...and she dies for the 1st time in 10+ years (long)

JohnnyG · 10-15-2001, 08:45 AM

Driving home to Baltimore from Jersey last night, I noticed my voltmeter dropping precariously low near the red line. The dash was dimming... the stereo stopped playing... and pulling away from paying each toll, the low battery light would flicker. Then about 1/2 hour from home the airbag light came on, and the car started to surge. My baby was dying. The alternator is only a year old (130amp), the battery is about 2 months old, and I spent about an hour in the pouring rain looking for a short before I gave-up. Shivering cold, I gave up and called AAA and had it towed to an auto electric specialist.

This has actually been an ongoing problem for the last few years, just not to this degree. Basically, I would notice that when taking a long drive, the volt meter would drop a couple of notches by the end of the trip. Once the car sat overnight it would display a full charge again. I figured it was a charging problem and replaced the alternator with a new 130amp model. The problem was still there, a little better, but still there- so I then ran a cable straight from the alternator to the (+) post on the battery. The problem was STILL there. A couple months ago, the battery died... replaced that. And now all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, the problem takes a drastic turn for the worse. Over the course of a 1.5 hour drive the volt meter dropped from nearly the top of the guage to nothing. Neither driving at 2000 RPM
nor sitting and idling seemed to build a charge. Sounds like the alternator right? But it's practically brand new- AND when is WAS brand new, it still didn't fix the problem with the dipping voltmeter. Think it may be a short? Perhaps the short taxed the alternator and over-worked it? What do you guys think?

I know car mechanics, but not car electronics... so I want to be able to talk straight with this guy at the shop. Any of you fellas have any ideas as to what's the problem?

Thanks in advance.

-John

[This message has been edited by JohnnyG (edited 10-15-2001).]

10-15-2001, 08:45 AM	#1
JohnnyG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 105	...and she dies for the 1st time in 10+ years (long) Driving home to Baltimore from Jersey last night, I noticed my voltmeter dropping precariously low near the red line. The dash was dimming... the stereo stopped playing... and pulling away from paying each toll, the low battery light would flicker. Then about 1/2 hour from home the airbag light came on, and the car started to surge. My baby was dying. The alternator is only a year old (130amp), the battery is about 2 months old, and I spent about an hour in the pouring rain looking for a short before I gave-up. Shivering cold, I gave up and called AAA and had it towed to an auto electric specialist. This has actually been an ongoing problem for the last few years, just not to this degree. Basically, I would notice that when taking a long drive, the volt meter would drop a couple of notches by the end of the trip. Once the car sat overnight it would display a full charge again. I figured it was a charging problem and replaced the alternator with a new 130amp model. The problem was still there, a little better, but still there- so I then ran a cable straight from the alternator to the (+) post on the battery. The problem was STILL there. A couple months ago, the battery died... replaced that. And now all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, the problem takes a drastic turn for the worse. Over the course of a 1.5 hour drive the volt meter dropped from nearly the top of the guage to nothing. Neither driving at 2000 RPM nor sitting and idling seemed to build a charge. Sounds like the alternator right? But it's practically brand new- AND when is WAS brand new, it still didn't fix the problem with the dipping voltmeter. Think it may be a short? Perhaps the short taxed the alternator and over-worked it? What do you guys think? I know car mechanics, but not car electronics... so I want to be able to talk straight with this guy at the shop. Any of you fellas have any ideas as to what's the problem? Thanks in advance. -John [This message has been edited by JohnnyG (edited 10-15-2001).]