smufguy
01-12-2004, 10:40 PM
Okay, this just started to happen to me today. I was at my Uncles house cleaning up my car and i was fixing my mudflaps and the wheelwell covers for the snow. I had the stereo on for a while. After like 2 hours i went to start my car, but it wont start. I was like, okay probably the stupid battery drained, So i jump it and my friend comes along and we drive to his house and we both drive in my car to the KFC and get food and come back and we eat for like an hour and a half and i go try to start my car and it kinda almost feels dead, but starts up after a pause. I did not mind much, i thought it was just the freezing cold outisde. Then i pull into his garage and we work on my 4th gen accord heater control conversion on my 3g and we get it done. Its all dandy and then my car wont start. I was like wtf???? then i jump start it and its putting out 13.8Volts right after it started. Then i turn on my new heaters that we got done putting in and we are all excited and we drive off to 7Eleven and im outside in my car with the headlings and fogs on and my heater on high and i notice the lights are dim, i tap the gas and as the engine revs, the brigtness increases, I go to the back of my car and hook up the volt meter on my car and the readin is like around 10.8 Volts, i am like wtf??
So i ask my friend to shut off the heater fan and then i get 11.2 ~11.5 volts.
Then i ask him to turn off the headlights, and i get 13.2~13.4 Volts.
I am like, okay thats weird. It does not do the dimming while driving. My battery warning light does not come on either.
I tested his 2001 civic and its putting out 14.8 Volts constant on normal idle which is pretty much what my car should be doing too.
I come home and i have the car run for a while with no headlights and heater fan. and then i hook up the volt meter and get the same 13.4Volt reading and then i turn off the car and i notice the voltage drop from 13.4 Volts to 12.5 volts. This was 5 minutes after the car was shut down. Then i just went upstarirs cause i was freezing my ass outside.
I also noticed a whining noise, the noise that a turbo makes as it spools up, everytime i accelerate. I check the alternator belt tension and it seems fine.
So i dont know what is wrong. Is my alternator dying? Is something else draining my battery? Nothing is on tho. Once the key is taken off the ignition everything is off so i dont know what might be draining the battery, unless it was not charging enough.
Do u guys think its a sign of a failing alternator. If its what it is, ill go to autozone and get a new alternator right then. Man...... i have a 10 hour trip to NC tomorrow with this car. :beat: :(
So i ask my friend to shut off the heater fan and then i get 11.2 ~11.5 volts.
Then i ask him to turn off the headlights, and i get 13.2~13.4 Volts.
I am like, okay thats weird. It does not do the dimming while driving. My battery warning light does not come on either.
I tested his 2001 civic and its putting out 14.8 Volts constant on normal idle which is pretty much what my car should be doing too.
I come home and i have the car run for a while with no headlights and heater fan. and then i hook up the volt meter and get the same 13.4Volt reading and then i turn off the car and i notice the voltage drop from 13.4 Volts to 12.5 volts. This was 5 minutes after the car was shut down. Then i just went upstarirs cause i was freezing my ass outside.
I also noticed a whining noise, the noise that a turbo makes as it spools up, everytime i accelerate. I check the alternator belt tension and it seems fine.
So i dont know what is wrong. Is my alternator dying? Is something else draining my battery? Nothing is on tho. Once the key is taken off the ignition everything is off so i dont know what might be draining the battery, unless it was not charging enough.
Do u guys think its a sign of a failing alternator. If its what it is, ill go to autozone and get a new alternator right then. Man...... i have a 10 hour trip to NC tomorrow with this car. :beat: :(