Alternator or battery (quick resp. appr.)
 

My car has been turning over increasingly slower over the past week or so. It runs fine when started; accept for slight dimming of dash lights when stopped. Today, the battery was almost completely dead but it still started fine. Shortly after pulling away from my parking spot, the "stop lamp" light flashed a few times but it was fine after that. I was running the ac and had the radio on with no problems. Windows rolled up and down fine.

My guess is that the heat has taken its toll on the battery as alternator failure is usually comes on rapidly and is accompanied with the battery light being on. There's also lots of crud around the positive terminal. But I don't want to waste $60 on a new battery if the alternator is the problem. Any thoughts?

Thanks and sorry for all the questions recently.

Buy a cheap voltmeter and check the voltage at the battery while the car is running with no radio, heater, or lights on. It should be around 14 volts. If it is not, test the voltage at the alternator. leave the neg of the multimeter on the neg of the battery and put the positive lead on the alternator connector under the rubber boot.

Or

Most auto shops will check an electrical system for free.

Doug

alt check
 

Last time I went to autozone they said they couldn't check it b/c it wasn't listed in their adapter. Advance autoparts can test the alt though.

Thanks for the responses. I went to Interstate Batteries and they tested the alternator at 13.5 volts. A little low I guess but it can still charge the battery.

Anyway, I bought a new high quality Interstate battery ($90 :o ). When the guy at interstate installed it for me, he brought to my attention that the positive terminal connector was about ready to fall apart which I already knew, but the guy was able to somewhat connect it to the positive battery post. Even with the new battery, it wouldn't start because of that bad connector not making contact so we had to jump it.

I paid, took off and shortly after, the alternator started to whine horribly and it completely died in the middle of a busy intersection. This was because of that bad connector. Fortunately, I was on a hill thus was able to roll it (through a red light) into a gas station. I walked to a nearby checker, bought a clamp to hold the bad connector in place and a new set of terminal connectors which I installed when I got home.

All is well now, but now my alternator is whining a bit. Could I have ruined it? I'm surprised this car can't run with no battery. Usually the alternator takes over after the car is started, correct?

And those flimsy-ass terminal connectors that come on this car are pathetic!

Davey! Your incidents today sounds like you Grand Junction Trip!!:D (give or take 80 degrees!) The terminals aren't so bad on mine. Do you have aftermarket terminals? BTW, Interstate batteries are probably the best battery what your money can buy! Did you get the alt checked while you were over at checker? Willing to bet that it could be a bearing inside. It always seems that all of the electrical stuff goes to crap at the same time! You might check the ground wires for corrosion and rust. With all the computer and technologies with today's vehicles, it's not surprising at all if the car won't run after you get it started. I had a 99 Jeep with a close-to-dead battery and it ran and idled like complete s**t until I had it replaced. I was so surprised a battery would cause this. Good Luck!

How old was the old battery? Honestly it seems more like the alternator is on the way out, which explains the weak battery and dimming at idle.

KuoH

I think the alternator's OK. The whining was occurring directly after I started the car after installing the new terminals, but it's gone away completely now.
I must have had aftermarket terminals because they were these really thin, flimsy pieces of shizzle.
That battery was an old pos. My car has never started well in cold weather since the day I bought it. The positive terminal on it built a gob of crap over the years and the connector was practically incinerated. The guy said that he was surprised it even started at all.
When it stalled today, it stalled quick so I don't think these cars will run unless the have a good battery. That might explain the dimming of the dash lights on a half dead one.