Alternator Problem?

[rideredorgohome]

Hi Guys and Gals
Ok so my 3g insists on torturing me right when my budget is at its worst!!! Tonight while driving to my bf's house my battery light came on. I'm pretty sure it is not the battery, I just replaced it about 2 yrs ago and it's an AC Delco battery so it's pretty good quality. I have checked my battery cables to make sure it is not a loose connection. It still comes on. However...this is the tricky bit. When I am driving and I go over 2500rpm, the battery light turns off until the rpm goes below that mark. Then it comes back on again and will flicker slightly. I currently have no problems starting the car. It also currently runs well. Does this sound like a dying alternator to you guys? Please help! :sadwave:

[Klue]

sounds like it to me, when i first got my car it acted the same way, but after a while it was fine. The previous owner had it sitting for a while. You should get it checked out somewhere. Try canadian tire, they could give test to see if its ur alternator for sure. GL

[rideredorgohome]

sounds like it to me, when i first got my car it acted the same way, but after a while it was fine. The previous owner had it sitting for a while. You should get it checked out somewhere. Try canadian tire, they could give test to see if its ur alternator for sure. GL

Go Figure.....after I posted this I went out and drove my car agian. NO LIGHT. This morning again I drove it....NO LIGHT! Geez....I hate electricity. Could this be the alternator just starting to go-intermittent problems or what? :dunno:

[POS carb]

it's the alternator. Get a volt meter and test. If you don't get at least 13 volts with the car running then you have a bad alt. If you have good voltage while it runs and when you tyurn it off the voltage drops to 11 or below then your battery is at fault. Check the ttension on the alt belt

[treadhead 1952]

The fact that the battery cable ends are tight on the post isn't good enough. There can be corrosion in between the post and the clamp end that give you all sorts of fits even to the point of not starting at all. If you are at all mechanically inclined it is easy enough to loosen the nut and bolt that holds the clamps and give it a twist to remove it from the post and look to see if you have any fluffy white deposits built up on the inside between the lead of the post and the material of the cable clamp end. If they are there clean them out with a wire brush until you have nothing but shiny metal on both surfaces and put them back together. To avoid any confusion on which one goes where if you are new to this sort of thing, do them one at a time starting with the negative post, it is usually the worst offender.

Once they are cleaned and reassembled you can put a light coating of grease all around the terminal connections, any sort of grease will do even Vaseline in a pinch. This seals the two metals with less air room for future deposits to build up. The main problem being running an electrical current between two dissimilar metals in the open air. Adding heat from the engine and alternating cooling effects from sitting overnight only add to the conditions ripe to create mysterious bugaboos to make you pull out your hair and want to beat on the roof of your "baby" :lol:

As to the alternator lights themselves it could also be a sign that the brushes are reaching the end of their useful life and need to be replaced.

Hope this helps :rockon:

[TheSummoner101]

its the alternator :P i know cuz i went through 2 alternators in one month...freaking auto part store sold me a bad alterator :mad: and my light used to flicker all the time...so get ur charging system checked out...while your at it, have them check your batter also

when my alternator went bad, my car was running on just the batter for a while, and i kept ignoring it and thought that something was wrong with the light on the dashboard....so one of the cells in my batter also went bad, dont know how, but get it checked out.

good luck

[Dutchboy]

My alternator also did this just a couple weeks ago.. on of on off...ended up being the alternator..brushes worn out and wore into the shaft as well...So if your light comes back on and it is the alternator, if you can or have someone who can, and want a cheap fix..disconect the battery. take the 3prong plug off the alternator. take off the three little nuts holding the back cover on the alternator, after doing this you will see a orange rubber thing in the middle around the shaft.. thats were the brushes are..you will then see 5 or 6 philips head screws..2 hold on the brushes...i just cant remember if you need to remove all of the 5 or 6 philips screws ..( ithink only the 2 that hold the brush part on) but you can buy a brush set IF after you take it off the shaft isnt to worn! if not just replace the brushes.....But take in mind the way things came off and Voila good as new.!!!!HOpe this helps the budget if that ends up being the problem which it probably is!!