dead alternator help !!!

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 12:54 pm

hey guys
my alternator died so i'm planning to have it fixed at my mechanic
i can still start my car and stuff but the battery will constantly drop and would probably die in about 15min
so i bought a battery charger and plan to full charge it and try to make a 30min trip from ashfield to northmead(just above parramatta)
Nrma advise me on this and i hope it will work
and does anybody know how to use the battery charger?
do i clip on the battery charger while all the cables from the car is connected onto the car or do i remove all the connections from the car and just plug the charger on the battery?
thanks !

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 12:59 pm

hey guys
for those who have had a dead alternator
how did u manage to drive your car to the place to fix it????

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:03 pm

http://www.battery-chargers.com/chargin ... ctions.htm

i would imagine either pushing or towing

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:40 am

hey boris
thank you so much but the problem i
i dont know where to clip it onto the car
it says clip one onto the batter and one on the engine???
i'm so lost
anybody got a pic of what it would look like in the fto engine bay???

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:10 am

Hmmmmm if you actually read the diagram properly, the one you looking at is for checking battery, & if you scroll down just half a page more, you can see another diagram for charging the battery, which show you connect postive (red) to + & negative (black) to -. Just in case you got confuse, the 120v in the diagram is base on U.S voltage, as its a U.S website, so don't look for a 120v wall socket.

Surely theres instruction in the box when you got your battery charger. And seriously why would you risk further damaging your car? Just tow it.

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:16 pm

i guss i should just tow it huh....
but i thought i could save some money by charging the damn thing hehe
do anyone think the battery would actually explode? wats the chances of that?
anywayz this is what i dont understand
"Next connect NEGATIVE (BLACK) charger clip to car frame or engine block away from battery."
where is this in the engine bay?
if anyone could supply pic it would be greatly appreciated!!!
thanks

SilentBob · Post by **SilentBob** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:41 pm

the engine bay...
that would be where the engine is kept wouldnt it?

it means attach it to any METAL PART that aint the battery, acting as a ground

simple

SilentBob

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:20 pm

oh right
coz i know nothing about electronics
so i wouldnt kill the engine if anything goes wrong right?
man so complex

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:39 pm

If you are worred about kililng the engine, disconnect the battery all together from the engine.

THe only thing that you could kill would probably the charger, but the charges shoudl tolarate screw ups i guess.

onnzo · Post by **onnzo** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:07 am

What a co-incidence. Whilst driving to Mt buffalo for a camping weekend yesterday I noticed my alternator light flicker on as well!

Luckily I was still relatively close to home so I turned around... It wasnt charging when idling but was charging a little when driving,

Anyway. If your alternator is totally stuffed, get a tow. Even if you charge the battery you wont get far without a working alternator and you will stuff up your battery (unless you have a drycell)

When I had a drycell in my lancer (and a stuffed alternator), I got my dad to follow me and every 10 minutes of driving or so he would pull up behind me and give me a charge

You can't do that with a normal lead acid battery though...

Anyway, I have my alternator out now and am going to get it reconditioned tomorrow, ill probably get some new belts too.

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:29 am

man i feel so stupid !
NRMA could actually giv eme free towing !!!
god...i'm so dumb...
and they said they could give me free car rental for 3 days max...man
hwy didnt i remember i have NRMA membership !
thanks guys !
gona refund the charger now

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 12:47 pm

hey guys anybody done their alternator from besides A class smorisson suggested
coz they run out
how much it cost u to recondition alternator +labour to install
thanks

Dr_Jones · Post by **Dr_Jones** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 1:45 pm

I just had mine done in qld and cost me 200 bucks as a guide.

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:17 pm

does that include labour taking the alternator out, reconditioning it and putting it back in the car???

onnzo · Post by **onnzo** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:20 pm

it's costing me $200 to reco the alternator - labour I would guestimate at about $100-$150 - some may charge more as it is an import... and it is a bi@tch to get out without taking off steering components...

I would say $400 is fair to remove reco and install

Mike

Dr_Jones · Post by **Dr_Jones** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:34 pm

No the 200 dollars was just for the reco I did the rest myself. I would expect to pay more than $150 labour.