Alternator the problem???
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Sayville New York
Alternator the problem???
I know I have a drain somewhere in the car so I usually disconect the battery when it is going to sit. So the other day I started it up to pull it out of the garage. when I went to start it the battery was dead, I thought that was odd but just figured I didn't let it idle long enough for the alternator to charge the battery. No biggie, I charged it enough for the car to start and put it back in the garage. I took it out last night for a short drive. Half way through the drive I noticed the voltage gauge was showing the battery just below 13 volts. I thought that was odd usually after this amount of driving the gauge is above 13. Well I got a little worried and decided to spare having to make that call home to my wife "Honey pack up the kids and the jumper cables and come and get me", so I headed home. I kept one eye on the battery gauge and the other on the road. Well the volts kept dropping. I made it home without breaking down but the volts were down to 8. Is my problem the alternator is done? It looks original and I have had the car for 14 years, so has this 30 year old alternator died?
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 698
Likes: 8
From: Stockholm Sweden
It appears that your alternator is not charging any more, if it was you should have read over 14 volts on the voltmeter all the time the engine was running.
Since the battery has been deeply drained it has been damaged by this and will never recover to 100% function again.
However, it may wery well be that the battery went down first and the overworked alternator crapped out due to that.
//Ricky.
Since the battery has been deeply drained it has been damaged by this and will never recover to 100% function again.
However, it may wery well be that the battery went down first and the overworked alternator crapped out due to that.
//Ricky.
Last edited by RickyBerg; Jul 12, 2011 at 01:58 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
The first thing I would do is take your alt and battery to Advance or the like and have them checked and then go from there.
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Jul 12, 2011 at 02:52 PM.
