Bad alternator?

**Tailfin** · 10-01-2006, 03:40 AM

Ok usually I know the drill with these, but this thing is being so inconsistent, that I'm unsure. That alone should probably be telling me to buy a new alternator, but I just wanted to bounce it off y'all before I hand over the $100+ to rockauto lol.

Ok the strongest evidence against the alternator is that a couple days ago, I had the car idling, and I was getting around 10.6 volts on the multimeter at the battery terminals. Oh by the way, the battery is brand new. After I turned the car off and started it again, and checked again, it was where it should be...13.6-ish. I checked a couple times more, and it didn't slip.

Lately, I notice when I start the car cold, if I press the accelerator I notice the lights brighten and dim a bit relative to the pedal. This morning, as I left work, I started it, and I checked it with the multimeter...right where it should be. I turned the radio on...it should be noted that the radio has been acting weird...the numbers on the display all effed up at random times...clear others. Anyhoo, I turned it on, and went back and checked...engine still idling. It was around 12.3 V. I was thinking too much load for the going alternator...but I screwed the throttle stop screw in so it would idle faster to test, and sure enough, it got up to just over 13... So then I wondered if maybe it was just the belt being too loose. I've also been hearing periodic, but overt squeaking from the belt.

This particular morning, the radio display didn't go completely screwy on me, but it started dim. After driving it about 10 minutes, I noticed it was nice and bright, and that it did not wane for the rest of the trip (just another 10 minutes). I let it fully warm up before leaving as well. Also, when the display gives me all weird things on it, it's not dim....

I have not checked the contacts at the alternator yet, but I will (it's raining). I guess what I'm wondering is it possible that this is just contacts being corroded, or grounds or belt tension? The secondary ground on the valve cover and the other one on the other side of the engine bay are fine. Did I miss any? I pushed on the belt between the alternator and whatever is below it...and it seemed like it had a normal tension... I was able to push it down maybe an inch or so. The belt did not appear severely worn or anything.

There was also one attempt last night when I tried to start it with the lights turned on first, and it moved, but couldn't quite turn over...lights off, and it started.

I know it seems pretty obvious lol...but I'm a professional at second-guessing myself... So if anyone has experience with these things, you can probably tell me that these symptoms could not be just belt tension, other grounds, or corroded contacts...

**shepherd79** · 10-01-2006, 06:14 AM

well like you said, check the ground connections, also make sure your belt is not too tight or loose.

**forrest89sei** · 10-01-2006, 07:10 PM

Check the belts First beacuse it sounds like you just need to tighten it.

but if you do need a new alt here is a 5% off coupon for rockauto

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Good luck

**Tailfin** · 10-02-2006, 02:53 AM

Haha much appreciated, but I am already a repeat customer at rockauto

. I haven't even gotten to it yet because I had to spend most of yesterday doing catch-up sleeping...but I'll post the results after I fiddle about with it.