Alternator?

[SFCA1987lx]

Ok. So. I got in the car. As I'm driving the Battery light begins to flash. As I get to my destination, it is now just steady burning red. I started up again and drove a few miles and noticed that instead of about the normal 800rpm at idle, I was now at around 1200 rpm at idle. When I came to a stop and put it into park, it revved up to aroun 2800 rpm. When I turned it off it began to shudder and shake for several seconds. I started the car back up and drove home. When I stopped, I popped the hood, and had my friend turn the engine off as I watched. The engine, again around 2800-3000 rpm, shuddered and shook and I could see the belts beginning to turn and stop and begin and stop until it was fully off. What could this be? The battery light is making me want to think the alternator is going and it being out of whack is throwing other things off? Is it worse? Don't go easy on me. HELPPPPPPPP please thanks!

[nswst8]

Tighten the belts first. Should only have about a 1/2" of deflection. Put a volt meter on the battery terminals and start if the volts drop below 9.5 you battery is bad (replace it). After starting and letting it warm up recheck the voltage while running it should be about 14.25 - 14.5 this indicates the alt is putting out enough voltage to charge the battery. If it is under 14 volts your alt is probably on it way out. This is by no means a VAT40 test, it will give you a rough estimate of the state of your charging system.

The shuttering is engine related, if it is carb you'll have to wait for the carb experts to weigh in on this.

[SFCA1987lx]

The belts are fine. I cleaned the battery terminals off and I noticed that if when it was in park, if I revved it to around 4000+ rpms, the battery light would flicker out. So I drove it to Kragen a few blocks away and as I drove I got it up to almost 5000 rpms and the light went out. They said their portable tester was broken and I'm not up for driving 10 miles round trip to the next closest one with a possibly dying alternator. I noticed on the way back that if I got the rpm's around 4000 the light would go out but as soon as it dropped back down under 4000 it came back on. I'm almost positive the alternator is going, but some reassurance would be nice. =] thanks

[nswst8]

Do you have a Multimeter? It's that simple. Did you not understand what was written?

Multimeter set it to DCV 40 volts or the next highest setting above 12 volts.

Black lead to negative battery terminal.
Red lead to positive terminal.

And then follow previous post.

[joebeets]

I don't see any connection between the high idle--which is causing the run-on you mention-and the alternator light. You can charge the battery manually until you find the problem. This will allow you to drive the car during the day at least.

[A20A1]

Could be the Alt... If it's not then here are some suggestions.

Check your fluids first - Oil / Coolant
Check the battery posts, clean them. (Edit: Sorry, I see you did that already)
Check ground wires from battery, radiator support, and thermostat housing.

As for the run on it could be from overheating, but you might also want to check your distributor, maybe it's loose and turned a bit on it's own. Disconnect the Cruise Control cable if you have one, not sure if something could be awry there.\

Is the motor pretty much stock? Any mods electrically or mechanically we should know about?

[SFCA1987lx]

yea its all stock, no money for mods. The car won't even start anymore. I'm replacing the rack and pinion right now and when thats done (hopefully tonight), I have a new alternator I'm going to drop in. If that fixes it, then hoorah. If not, I'll hook it up to the vat40 and see what its saying and try some of your other ideas

[A20A1]

hmm how did I miss the high idle.

Anyways. if you can check for vacuum leaks. Maybe something is wiggling it's way loose and making the problem worse and worse as the vacuum leaks gets bigger and bigger.


So there is no juice to crank the car or the car cranks but doesn't fire up?


If you need more help with idle check this thread.
http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46572
but in most cases you need to find and fix any vacuum leak first or your adjustments will be off.

[SFCA1987lx]

no juice for the crank. i finally got the rack and pinion out today. Now my issue is trying to get the alternator out. took about 30 mins to fight the alternator out of the connections and its bracket. but. of course. honda didn't make it easy to actually remove the alternator. it looks like i have to pull the left cv shaft to be able to remove the alternator and put the new one in. is this right? it seems way too overly complicated.

[joebeets]

It will come out between the engine and the firewall, on the battery side, if you first remove the heater hose bracket. Done it three times.

[SFCA1987lx]

Noo theres no way to get it to that side of the engine. the cv shaft had to come out. but i got it. then i got to go back to kragen because they gave me the wrong alternator - _ -

[lostforawhile]

if the light goes out at high rpm's the alternator brushes are shot.

[Civic Accord Honda]

if the light goes out at high rpm's the alternator brushes are shot.

+1 same thing my 4g was doing threw a new alt in it all good :thumbup: