse underhood and one in cab. Check your fuses.

 

[ChrisFlo]

Great info guys. I will check everything that was recommended. Assuming the fuses and wires look good, can I pretty much bet its the alternator? Like i said, the battery is new, and the battery cables are clean. Thanks guys.

 

[ChrisFlo]

Well, I haven't tried everything yet, but I did find a blown fuse under the hood. I replaced that, jumped the car, which remained running for about 10 mins after the cables were taken off. I then went to drive, and the car died. Now it wont do anything, even when jumped. I looked at the wiring coming off the alternator and didnt see anything that looked corroded or out of place. Is the only fuse for the alternator the one in the engine bay? I'm leaning toward it being a bad alternator...

 

[GTM]

Well, I haven't tried everything yet, but I did find a blown fuse under the hood.
...
.

Test the Alt as I described in previous post, charge battery first. If what I offered does not work then trash my name all over the internet as a phony. It _must_ pass those tests unless it has 3 wires in the plug.

Sorry for being curt.

GTM