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Help with the infamous alternator

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:53 pm
by yano
Hey, I noticed a weird high pitched noise coming from my car yesterday. So i pulled it over and it seems like my alternator is shitting itself on me. Any other thoughts on what this could be?? Noise is definitly coming from around the alternator location.... Also does anyone know any decent auto electricians around the southside of brisbane that'd do a recon on it cheap :( Cheers

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:47 pm
by maggsy
could it be one of your belts slipping?

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:10 pm
by yano
I had a good look at it but the belts seems to be running fine but then again I'm not a mechanic so i could be wrong....

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:34 am
by vipfto
Try to tighten tension on belt using adjuster should be easy to locate near to top of tensioner, belt should be fairly tight and be able to twist around 90deg at slackest point.
they tend to squeal when there is a lot of moisture too
or belt may need replacing

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:16 am
by kazbah
If your altenator is on the way out, you will notice the volt meter needle dipping when you have a number of electricals running, ie wipers, lights, aircon.

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:15 pm
by I8A4RE
Yeah mine is starting to get rooted again (its been less than 1yr). Last time i rang JnR and they said they are no longer doing these, go to steve mac electrical(i think). $400 dollars later and it hardly lasted 8 months. Ben where did you get yours recond cause im thinking about sending mine down there unless someone knows somewhere up that can actually do a good job???????/

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:34 pm
by yano
hey i got my car checked over and turns out the serpentine belt needed replacing. 170bucks later and the noise is gone 8O . Kinda feel I got ripped for a stupid belt and the bearing lubricated. What do you guys think??

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:03 am
by I8A4RE
Sounds like a ripp off to me those belts are like $20 30mins labour (extremely generous). Should cost more like $50-60 bucks thats highway robbery

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:37 pm
by yano
sh*t :x Won't be going back there again!! Cheers for the heads up!!

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:52 am
by I8A4RE
No worries man, dont feel bad though i have heard of bigger rip offs :D

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:50 pm
by oodLes
Dipping eh?

Mine doesn't dip at all running the aircon, ICE, etc but as soon as I use an indicator it starts dipping with each blink. Is that a sign its close to going?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:56 pm
by maggsy
mine dips with each indicator blink as well and it also happens when the lights turn on

i don't think it means its failing though it's just using power.

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:03 pm
by I8A4RE
In theroy the indicators should not make it fluctuate at all. if any of you guys own a multi-meter check your voltage as it may just be a power loss to the actual meter not that your alternator is dipping, does that make any sense. if not maggsy you can come round to mine and ill check it for you

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:19 pm
by maggsy
it only dips by about 2mm, so i just figure that it was draining power from the meter like you said.

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:31 pm
by yano
Turns out the belt they changed was an OEM mitsu one so that might explain the rip off in price. Weird thing now is that my steering gets a bit heavy every now and again and also some times when i reach full lock the car stalls!!! 8O wth???

Also with the volts, just as long as it's not dipping under 12 and that it'll sometimes go on 14 you should be alright. 14 means it on charge and just remember to top up your battery

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:09 pm
by I8A4RE
put car in D, put on air con, and full beams. Dash voltmeter dropped to 10volts. Put handbrake on and went and checked battery with volt meter, charging about 12.5 volts. So meter is not working properly for some reason. But when i turn off all accesories and check with volt meter again it reads about 14.3 volts.

So the charger is definitly struggling with accessories on and its not alternator...... F*$ks me wats wrong