Battery or Alternator
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: Belmont NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Battery or Alternator
Long time ago if we wanted to see if the alternator was good or bad, we would get the car running and then disconnect the battery. If the car died, the alternator was deemed bad. If it continued to run, the battery was dead. Is this still a way of testing?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Like you said, that was a long time ago but today you can do some damage to the electrical system with this method. Have the parts checked with the proper equipment.
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Oct 2, 2015 at 10:22 AM.
GM Cert Corvette Tech
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,559
Likes: 585
From: Anaheim Hills California
Go to Horror Freight and buy one or borrow a Multi-meter and check the voltage while the car is running. It should be 13.5(low) to 14.+or- volts
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 93
From: shelbyville West Michigan
as said, no, not accepted method anymore.
HF has free multi-meters, coupons all over the web and in almost every magazine, so no excuse not to have one (or a dozen ha ha). it will prove invaluable when troubleshooting, battery, alternator, shorts, voltage drops, resistance, etc.
HF has free multi-meters, coupons all over the web and in almost every magazine, so no excuse not to have one (or a dozen ha ha). it will prove invaluable when troubleshooting, battery, alternator, shorts, voltage drops, resistance, etc.
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
Voltage spike from a defective, relatively new alternator, a few years ago ultimately lead to me having to replace a/c blower motor and wire from fuse block just this week and a new ecm a year ago.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: Belmont NC
St. Jude Donor '15
I think the obvious is to use the right tool for the job and now I realize the question was crazy and heat of the moment. Even though it's been a weekly driver, I was surprised to see it not start after sitting for what I consider to be a short time. The last thing I need is to not start at the most inopportune time.