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View Full Version : Battery light comes on at high RPMs



ahmad89
01-30-2007, 07:33 PM
When my rpms are at like 5k-6k the battery light flashes like someone is playing with the wires and when it gets around 5,000 rpms its on bright. Could i need a new battery, terminals, or its a glitch?

Rockcord
01-30-2007, 07:39 PM
does it have a problem with electrical (like no power for stuff) do the lights work and everything, cuz some idiot forgot to hook up my alternator belt once (ultimatly causing my rebuild) and the battery died cuz it wasnt being charged...

teck
01-30-2007, 07:42 PM
your wires could be loose check that out before you dump any money into the vibration from the 5k rpms might cause it

ahmad89
01-30-2007, 07:56 PM
my lights work but the weird thing is a lil while after i adjusted my idle speed the idle speed lowered back down and earlier tonight when i was leaving work when i shifted into gear it idled lil low and the lights were lil dim. When i pressed the gas the lights got brighter. When its day light im gonna re-adjsut my idle speed, im kinda scared to do it when the car is running cause i might drop the screwdriver and mess up the carb or the engine but im guessing its better to do it while its running so you can tune it right?

teck
01-30-2007, 07:58 PM
well your lights dim when the idle is low because the alternator isnt spining as fast thus not creating as much power. my car has always done the same thing when i give it some gas they brighten up
my car idles very low sometimes

ahmad89
01-30-2007, 08:00 PM
yea, ima re-adjust the idle speed and the a/c idle boost when i find it. I did look in the manual and russian kid or someone helped me sorry for not remembering who you are cant think of you right now.

cygnus x-1
01-30-2007, 08:47 PM
Lots of cars will have the dimming lights thing at idle. If it's really bad though the alternator could be weak. First things to check though are belt tension and the connections to the alternator. The manual should also have a section about checking the voltage regulator. You'll need a voltmeter for that.

C|

Remedy
01-30-2007, 09:28 PM
The tattle tail sign of a loose belt is that it will squeal when its cold and wet. Check your tension anyway and check your battery voltage with the engine on and then off and key out of the ignition (so nothing is running)

"Engine running" should read about 14.4 volts

leave it off for several hours or overnight and it should read 12.6 volts

If the running voltage isnt that high you have an alternator problem

if the static battery voltage isn't close to 12 volts you have a failing battery.

You can buy a voltmeter for $3 at Harbor Freight and then you'll always have one

carotman
01-30-2007, 09:29 PM
If the battery light comes on at certain RPMS, the brushed might need to be replaced.

ahmad89
01-30-2007, 09:36 PM
My belt does squeak when its cold but it squeaks for less than 10 seconds then it goes away. I just need a voltmeter to see if its an alternator problem, i think i saw some at autozone or something, i'll check it out when i have time. thanks everyone.
P.S. would this work fine? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90899

bobafett
01-30-2007, 09:49 PM
interesting. i have a similar problem with an alternator that was like 1.5 years old. it only seemed to happen after my engine rebuild, but at higher rpms the battery light will flicker and flash (usually, but not always). I have a lifetime warranty on it, so i might as well exchange it. :) I figured there must be a problem with all my wiring since the alt is pretty new, but i had probably dropped it or something and messed it up lol.

ps mine shoes normal 14.5v the whole time its flickering. :(

shepherd79
01-31-2007, 06:16 AM
it is your alternator. it is done. take it to a mechanic. get ready to pay a high price for that, because it is a pain in the ass to repalce one on carbed accord. i am going to say mechanic will charge you about $400 or more.

ahmad89
01-31-2007, 07:18 AM
dam honda why cant they make changing those parts that will need changing in easier places?i'll either look into doing it myself or with my bro most likely or find a cheaper good place to do it. Thanks everyone.

shepherd79
01-31-2007, 07:28 AM
they did make it easier on EFI. On carb you have to drop the front driver side suspension, remove the axel and than you can get to alternator.

ahmad89
01-31-2007, 07:50 AM
yea when i saw it i was like what the hell were they thinking putting it there?! its right next to the motor mount and really small space. I'll look into buying the voltmeter and the headlamps.

azazel_18_2
01-31-2007, 08:12 AM
Hell, if you are close and had the parts I would do it for a 24 pack of beer.

teck
01-31-2007, 08:30 AM
yeah honda screwed up when they put the altenator where they did

azazel_18_2
01-31-2007, 08:35 AM
It really isn't that bad. The EFI ones are easy. You don't have to drop the whole front suspension to pull the axle. I have seen worse vehicles to pull an alternator off of.

ahmad89
01-31-2007, 10:46 AM
i dont have an efi i have a carb. :) Well the car seems fine and i rarely ever rev it that high. wish it was a manual.

shepherd79
01-31-2007, 10:49 AM
get your car tested. take it to advance auto parts or autozone to get FREE battery and charging system tested.

ahmad89
01-31-2007, 10:50 AM
roger that shep. Oh i know this is the wrong section but im at school and about to change classes so where can i get a torque wrench? Me and my bro are lookin for one. They sell em at autozone right? not the small autozone the bigger ones right?

Remedy
01-31-2007, 02:49 PM
roger that shep. Oh i know this is the wrong section but im at school and about to change classes so where can i get a torque wrench? Me and my bro are lookin for one. They sell em at autozone right? not the small autozone the bigger ones right?


I hate to sound like a shill, but harbor freight has those too... cheap
and yes that meter would work fine, I have a similar one I got from there on sale for $3

I buy alot of cheap tools there, no one steals them becasue they aren't snap-on and if I wreck or loose it.. its cheap to replace.

shepherd79
01-31-2007, 02:52 PM
roger that shep. Oh i know this is the wrong section but im at school and about to change classes so where can i get a torque wrench? Me and my bro are lookin for one. They sell em at autozone right? not the small autozone the bigger ones right?
don't buy a cheap torque wrench. They can brake or get out calibration. Autozone should have them or any other autoparts store. Sears will also have them in tool section. I would recomend craftsman torque wrench since they come with lifetime warranty.

ahmad89
01-31-2007, 06:43 PM
i wasnt looking for a cheap one i wanted to get a good quality one i dont care about the price for this tool. Thx for the heads up though and i knew it was at autozone or sears just wanted to make sure.

cygnus x-1
01-31-2007, 10:44 PM
I haven't been impressed with Sears hand tools recently. I bought some of their screwdrivers and they're crap. Really soft metal and the phillips heads aren't formed very well. I haven't used their torque wrenches though.

Autozone; their sockets are surprisingly good. I have a set of the Duralast deep sockets and also a 1/2" ratchet wrench with the rubber coated handle. So far they're holding up very well. The plating is smooth and not peeling off, the handle is comfortable, and the ratcheting action is solid. They make my Craftsman stuff look like junk.

Harbor Freight; they can be hit and miss. Some stuff is good, other stuff is crap. I have a Pittsburgh (Harbor Freight brand) torque wrench that I got at a flea market for like $20, which is about what it would cost new. I checked it with a recently calibrated force gauge and it was surprisingly accurate. I checked it a few times at different torques and it's dead on. Who knows how long it will last, but I used it to rebuild my engine and it worked fine. I wouldn't recommend it for a professional mechanic but for occasional use I would be comfortable with it.

C|

ahmad89
02-01-2007, 07:21 AM
thx cygnus, i have always liked autozone's parts also the only sears i know around is far. This weekend im going to autozone to get my charging system checked and im going to check out some torque wrenches. thanks.

2oodoor
02-01-2007, 12:20 PM
It really isn't that bad. The EFI ones are easy. You don't have to drop the whole front suspension to pull the axle. I have seen worse vehicles to pull an alternator off of.
Mee too

you could take the head off if you dont like getting on the ground:kekeke: :nuts:

ahmad89
02-01-2007, 07:22 PM
i went to autozone and got my battery and alternator tested, the guy tested the battery with the car off then he told me to turn it on. After that he put this other meter device that hooks around the jumper wiresit has a hole on the top of it with a clip thing. He called for another guy to have a look then he told me that the wire from the alternator to the battery is bad. The weird meter device thing was around the positive jumper cable and he pointed at it and told the guy something when i was in the car keeping it revved to 2k rpms. What could it be?

lostforawhile
02-01-2007, 07:46 PM
it is your alternator. it is done. take it to a mechanic. get ready to pay a high price for that, because it is a pain in the ass to repalce one on carbed accord. i am going to say mechanic will charge you about $400 or more.
I would never pay someone that kind of money for something like that,if you have decent mechanical skills,pick up a service manual, remove the cv joint,and it'll be pretty easy. my year old alternator is failing once again,so i have to go through this crap again. one thing I will love about my new carb and intake,no more dam alternator removal from underneath.

Remedy
02-01-2007, 10:42 PM
i went to autozone and got my battery and alternator tested, the guy tested the battery with the car off then he told me to turn it on. After that he put this other meter device that hooks around the jumper wiresit has a hole on the top of it with a clip thing. He called for another guy to have a look then he told me that the wire from the alternator to the battery is bad. The weird meter device thing was around the positive jumper cable and he pointed at it and told the guy something when i was in the car keeping it revved to 2k rpms. What could it be?


He probably was using a clamp on amp meter. You can visually inspect the cable they were talking about for defects. What you are looking for is broken/cracked insulation and possibly burn spots from the cable grounding against the chassis. Also check the connections and make sure they are tight, might as well check your grounds while you're at it. There is at least one from the engine to the chassis and one from the transmission to the battery..or something along those lines.

2oodoor
02-02-2007, 04:28 AM
i went to autozone and got my battery and alternator tested, the guy tested the battery with the car off then he told me to turn it on. After that he put this other meter device that hooks around the jumper wiresit has a hole on the top of it with a clip thing. He called for another guy to have a look then he told me that the wire from the alternator to the battery is bad. The weird meter device thing was around the positive jumper cable and he pointed at it and told the guy something when i was in the car keeping it revved to 2k rpms. What could it be?
What were they whispering about?
Did they not tell you what it was?
Were they purposely keeping something from you to make you mad?
What could it be?
They did not try to sell you the part that would fix the car?
This is all so strange.

ahmad89
02-02-2007, 07:15 AM
well i was on my way to work and i was late enough as it is, the guy checked it, called someone else for help with something and he told me that the wire was bad and then had to go back inside cause he was helping someone, so the guy who tested my battery and stuff told me that and i said alright thanks and went to work. Which wire is this? can yall tell me what its called or where i can get it?

ahmad89
02-02-2007, 01:15 PM
yall think i should go back to autozone and have them test it again? theres a big one close to my house, They have more parts and stuff. I will follow the wires and see if they are damaged but right now im exhausted and taking a break, been going from school to work and comin hom at 9pm everyday this week.

ahmad89
02-02-2007, 03:36 PM
i jsut got back from autozone and they checked my alternator and its bad, they have one. I will get it changed soon. I also bought those breather filters lol i put it on where the engine is right? not the one where the air filter is.
Shep was right again, smartass.

njpeter
02-02-2007, 05:32 PM
pardon me fellas, but on carbed accords:

1-jack engine until drivers side motor mount can be pulled, the jack some more ( not too far without pulling vac lines from BODY side ( that piece of crab anti-afterburner valve goes brittle and the lines can snap off)
2-remove belts
3-unbolt bracket for alternator
4-pull alternator
5-reverse
6-have a six pack as you avoided 3 hours worth of grunt work

uhh..oh yeah forgot..disconnect the battery first :-)

folsk that pull teh axle have just gotten bad advice and aren't afriad to pass it on.

I'ev done an alternator in under two hours, the tough part is paying for it and then getting a defective rebuild one..that's happened to me more then once. I'll go with a junkyard alternator any time..just give it a good sniff..if it don't smell nasty in ten back and the bearing is good, you should be too.

accord alternators seem to be pretty good, running with a bad battery will toast em, as well as speed charging ( 10 amp max with it all connected) the battery with the hot cable connected. That toasts the diodes ( that nasty smell)

ahmad89
02-02-2007, 05:34 PM
thx peter but tomorrow im taking to a family friend's shop

cygnus x-1
02-02-2007, 09:52 PM
i went to autozone and got my battery and alternator tested, the guy tested the battery with the car off then he told me to turn it on. After that he put this other meter device that hooks around the jumper wiresit has a hole on the top of it with a clip thing. He called for another guy to have a look then he told me that the wire from the alternator to the battery is bad. The weird meter device thing was around the positive jumper cable and he pointed at it and told the guy something when i was in the car keeping it revved to 2k rpms. What could it be?

Sounds like they were using a clamp on ammeter. I'm not sure what that would tell them because clamp on meters don't work with DC current, only AC. And even then I don't know how that would tell you the cable is bad.
It could very well be bad though. After almost 20 years the cables start to get corroded.

C|

njpeter
02-03-2007, 04:55 AM
likey the alternator brushers are shot, high rpm failure is somthing I've seen, or the diodes..they don't last forever..some seem to be luckier then others. I prefer junkyard to rebuilt for this reason. All you need to test is a voltmeter and a battery load meter. ovefr 2000 rpm with a charged battery you should get 14+ volts at the termianls of the battery A bad battery can make yous pend big bucks, like a poor grade iginition coil had me melt down my cat and change a carb before I found what the real problem was. NEVER run the car with the battery disconnected to check the alternator, that's like running 60 mph on a tire with 10 pounds of air in it...you'll "get away" with it, but not for long and you cut the life seriously, volt meters are dirt cheap now

ahmad89
02-03-2007, 08:24 AM
my dad wants me go to this guy we know to get the battery and alternator checked AGAIN, i already had it checked twice and both people say its the alternator. I have to drive for like 15 minutes or more depending on traffic.

nskforlife
02-03-2007, 10:48 AM
dude, it sounds like your alternator. it happened to me
i had high rpm failure too.... my car wouldn't detonate on the interstate if i floored it. i was running on about 8 volts.... so that tells you something.... but ya... replace alternator, get battery charged, then go check your battery for problems with that

i've replace my starter, alternator, and battery. just to be on the safe side, next comes renewed wiring....

lostforawhile
02-03-2007, 04:21 PM
pardon me fellas, but on carbed accords:
1-jack engine until drivers side motor mount can be pulled, the jack some more ( not too far without pulling vac lines from BODY side ( that piece of crab anti-afterburner valve goes brittle and the lines can snap off)
2-remove belts
3-unbolt bracket for alternator
4-pull alternator
5-reverse
6-have a six pack as you avoided 3 hours worth of grunt work
uhh..oh yeah forgot..disconnect the battery first :-)
folsk that pull teh axle have just gotten bad advice and aren't afriad to pass it on.
I'ev done an alternator in under two hours, the tough part is paying for it and then getting a defective rebuild one..that's happened to me more then once. I'll go with a junkyard alternator any time..just give it a good sniff..if it don't smell nasty in ten back and the bearing is good, you should be too.
accord alternators seem to be pretty good, running with a bad battery will toast em, as well as speed charging ( 10 amp max with it all connected) the battery with the hot cable connected. That toasts the diodes ( that nasty smell)for all that work might as well just pull the axle. you don't have to pull it out of the tranny,just disconnect your lower ball joint and tie rod end. then pull it out of the spindle and push it aside. for a note,a ten dollar pitman arm puller will remove any ball joint or tie rod end on this car,easy and with no damage. it also fit my wifes 98,so I suspect it fits most hondas. good tool to have in your tools. also are you sure you don't have a glazed belt? the faster the engine turns,the more likely it is to slip. especially since you said it squeals. if you replace the belt,get some fine sandpaper and clean up the pulley grooves also. if the belt was slipping,it can leave a coating on the pulley grooves that will make the new belt slip. a belt slipping will also show a bad alternator since it's not able to turn fast enough under load. the idiots here at auto zone and advance also will try to make you a hard sell on an alternator. I tested them once,I took a perfectly good alternator to both stores and they both put it on the machine and said it was bad. by chance they had a "premium" alternator on the shelf which they immedietly tried to sell me. I'm glad we have an automotive electrical specialist here in town. I think I'm going to take my bad alternator to him and let him rebuild it locally.

njpeter
02-03-2007, 04:38 PM
<brooklyenese on>not for nuthin, and far be it for me to argue here, but I'd much rather wrestle with a motor mount bolt and a couple of vac lines then an axle nut AND a ball joint ( with that typically nasty cotter pin) and then have to do the work from underneath. If I'm not mistaken, you have to drag out the floor jack anyway and pull the wheel too..so where's all that work coming from?<brooklynese off>

it's worth your while to build some relationship with the local auto parts store guys, a "they gave me an extra dozen doughnuts with breakfast order this morning, and I can't eat em" will typically start you getting a trade discount, worth far more then a box of doughnuts, showing up greasy and bitching about hack wrenches who's stripped bolts you have to clean up ( and this just reminded me of the frozen lower alternator nut it took me an entire afternoon to hack off) works wonders too. Can't tell you how much I've saved over the years at the local napa, who think I'm from that mystery shop called "P&P" auto ( a well placed single sided cell phone call about "finish the toyota by noon and get that ratty honda on the rack, i'll be there with the stuff after I stop at BK and pick up some grub" ".

Once you get into the computer, you're golden. That doesn't work at Pep boys btw... With respect to those minimum wage grunts, they need the .1% extra they make on big ticket item sales ( to you) ANY time I have to set foot in the local pep boys I always kick myself for waiting till sunday to buy something ( bergen county blue laws keep about everything closed) so now I drive the extra 10 miles to the new napa that's open on sunday ( got on trade rate there after two consecutive weekend visits) Having an old exxon garage shirt that stinks of gas doesn't hurt either.

lostforawhile
02-03-2007, 05:05 PM
<brooklyenese on>not for nuthin, and far be it for me to argue here, but I'd much rather wrestle with a motor mount bolt and a couple of vac lines then an axle nut AND a ball joint ( with that typically nasty cotter pin) and then have to do the work from underneath. If I'm not mistaken, you have to drag out the floor jack anyway and pull the wheel too..so where's all that work coming from?<brooklynese off>
it's worth your while to build some relationship with the local auto parts store guys, a "they gave me an extra dozen doughnuts with breakfast order this morning, and I can't eat em" will typically start you getting a trade discount, worth far more then a box of doughnuts, showing up greasy and bitching about hack wrenches who's stripped bolts you have to clean up ( and this just reminded me of the frozen lower alternator nut it took me an entire afternoon to hack off) works wonders too. Can't tell you how much I've saved over the years at the local napa, who think I'm from that mystery shop called "P&P" auto ( a well placed single sided cell phone call about "finish the toyota by noon and get that ratty honda on the rack, i'll be there with the stuff after I stop at BK and pick up some grub" ".
Once you get into the computer, you're golden. That doesn't work at Pep boys btw... With respect to those minimum wage grunts, they need the .1% extra they make on big ticket item sales ( to you) ANY time I have to set foot in the local pep boys I always kick myself for waiting till sunday to buy something ( bergen county blue laws keep about everything closed) so now I drive the extra 10 miles to the new napa that's open on sunday ( got on trade rate there after two consecutive weekend visits) Having an old exxon garage shirt that stinks of gas doesn't hurt either.I already have the discount at the local nappa store,but I'm starting to really wonder about some of their parts. I spent over 6 grand last year just on this car. so the discount really helps. as far as the axle,I can have it out in about 15 minutes,and don't have to worry about stressing the other motor mounts in the process. :)

2oodoor
02-05-2007, 09:20 AM
Sounds like they were using a clamp on ammeter. I'm not sure what that would tell them because clamp on meters don't work with DC current, only AC. And even then I don't know how that would tell you the cable is bad.
It could very well be bad though. After almost 20 years the cables start to get corroded.

C|
Alternator is AC Current, thats why its called an alternator, it alternates DC to AC to DC.
and also, good tips you guys. The most common failures Ive seen with alternators is brushes, and bearings. Diodes fail but that is usually because of bad batterys, connections, and loads on the battery while starting, such as Ac, fans, or high amp draws. People need to turn everything off when they shut the car down so it aint on when they try to start it.

shepherd79
02-05-2007, 09:34 AM
alternator makes AC current, the voltage stabilizer inside the car converts it to stable 14.4 V. this way your electrical won't blow up when you rev the engine all the way.


some people prefer mechanics to work on their cars. i work on my own and my dad's cars since i was 10 years old. everything is easy, as long as you take your time. If you rush things, you most likely to screw something up or brake.

ahmad89
02-05-2007, 10:44 AM
good advice everyone, thats why im waiting to do my thermostat.

cygnus x-1
02-05-2007, 06:43 PM
Alternators generate 3-phase AC which is internally rectified by six diodes. The voltage is regulating by feeding some amount of current back to the rotor windings to increase or decrease the magnetic field, thereby changing the voltage generated by the stator windings. The voltage at the alternator's output terminal (by itself) is mostly DC with the peaks of the rectified sine wave peaks imposed on it. Like this:

http://sub.allaboutcircuits.com/images/03269.png


However the battery acts like a really big capacitor and smooths the waveform to pure DC. In thinking about this though I realized that a shorted diode would allow unrectified AC though and it's possible that it might be picked up by a clamp on meter. So if the meter did indicate some alternating current, that might be an indication of a bad alternator. Or I suppose they could have been using some special type of meter designed for checking alternators that measures the current differently than a standard clamp on ammeter. Hmm, interesting.

C|

ahmad89
02-05-2007, 07:11 PM
Ok guys i have another problem that has been goin on for awhile.
After i drive my car for awhile like 20 or 30 min. Then when i stop at like a gas station or whatever and start it up it takes longer. It will start when i press the brakes and then it would go from trying to turn and into like sorta sputtering then i press the gas and it will rev up and start running. My bro thinks its the alternator and so does autozone. What do you guys think?

skycam_313
02-06-2007, 02:08 AM
Alternators generate 3-phase AC which is internally rectified by six diodes. The voltage is regulating by feeding some amount of current back to the rotor windings to increase or decrease the magnetic field, thereby changing the voltage generated by the stator windings. The voltage at the alternator's output terminal (by itself) is mostly DC with the peaks of the rectified sine wave peaks imposed on it. Like this:
http://sub.allaboutcircuits.com/images/03269.png
However the battery acts like a really big capacitor and smooths the waveform to pure DC. In thinking about this though I realized that a shorted diode would allow unrectified AC though and it's possible that it might be picked up by a clamp on meter. So if the meter did indicate some alternating current, that might be an indication of a bad alternator. Or I suppose they could have been using some special type of meter designed for checking alternators that measures the current differently than a standard clamp on ammeter. Hmm, interesting.
C|
:huh: you lost me ....... i went to HAYWARD schools.....

skycam_313
02-06-2007, 02:09 AM
that doesnt sound like alt to me.... maybe carb prob?

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 07:14 AM
I'll clean the carb today with seafoam i pour 1/3 quarts into the carb right then the rest in gas tank? Im really confused i got autozone telling that my carb is bad and two other shops telling that my battery and carb is bad but autozone told me that my battery is good.

shepherd79
02-06-2007, 07:38 AM
that is why i don't go to autozone. find advance autoparts.
the starting problem sounds like a carb problem.

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 07:42 AM
well i do pass by an advance autoparts on the highway i guess on my way home i'll stop by there but i pour 1/3 quart into the carb with seafoam right i wanna make sure so i dont mess it up anymore.

2oodoor
02-06-2007, 07:46 AM
I suppose they could have been using some special type of meter designed for checking alternators that measures the current differently than a standard clamp on ammeter. Hmm, interesting.
C|[/QUOTE]
I have been using a clamp on amp probe on vehicles for years. It has an arrow on it to determine which way the current flows. My Snap On clamp on tester tells how many amps the alternator is charging , and has LED ripple to determine diode or voltage drop to ground condition. Fluke makes a nice one too, there are several brands out now even low cost clones. I also use to determine excessive draw from starter motors.


Ahmad89 you are a trip by the way, why don't you set the car on fire before it gets you hurt.

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 07:49 AM
im a trip, what does that mean? I've been told many times by my friend to drive it off a cliff but i live in houston, its flat lands, then he suggest i drive it into a ditch. I wanna sell this car so i can get a newer more reliable car and a manual.

2oodoor
02-06-2007, 08:20 AM
trip- it just means your ok guy in addtion to being quite a charactor. It is too bad you have so much trouble with your car, yet you do not give up on it.

good idea, get rid of it, the kind of unresolved issues your having are going to be expensive, and they also make the car dangerous to drive.
Houston, drive into the gulf. lol

MessyHonda
02-06-2007, 08:50 AM
:huh: you lost me ....... i went to HAYWARD schools.....



mount eden FTW

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 10:45 AM
lol thx roodoo and thx for the advice lol.

cygnus x-1
02-06-2007, 10:56 AM
I have been using a clamp on amp probe on vehicles for years. It has an arrow on it to determine which way the current flows. My Snap On clamp on tester tells how many amps the alternator is charging , and has LED ripple to determine diode or voltage drop to ground condition. Fluke makes a nice one too, there are several brands out now even low cost clones. I also use to determine excessive draw from starter motors.


Holy crap. I must be living in the dark ages. I just looked up clamp type meters and I see they have ones that can measure DC now. Amazing. I need one of those.
Well, then I retract my previous statements about clamp meters.

And about alternators, what I was trying to say was that alternators produce AC and convert it to DC, like in the picture. Then the battery smooths it out even more so that the voltage is flat.

C|

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 11:29 AM
ok good info but doesnt help the reason why my car gets harder to start after its been driven for awhile.

russiankid
02-06-2007, 02:05 PM
ok good info but doesnt help the reason why my car gets harder to start after its been driven for awhile.
Not sure if this is true, but if your alternator is bad, the battery could also be bad since the alternator doesn't charge the battery completely. So when you start the car back up, the fuel pump doesn't pump much fuel because of the low voltage. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

POS carb
02-06-2007, 02:42 PM
hey ahmad, I hope your car is running by now

Very important rule - the autoparts people don't know what the fk they are talking about. Unless they own the same car I would only take their advice as a suggestion. It really pisses me off when they assert they know what they are talking about when all they are trying to do is sell you a part and make you go away.

If the battery light comes on at high rpm then you need to tighten the belt tension. if it still happens you need to replace the alternator. I have been through this one... But really if your alternator is keeping your battery at 14v you should be ok for a few more months

POS carb
02-06-2007, 02:53 PM
Ahmad, plz read:
Battery provides power to the electrical system. There should be 12.4-12.6 volts with the engine off. If it is less than 12.0 with the engine off your battery is drained (recharge it) or broken (replace it).

Alternator creates electricity at 14.0-14.5 volts which causes it to charge the battery. If your voltage stays in the 12.5v area with the engine running then your alternator is not charging. If it reads between 13.5 and 14.5 it is fine (14.5 is better). If it passes 15 volts the internal voltage regulator is broken (and it is easier to just replace the entire alternator)

There is a charge wire that connects to the top of the alternator to the + of the battery, this is the wire the autopart employees are saying is bad. You can replace this wire with any high current wire, I would recommend using a 4 or 8 gauge wire for audio systems (amplifier wire).

Once this is corrected then you can worry about the fuel system. Low battery will affect the starter, the fuel pump, the ignition coil, EVERYTHING!!

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 06:58 PM
the battery and alt are fine then cause i read the gauges and they say over 12 when its off and over 14 when its running. I am going to change all 3 belts.
POS carb i do read everyones post and take their advice into consideration.

Now will someone please tell me if i am suppose to put 1/3 quarts of seafoam into the carb and the rest into the gas tank? Correct me if i am wrong.

shepherd79
02-06-2007, 07:20 PM
just put full bottle into fuel tank.
don't dump it into carb. use carb clean for the carb.
Seafoam is for fuel tanks.

russiankid
02-06-2007, 07:24 PM
http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthrea...hlight=seafoam

That should help out.

ahmad89
02-06-2007, 07:43 PM
thx shep and russian.

2oodoor
02-07-2007, 11:57 AM
Just a tip from all the clues you have provided ahmad89, It sounds like you could ride a little more if you just tighten up your alternator belt, you are running hot , that is why it is so hard to start the more you drive. The more you drive it running hot, the risk is greater to damage head and head gasket.

From what you said in an earlier post a month ago, I thought you already had a blown Head Gasket but I guess it survived due to the cold temperatures. I notice you seem to have more overheating problems as the outside temp rises a little.
If you smell gas in the radiator, you do have a blown head gasket.
You can change the thermostat and add some "stop leak" or a large tablespoon of black pepper to the radiator. And of course refil with coolant.
That may help you get a few more miles outta the car until you can get the leak or head fixed.
The carb problem is a whole another issue. That would best be done by a pro
The "wire" problem I cant comment on without seeing the car, you have plenty of info already posted here to resolve that if it is even true that the wire is defunk-ed.

ahmad89
02-07-2007, 06:52 PM
well finally you give me some reasonable advice roodoo lol thx man but i got bigger issues look for my thread in technical.

njpeter
02-07-2007, 06:57 PM
black pepper=coolest tip I've heard in a while<filed> :-)