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Old 06-25-2001, 03:23 PM   #1
jimdrechsler
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Red face HELP- CAR WONT START

I own an 89 mustang convt. I turn the key and the battery light and oil light come on, but when I turn to start it, I hear one click and then nothing. When take the key out and put it back in to start, no interior lights come on at all. It does start with jumper cables, but when it is running, I can hear strange sounds (radio is a little distorted, the buzzer noise that the key is in the ignition is distorted too) after I turn the car off again, it will not start up and the same thing happens. A few weeks ago while I was driving about 65 or so, the RPM's jumped up and down real quick. When I pulled in the driveway, the car died and there was no power till I jumped it. The car started fine fine for about two more weeks, now it wont start at all without a jump. I tested the battery and the alternator, and they are both good. Any ideas!!!!! Thanks
Jim

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Old 06-25-2001, 08:29 PM   #2
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Clean the Battery terminals or you Alternator is bad a no power to the Battery

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Old 06-25-2001, 10:42 PM   #3
BrentK7
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**sniff sniff** smells like an alternator problem to me, i am assuming your car is still a one(1) belt car, have you checked to see if maybe the belt snapped, that would explain the sudden jump in RPM, (cause there is a lot less drag on the motor if it isn't turning the alternator) this would also explain y the alternator tests out fine, it just isn't spinning. I am sure if the belt snapped you would know about it (the temp guage would be going up real fast aswell), it would be hard to miss.

OR MAYBE the belt is slipping over the alternator so that the belt is still intact, it just isn't turning the alternator, this would once again explain the sudden jump in RPM's, y the alternator checks out fine, and y it worked for about 2 weeks.

Make sure to tell us what's up when you figure it out.

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Old 06-25-2001, 11:07 PM   #4
dinomite
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Yup, sounds to me like you are having alternator troubles. I had an alternator sieze up on me while i was looking at it. I heard some wierd noise from the front, and was near home so i just went home and parked it. Went in, got my dad, told him of wierd noise. went back out, started it up, and we were both watching it when it seized up.
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Old 06-26-2001, 01:25 PM   #5
John Cummins
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Wire in a 130 amp alternator. Its simple and it works. Corral.net has the article to show you how. The only difference is I bought a replacement harnes for a 94 GT alternator.
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Old 06-26-2001, 05:04 PM   #6
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I had the same problem. It turn out to be a bad postive wire to the battery. I replaced it and everything was fine.Good luck and let us know.

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Old 06-27-2001, 04:38 PM   #7
jimdrechsler
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I put the alternator back in after I took it out and tried placing a different battery (from my honda) in to see if it starts. IT worked!! So I brought up my original battery and asked to test it agian, and he said that it was still good!!!! So I bought a battery anyways, installed it, and it starts up with no problem. Do you think it could still be the alternator, and if so, I just wasted 70 bucks on a new battery OR do you think the freak at the auto store doesn't know what he's doing (although it was tested twice!)!!
Im sure I will find out on a long trip if it is the alternator (lets hope not)!! Thanks for responses!
Jim

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Old 06-28-2001, 12:59 AM   #8
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It's been my experience that 90% of the time the problem is too much resistance in one of the battery cables, usually the ground. Most of the time, cleaning the terminals and tightening the connection solves the problem. Changing batteries can be decieving because in the process of doing so you may have cleaned and tightened the connection, and the new battery certianly had clean posts. If it was your alternator, it wouldn't crap out and then be fine for two weeks. Odds are it was a dirty terminal. Always start with the simple stuff! It will save you a ton of money.

Take care
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Old 06-28-2001, 01:58 PM   #9
jimdrechsler
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Thanks fo the reply Chris-
I did however clean the posts to the old battery, but still did not work. Maybe your right in that the connection is tighter now than before. So far, still good- Starts up without a problem- Do you thuink if I drive a long distance, (1 hour or so) I will have a problem IF it is the alternator??
Jim

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Old 06-28-2001, 04:31 PM   #10
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Absolutely! That's why I don't think it's the alternator. If it were bad, the only charging your battery would see would be when it's getting jumped, and that's not long enough to drive very far. Let me make a suggestion; get your hands on a voltmeter. It doesn't matter if it's a gauge type for inside the car, or a hand held multimeter, it just has to read DC volts. Now find a plug and cord for the cigarette lighter. You may have some old item in your garage that had a power cord for plugging in to your lighter that you can use. If not, go to your local auto parts store and pick one up for a buck or two. Now, bare the ends of each wire coming off the plug in adapter, and connect your voltmeter leads to them to see which way the polarity is. When you determine which is pos. and which is neg., attach them to the leads by twisting them around the lead tips and then with electrical tape. You just made a simple but accurate tool for checking the state of your cars electrical system under all conditions. Just plug it in and drive. As long as the gauge is at 13 volts or more, your alternator is charging the battery. If it should fall below 12.6 at ANY TIME that it's running, you are no longer charging, and need to have the system inspected.

Take care
~Chris

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Old 06-28-2001, 10:08 PM   #11
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Lightbulb

the easiest way to check your alternator is....have the car running, then disconnect the negative cable from the battery and if it stalls out then the problem is your alternator, if it keeps on going then it's not the alternator!!!!! hope this helps.
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Old 06-29-2001, 11:44 AM   #12
jimdrechsler
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Thanks for all replies, I will try both suggestions and see what happens!!!
Jim
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Old 06-29-2001, 08:44 PM   #13
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Speedy-
That's also the easiest way to fry your computer. Well, driving into a lake might be easier, but not by much. You should NEVER do that with a computer controlled engine.

Take care
~Chris

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