joseph p

Came back Friday from long trip...didn't drive car('89 Coupe) until this morning...started it, noticed heater panel readouts weren't on ( assumed it was the 28 degree weather effect)...went 5 miles, stopped car, alarm went off when opening door, closed door, tried to start, DEAD! Left alone for 1 hour , tried again and it started. Went 5 miles, signl lights weak, voltage reading 8-9 volts while running, got home, stalled....DEAD!!!!
Car has 5 month old alternator, 1 year old battery, and 2 month old starter. Suggestions????
Thanks in advance!

ShawnZR-1

Batteries hate the cold. I think something may be awry with the battery. Throw a meter on the terminals and see what the voltage is.

PurpleC4

Joseph,
I would start with the battery. Just because the battery is only 1 year old doesn't mean that a cell can't short out. Take the Battery where you bought it. They can do a load test on it. If you put a new battery in, check the alternator output voltage right after installation. It should be roughly 14.5 volts. If considerably less ~ then I suspect the alternator.

grapeknutz

:iagree:

SunCr

If the battery recharges, check for a draw by hooking up a DVM in series with the negative side of the battery. Should be 50 milliamps or less. Common culprits are the hood lamps; amp relay, dash, but just pull fuses until you isolate the problem circuit, assuming this is the problem. I'd also check the alt output for 13.6 volts - 8-9 volts with the motor running usually means it's shot, and if you're using a discount parts store rebuild, that wouldn't be unheard of, especially driving with a dead battery.

yoslambo1@cs.com

sounds like a bad alternator......buy a DELCO! :yesnod:

TravisD

You replaced the alternator? I assume because it died - and when alternators die they like to take the battery with them. And vice-versa. Viscious cycle...

BTW, if it's a Sears DieHard, don't tell them about the alternator. They won't honor the warranty if they hear that you had a bad alternator.

Goody

Have battery charged to full capacity and then check the alternator for proper output. A dead battery can sometimes kill the altenator.

joseph p

Due to snow and work schedule, I just got around to charging the battery. When I went to put the lights on so I could move it up to the garage, the light alert "bell" that usually goes on when you turn the car off with the lights on...started ringing!!??? So now I can't put the lights on without the ringing!!! Is this related, a symptom.. or a cause??
Have not been able to check alternator output, yet.
Any help, greatly appreciated!

joseph p

TTT

joseph p

Anybody experience this?
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

ShawnZR-1

It sounds like a very low battery voltage. It may not be holding a charge or something is draining it very quickly. Yank the battery out and take it to Autozone or somewhere to have it tested.

joseph p

But why the light alert when the lights are on AND the car is running??? Does that go off when voltage is low? After charging battery, voltmeter read 12.2...so it did take the charge. In thinking back I do remember that light alert coming on when I put the lights on to get in the driveway, the night before the day all of this started on. Thanks for your response.

87vette

I was always told that after you start the car the battery is no longer needed. I don't know if this is true or not.

kittmaster

That number is high. A properly charging alternator system at 70 F is 13.8, as the temperature goes up the voltage will go down. At 220F under the hood charging voltage should be 13.2 to 13.4. At 20F the charging voltage should be between 14.2 to 14.8. 14.4 IMHO is the max that the battery should ever encounter considering it regulated, AC recified, variable duty cycle charging.

Kitt

joseph p

It's 12.2 at 25 degrees in NJ....that's high??

kittmaster

No I was responding to purples 14.4 rate charging voltage. 12.2 while running is unacceptable, means alternator is junk, needs replacing. 3 bolts and a serpentine. Good luck

Kitt

joseph p

Here's a thought...since the alert bells go on when the lights are on and the car is running, could there be a short in either the light switch or the alert system???
This has never happened to anybody???

joseph p

Anyone???

SunCr

Could be. The audio alarm module has 3 inputs: Tail fuse (through the light switch); courtesy/clock fuse - always hot; and the gages fuse - hot with ignition on. The light switch, when on, sends a signal to the module. If the ignition is on, the module also receives a signal through the gages fuse. This tells the module to turn the alarm off. Since the alarm isn't turning off, there is either an open from the gages fuse or the module is bad. It's probably the module - unfortunately, I believe it's out of production. If it is, you can check a boneyard or disconnect it. You should still check for a draw by putting your DVM in series with the battery. If there is a draw, I'd pull the courtesy clock fuse first and if the draw goes away, suspect the audio alarm module.