Hi Im new. Couple of questions...

[86fourdoor]

First off I cant believe there is actually a forum deticated to these cars I didnt think anyone like them that much im surprised but glad.

OK well I have had my 86 four door for about 3 months now. 209000miles but it ran fine and everything. So about a week ago I notice when I turned on my car the battery light would go on. I didnt think anything of it until when I started driving whenever I would touch the brake to slow down my car would completely die! It scared the crap out of me but luckily I was in a parking lot when it happened and had enough to get it in a parking spot. I let it sit for awhile and started it up again and it ran fine for a couple days. Then I started noticing my battery light would stay on the whole time I would be driving. So I bought a new battery thinking that was the problem. Well it wasnt. The car still stalled when I would touch the brakes and now it wont even start up. Anyone know what the problem could be? Please help this is my only car and I hate bumming rides off people.

Oh and also I was curious if anyone knew the specs of this car? I looked around the net but couldnt find anything. Thanks in advance.

[B16KILLA]

:welcome: to the site

It sounds to me like you need a new alternator or you may have a bad voltage regulator.

[mkymonkey]

yep you need an alternator. to test it turn your car on, open the hood, and disconnect the neg batt lead. if your car dies....well you need a new alty sir.

and what do you need to know about your car? im sure everything is in the faq if you look. or you could just tell us if its carburated or fuel injected. i know someone here knows everything by heart...lol you just have to give them time to look at this thread.

oh and :welcome: to 3geez.com! enjoy your stay

[86fourdoor]

yep I need a new alternator :( how much do they cost around?

[ghettogeddy]

between 90 and 150 or so but they are a bitch to change u have to pull the drive axle to get it out
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?parttype=11&ptset=A&searchfor=Alternator

[MessyHonda]

between 90 and 150 or so but they are a bitch to change u have to pull the drive axle to get it out
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?parttype=11&ptset=A&searchfor=Alternator

i dont think you have to take out the axel if he has fuel injection since he can take it out the top.

[ghettogeddy]

if if if im just preparing him for the worst

[86fourdoor]

if if if im just preparing her for the worst

:) well how much do you think a shop would charge to do it?

[ghettogeddy]

my bad her well its not hard its just a pain so im gussing u have a carb not FI

[2oodoor]

welcome, hope you enjoy your car as much as I have mine. My LX is carbed and the alternator was not a problem getting off at all, just depends on if your used to working on cars much. Sometimes it pays to take off /or move a few things that block access to the item your working on. There is a link here on the forum site for (pauldesign) something that has a complete shop manual for your car on adobe pdf.. look around you will find mucho info.
You may want to check your batt. connections too because a bad connection can take out an borderline alternator.

[895spdforfree]

No way, i dont think its the alternator. If it was it would gradually die, not just die completly. I had this same problem, eveytime i touched the brakes, or did a sharp turn, or even gunned it my lights would flicker or my battery light would come on (both), and at the end it just completly died, not gradually. It ended up being that my posotive battery cable was super corroded under the black plastic,and at the terminal was kinda beat up and cut by the corrosion. You couldnt tell until i cut it open it was nasty, it wasnt making a good connection. plus my posotive battery cable was too short to top it of, so check that stuff out before you go out and buy a new alternator. :barf:

[ghettogeddy]

mine did the same thing though it gradually went dead not just full blown but if i used the breakes or turn the stereo on it would go really dim

[mkymonkey]

mine just died.....it didnt gradually do it...it just died

[snoopyloopy]

alternator is probably the culprit. and mine had the same problem last year. finally died one day on me on the way to work. cost $300 to have it done by the mechanic. but you could check the battery terminals. i dare say that that's cheaper than changing the alternator whether you change it or a mechanic does.

[guaynabo89]

check your battery terminals and alt belt first, but it does sound like the alt has been dying on you.

If u have tools and are mechanicly inbclined there are how tos and many threads that could help u do it urself.

try searching the site.

[bobafett]

when i had that exact problem it was just a loose battery terminal clamp.

when my alt died it was slow and subtle... its easy to test the alternator, do a search, or check the faq/how-to section, there is plenty of info on how to do this. :D

[2drSE-i]

well i dont think its the battery terminals seeing as how she bought a new battery....cmon guys.....