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Battery Dead Car Wont Start

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:11 am
by DanXbix
I came out to my car one morning to start and battery was completly dead (it was driving fine before and charging). Jump started the car and got it going, took for a drive and voltage dial was staying at 14volts while driving and 12volts stopped at the lights. took for a good drive to see if it would charge battery. Got home and let it idle but slowly the voltage metter dropped to 8volts and then 0volts & car stalled. The battery is a $150 one and fairly new. Would this be a short somewhere or the alternator?
any ideas

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:18 am
by Bennoz
Sounds like the brushes in the alternator are gone / going. Get yourself to an autosparkie & have it reco'ed.

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:23 pm
by I8A4RE
Definitly... Mine is starting to do it again and i only replaced mine like a year ago (and i could tell it had already been rreplaced before). Thats 3 alternators in 13yrs. i know of 20yr old cars that aint been through 1. is there a upgrade for these or maybe someway to keep them cool i know they get real hot behind the engine like that.

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:27 pm
by nvdfto
i'd say its an ALTERNATOR.
get it reco or get a new one its definatly not the batt

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:50 pm
by RallyMad
From what I've been told by and auto-lecy I trust there are Cheap Alternator bushes and then there are ones that will actually last a while. But they do cost a fair bit more, in previous cars I've always just said yes to the more expensive stuff but I don't know how that will go with the FTO, haven't needed to find out yet thankfully.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:47 pm
by payaya
does the car restart???

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:36 am
by DanXbix
well this is a wierd one the $150 battery has been completely discharded Battery world are replacing it. They lent me a battery and its been fairly good. multimeter is only reading 12.3volts when engine idle.
Last night i went driving and light were on and voltage dropped to about 9volts dash was dimming when accelerating in 1st & 2nd gear then 3rd gear volts went up to 12volts.??? and sometimes dropped to 11 then 14v
when home turned car off and then on and dash went wierd tach and volt and dash lights flickering etc thought battery was dead
than this morning car started fine and is at about 12volts to 13volts on meter
wierd

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:43 am
by jonowong
the alternator isnt putting out enough charge... check that your battery terminals are clean, and that your ground is clean as a start...

i dont know if you can do this, but my friend told me alternators can be adjusted?

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:44 pm
by I8A4RE
the alternator isnt putting out enough charge
Thats exactly right. Mine has just started doing this again. All the lights are putting a strain on the alternator at night yet during the day its fine. CHeck tonight to see what your volt reading says when you turn your lights on then watch it jump back up when you turn them off. It is very weird though cause i can have my amp[ running and a laptop off a inverter makes no difference but as soon as i turn on my lights huge drop in volts.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:46 pm
by JOeJOe
Notice it drop even more when you turn on the blinkers.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:49 pm
by I8A4RE
Yeah fully. So im gonna HID and then replace all the wiring right back to headlight switch. Then i just gotta find a upgrade to the alternator problem cause $440 every 14months is bs

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:06 pm
by JOeJOe
I8AFRE wrote:Yeah fully. So im gonna HID and then replace all the wiring right back to headlight switch. Then i just gotta find a upgrade to the alternator problem cause $440 every 14months is bs
Can't you recon it to give it a little more oomph? I think stock is 75amps?

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:39 pm
by I8A4RE
Not sure but even if you can il dont think thats gonna stop it burnoing out quick. But im i aint 100% on that.