CR

Hi All,

I'm trying to figure out what is going on with my '99 C2. Recently, I tried to start it after a week and a half of not driving it. It was dead. Click click click. Charged the battery back up, starts no problem. Drove around. Next day, dead again.

Jumped it, drove it for an hour, and all seems fine. The battery gauge shows just a hair under 14 when driving it. After the drive, 10 mins go by, and the car won't start again. Battery is dead.

The weird thing to me is that while driving, the gauge keeps showing it is near 14. Hmmm…

Went and had the battery tested at the auto parts store, and they say it is good. The battery is only about a year and half old. So am I looking at an alternator going out? Or is it out? Could I drive a full hour on a bad alternator?

Not sure of the next step(s) I should take. I'm not to savvy when it comes to the electrical side of things.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!!!

CR

onewhippedpuppy

Here's a good generic alternator test procedure using a multimeter.

http://easyautodiagnostics.com/alter...ic_tests_1.php

Also, most auto parts stores have an alternator tester that will load up the alternator and check output.

sjg1138

Its pretty easy to take out the alternator. Much easier the second time though. It could be the voltage regulator (which is on the alternator) which is easy to fix and a lot less expensive then replacing the entire alternator. The other thing to check for is corrosion of the alternator cable at the starter as well as the ground strap from the engine to the body of the car.

The below links may help:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...tage/?p=240055
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...trap-location/
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...tage-problems/

kromdom

when you had the battery tested at your local auto parts store, did they also do a "load test" for the alternator?

CR

Thank you guys for the help thus far. I did t know they could test the alternator as well. I'll have to look into it. It may be time for me to get a multimeter of my own.

Kromdom, they did do a load test. He had to charge the battery a little bit (it was reading 12 when I took it in). Then he tested and said it was good.

Any other advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

kromdom

Have them load test the alternator (my local O'Reilly's does it for free) so you'll know for sure if you need a new one . Best of luck.

Ahsai

If you turn on the low beam, a/c and rear defroster when the car is moving, the gauge should read 13-13.5v. If it's below, most likely your alternator or some cables are bad.

Also, in the morning when you put the key in to the last position before crank, the gauge should read 12v and when you crank, it should read 10v or more. If your numbers are lower even after you fully charged your battery, it's likely you have a bad battery.

Macster

If the battery went dead after just a week and a half of sitting that's hardly the fault of the alternator. That's the fault of a bad battery.

If the alternator wasn't working no way the battery could supply the juice to keep the engine running for an hour. More on the order of a few minutes, at best.

TSMacNeil

I smell bad battery, or bad cabling.

Those "battery tests" have been wrong before.
14v whilst operating sounds like a good alternator.

jrgordonsenior

Cables....

Imo000

I think its a battery issue. A dead battery won't be charged by the alternator in an hour. Properly charge up hour battery with a charger and see what happens. You might have something draining it or a bad cell.

DK570

My guess is something is drawing power from the battery when the ignition is off that shouldn't. I'd check voltage right after turning the car off, then again 1/2 hour later.

fpb111

Check this thread
http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...tage-problems/

Look at post #9 and #13
That crossover wire from the alt to the crimp at the starter has a bad habit of corroding and causing charging/starting problem.

9964runner

I had an alternator that tested ok running, but with the engine off would put a large drain on the battery. Must of been an internal short as the alternator was quite warm to the touch when the car had been sitting overnight.

CR

Thanks everyone. I'll check some things you've mentioned this weekend. I'm hoping its a battery or cables and not the alternator. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Thanks again!