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90CRX
02-28-2003, 09:53 AM
i bought my car(manual) without a battery, so i bought one from autozone(yes, the right one) and it ran fine for a while. the i noticed that the battery light cam on. but when the battery light came on, everything would get brighter(lights, dash and other things). and when the battery light went off, everything would be dimmer. but last night, the battery light would stay on and everthing was dim. my car stalled and slowly bogged down until it died. think its the alternator? or maybe when the car got hit, it may have knocked something loose?

Blue Impact
02-28-2003, 10:19 AM
How long have the car been sitting for without a battery before you bought it? It could be the alternator cuz that's what happened to mine less than 2 months ago.

90CRX
02-28-2003, 10:27 AM
about 5 months

ACCORD EX
03-01-2003, 03:27 PM
get a multimeter ( voltmeter ) measure the battery while off ( 12 V) , so the BAT is ok !
measure the BAT when the car is running ! should be 14.5 V if not i would check the belt tension and condition !

MIKE

njpeter
03-01-2003, 04:01 PM
you can toast an alternator by running a substandard, defective or nearly dead battery ( good idea to keep the jumpers on for a few minutes if you jump a dead car. Also fast charging can damage the alternator too..I think I read somewhere..over 20amp, remove the hot lead to prevent damage..pain in the ass for me..my charger is a 2/40.

rebuilt alternatoirs will sometimes fail..sounds like the regulator is acting up in yours....and you wonder why some rebuilds have a 90 day warranty. I'd go for a junkyard original, I'm sure you can get one from somebody around here.

shepherd79
03-01-2003, 06:22 PM
it is your alternator. it died, so your car was running on battery all the time.
just get a new alternator.

87accordlxph
03-01-2003, 06:25 PM
Yeppers it's your alternator!

90CRX
03-01-2003, 08:35 PM
yeah, i already replaced the alternator. autozone wanted like $130 for a new one. but i went to the junkyard and bought a used one with 500 miles on it for $30.

90CRX
03-01-2003, 08:36 PM
btw, thanks for your help

rubberburner
03-02-2003, 11:34 AM
wow, before u get a new alternator, get the alternator tested/checked out. if lights were going brighter, then maybe it could be just ur voltage regulator.

Whitehonda
03-02-2003, 01:48 PM
Originally posted by rubberburner
wow, before u get a new alternator, get the alternator tested/checked out. if lights were going brighter, then maybe it could be just ur voltage regulator.

The voltage regulator is located inside the alternator, if it's bad you might as well just replace the whole alternator.

Cameron