Someone please please help me :(

[RGdsmNewb]

If anyone could help me out here i would be very greatful!

So my car just recently wasn't starting and i took it to a mechanic who said that my alarm was draining the battery... so they rip my alarm out, everything seems peachy. However, today i'm driving and when i get to an idle stop,my idle needle starts like bouncing up and down really quickly in between zero and 1. I start thinking the cars gonna die.... then my dash lights start flickering, my deck turns off, and i can kinda hear the motor like thumping under the engine a bit, but then i start to drive and everything seems fine, the deck turns back on and the lights / gauges stop flickering. THen i get home, stop, the cars doing the same thing, so i shut it off, and now its not starting.

I've had numerous mechanics look at my car and no one has been able to help me. I would really appreciate someone telling me what to do with this car it's been such a savage money pit for me

Car also has a rebuilt alternator and brand new battery.......

 

[mans1ay3r]

Maybe its bad ground. Because I had an issue sort of like that where my dash lights and headlights were pulsating and sometimes when I accelerated it stopped. I highly doubted it was the alternator because it was new. Eventually, my car stopped starting too.


I took it to the shop where the alternator was installed, they said nothing wrong with the alternator, just bad ground and they'd have to find it. They said bring it back the next day, I just went to another shop instead, they said bad ground and the alternator needs to be replaced. Next day, I go back to the first shop and tell them, what the second shop said.. they look again and say it does need to be changed.

To get to the end, I had to get a new alternator.. on warranty of course.

 

[RGdsmNewb]

Maybe its bad ground. Because I had an issue sort of like that where my dash lights and headlights were pulsating and sometimes when I accelerated it stopped. I highly doubted it was the alternator because it was new. Eventually, my car stopped starting too.


I took it to the shop were the alternator was installed, they said nothing wrong with the alternator, just bad ground and they'd have to find it. They said bring it back the next day, I just went to another shop instead, they said bad ground and the alternator needs to be replaced. Next day, I go back to the first shop and tell them, what the second shop said.. they look again and say it does need to be changed.

To get to the end, I had to get a new alternator.. on warranty of course.

ughhh, i just seriously dont know what to do about this car anymore... i wish i was more knowledgeable or had someone to help me out. I've dumped alot of money into this mofo. I got the alternator rebuilt by somewhat of a shaddy mechanic, and it is kinda doing what it did prior to getting that rebuilt, so i really dont know

I just find it messed how the engine is like thumping sortev

 

[alika86]

sounds like a defective alternator maybe. how long have you had it in your car. i had a 300zx that went through 3 rebuilt alternators before having one that actually worked. the same thing would happen to me and then i'd change the alternator. everything would be fine for about a month or so and then it all starts happening again.

another thing may be your wiring. check your deck wiring or if you're running an amp check that too. something may be grounding and draining your battery without you knowing. anyway, there's my .02. good luck!

 

[alika86]

I got the alternator rebuilt by somewhat of a shaddy mechanic, and it is kinda doing what it did prior to getting that rebuilt, so i really dont know

yup that looks like that may be your problem. Buy a new alternator and save a headache.

 

[RGdsmNewb]

yup that looks like that may be your problem. Buy a new alternator and save a headache.

i really hope that that's it.... just seems really lame that i would've payed this guy to rebuild it and it doesnt work.

Where's the best place to look for an alternator??

oh, and would i be able to install it myself or is it tricky?

 

[alika86]

i really hope that that's it.... just seems really lame that i would've payed this guy to rebuild it and it doesnt work.

Where's the best place to look for an alternator??

oh, and would i be able to install it myself or is it tricky?

Yah, that is pretty lame, but some people just wanna make a buck no matter what.

That's a good question. Well, from my own experience of buying alternators from carquest, checkers and napa, i'd say napa. but again, that's from my own experience.

As for installation.. if you already have some good experience working on cars, it shouldn't be too tricky, but if not, i'd leave it to a shop.

good luck!

 

[RGdsmNewb]

Thanks for the help, one more question.....

Will any 2g alternator fit in my car?? Just found this one looking quck on ebay, really cheap but its from a 99 GST..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-4...54500QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW#ebayphotohosting

 

[1992awdlaser]

It sounds like the alternator is going bad as stated above. I don't trust any electrical parts from napa. I once went through three bad fuel pumps from them before I got the fourth which worked for a month. And they wouldnt refund my money. Now I have a walbro. Go to advance they are who I use the most when working on customer cars. The alternator isnt to hard to change if you have experiance. If you do decide to try and change it dont forget to disconnect the positive battery cable first.

 

[RGdsmNewb]

Yeah seems like the alternator, but isn't it strange that when the mechanics hook it up to the tester thing it says it's working fine?

 

[Defiant]

Bolt down the battery, cover the positive terminal, and use descriptive thread titles.