Alternator, Regulator, or Battery
09-10-2003, 10:08 PM
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Track Day
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Alternator, Regulator, or Battery
Hi everyone,
Jumped in the car tonight and she fired right up and ran strong. I pulled it out of the garage and parked on the street for maybe 40 minutes and then took off in it again. About 3 blocks down the road the radio started turning off and on. A few blocks later the engine started sputtering badly and then the car died all together. I popped the clutch while it was rolling and it started again but the windows and radio were dead, the lights were completely dim, and it was idling very rough. I was able to hobble home and alas it died right in front of the garage.
I just bought the car and according to the reciepts I have, the car got a new alternator installed at the local dealer in '99. Since then, the car has only been driven about 6000 miles. Ive never heard of an alternator dying of old age, only wearing out.
I cant tell from the reciept if the regulator was replaced at the time or not....I thought they were intenrnal and therefore replaced by default with the alternator but reading these threads leads me to think otherwise.
The car has always started strong in the past...even after sitting over three weeks without being started.
Thoughts or ideas on where to troubleshoot? (The bentley manual is on order)
Jumped in the car tonight and she fired right up and ran strong. I pulled it out of the garage and parked on the street for maybe 40 minutes and then took off in it again. About 3 blocks down the road the radio started turning off and on. A few blocks later the engine started sputtering badly and then the car died all together. I popped the clutch while it was rolling and it started again but the windows and radio were dead, the lights were completely dim, and it was idling very rough. I was able to hobble home and alas it died right in front of the garage.
I just bought the car and according to the reciepts I have, the car got a new alternator installed at the local dealer in '99. Since then, the car has only been driven about 6000 miles. Ive never heard of an alternator dying of old age, only wearing out.
I cant tell from the reciept if the regulator was replaced at the time or not....I thought they were intenrnal and therefore replaced by default with the alternator but reading these threads leads me to think otherwise.
The car has always started strong in the past...even after sitting over three weeks without being started.
Thoughts or ideas on where to troubleshoot? (The bentley manual is on order)
09-10-2003, 11:05 PM
#2
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Electrical troubleshooting is primarily a process of elimination.
I'd start with the battery and the cables that connect to it. Assuming your battery will accept (and hold) a charge, then it's time to make some tests on the rest of the system (alternator, regulator, etc.).
The Bentley manual will be of help, as will a quality, digital multimeter.
Let us know how you progress.
I'd start with the battery and the cables that connect to it. Assuming your battery will accept (and hold) a charge, then it's time to make some tests on the rest of the system (alternator, regulator, etc.).
The Bentley manual will be of help, as will a quality, digital multimeter.
Let us know how you progress.
09-11-2003, 02:22 AM
#3
Racer
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Dial is right, start by removing the battery and taking it to Pep Boys, Auto Zone, any of those places and they will test the battery for FREE. If the battery is OK then you need to check alternator output, with , yes, a voltmeter, and I believe ( could be wrong) the voltage should be 13.5-14.5 volts at 3000 rpm. Your alternator would have the external voltage regulator unless upgraded. If the alternator was replaced or rebuilt recently the voltage regulator should have been replaced, and the regulator needs to match the alternator. Typically when the regulator fails the problem is over charging. I suspect it would be the diodes in the alternator. If you remove the alternator make sure you tag the wires for reconnection otherwise you could blow the alternator after rebuild or replacement. JMO ( standard waiver)
09-13-2003, 05:36 PM
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Track Day
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Well I tried to start the car after two days of sitting and the battery is still dead. Im going to pull it and have it tested. I still cant believe that alternator would die with only 6k on it...
09-13-2003, 11:34 PM
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When you start the engine the voltage regulator THEN starts to get the alternator to charge the battery. It does this by putting full battery voltage across the rotating "field" winding of the alternator. Normally the alternator output would quickly rise and the regulator would then go into switching regulation mode.
If there is no output from the alternator, no drive belt, etc, the battery will be fairly quickly discharged into the low resistance "field" winding, 10 or 15 minutes in one case I personally encountered.
If there is no output from the alternator, no drive belt, etc, the battery will be fairly quickly discharged into the low resistance "field" winding, 10 or 15 minutes in one case I personally encountered.
