Probably dead alternator

[dwd1985]

Well I havent had a serious problem in the last 2 months or so, so I am overdue. and geuss what? I was right. I had just driven down to my part-time office which is about 70 miles south from my house. No problems on the trip down at all. I was only there maybe 5 minutes tops, and then as I was leaving, I came to a stop at a stoplight, and my CEL, ABS, and Oil lights all came on the dash. Then it stalled out. This is EXACTLY what happened last time my alternator died. But last time it happened, I couldnt re-start the car at all. This time, I managed to, after a few tries, re-start, pull off the road, and get to a parking lot. I pulled the CEL code, but it didnt have one in memory. So I re-started the car on the first try this time, got out on the road, and drove all the way back all 70 miles without further incident. The warning lights and stalling defeintely make me think alternator, but it was just replaced 5 months ago with a brand new one! I know someone will want to say possibly a timing issue, but the timing belt was also replaced 3 months ago, with a brand new belt, and there have been no issues at all with it. Also, the tension on the alternator/PS belt is fine, it is nice and tight. So any ideas? I have had a slight PS leak for awhile, could it possibly have lost enough fluid to do something to the alternator belt?

[Earthworm]

Check the alternator plug is not loose as well as the nut holding the wires on top.

Also check for loose battery cables. If you can turn them with 2 fingers it's too loose.

[NikFu S.]

After driving all that way if your alternator is bad or improperly connected your battery should be almost completely drained.

Get both tested at a local Autozone or by someone you trust before you go replacing anything.

[oab_au]

Originally Posted by dwd1985

Well I havent had a serious problem in the last 2 months or so, so I am overdue. and geuss what? I was right. I had just driven down to my part-time office which is about 70 miles south from my house. No problems on the trip down at all. I was only there maybe 5 minutes tops, and then as I was leaving, I came to a stop at a stoplight, and my CEL, ABS, and Oil lights all came on the dash. Then it stalled out. This is EXACTLY what happened last time my alternator died. But last time it happened, I couldnt re-start the car at all. This time, I managed to, after a few tries, re-start, pull off the road, and get to a parking lot. I pulled the CEL code, but it didnt have one in memory. So I re-started the car on the first try this time, got out on the road, and drove all the way back all 70 miles without further incident. The warning lights and stalling defeintely make me think alternator, but it was just replaced 5 months ago with a brand new one! I know someone will want to say possibly a timing issue, but the timing belt was also replaced 3 months ago, with a brand new belt, and there have been no issues at all with it. Also, the tension on the alternator/PS belt is fine, it is nice and tight. So any ideas? I have had a slight PS leak for awhile, could it possibly have lost enough fluid to do something to the alternator belt?

Don't think it is the alternator. If there was enought power in the battery to restart the car. The alternator can stop working, and the car will still run on the batterys stored power. The oil light coming on makes me think it is an engine problem, as it is just a switch that is not affected by low voltage.

I would guess that there is some other problem that caused the stall, may be a crank sensor. These won't allways post a code, till they get worse.

Harvey.

[TomsSVX]

owning an mt SVX this is a common occurance. The car simply just stalled out. Just before the stall the lights will come on because the car is reading low voltage(not enough rpms). So basically what you want to firgure out is why the car stalled.

Tom

[TomsSVX]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

owning an mt SVX this is a common occurance. The car simply just stalled out. Just before the stall the lights will come on because the car is reading low voltage(not enough rpms). So basically what you want to firgure out is why the car stalled.

Tom

Did everyone miss this?? Your car stalled... thats it

Tom

[dwd1985]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

owning an mt SVX this is a common occurance. The car simply just stalled out. Just before the stall the lights will come on because the car is reading low voltage(not enough rpms). So basically what you want to firgure out is why the car stalled.

Tom

I trust Tom. If he says it is just a stall, I will take his word for it. Its just weird that it suddenly happened, and then hasnt done it since. Also, I NEVER would have tried disconnecting the battery while the engine is running, I know that is a dumb thing to do. So dont worry guys, that wont be happening.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

owning an mt SVX this is a common occurance. The car simply just stalled out. Just before the stall the lights will come on because the car is reading low voltage(not enough rpms). So basically what you want to firgure out is why the car stalled.

Tom

There is no valid reason for several indicator lights to come on as a result of low voltage. Only after the engine has stopped will the lights come on as the test circuit is activated. In any event, if the voltage was low, this would indicate an alternator fault.

However, I agree that the fact that the car stalled, should be taken into the equation. I gather the car was idling at the time. I wonder if the alternator seized, thus imposing an extra sudden load on the engine ? However there are points against this theory. Alternatively a sudden electrical fault imposing a load on the alternator should open the altrnator fuse, unless the wiring has been modified, as has been thoughtlessly recommended here.

[TomsSVX]

Listen, my 6mt comes almost to a stall occasionally and when this happens all the indicator lights come on. THe engine will usually catch itself and rev back up....lights go off. I guess it is the crank/cams sensors not reading rotation quick enough and actually thinking the engine has stopped

Tom

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

Listen, my 6mt comes almost to a stall occasionally and when this happens all the indicator lights come on. THe engine will usually catch itself and rev back up....lights go off. I guess it is the crank/cams sensors not reading rotation quick enough and actually thinking the engine has stopped

Tom

Thanks Tom,

You have now made a good point with this theory. Yes on several counts the engine management system could wrongly assume the engine has stopped, when it has not and initiate the test circuit. I wonder if anyone has found the same occurrence with the SVX?

All in all this is a curly one, with many possibilities. As I said, "a real bugger!"

Cheers, Trevor.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by oab_au

Don't think it is the alternator. If there was enought power in the battery to restart the car. The alternator can stop working, and the car will still run on the batterys stored power. The oil light coming on makes me think it is an engine problem, as it is just a switch that is not affected by low voltage.

I would guess that there is some other problem that caused the stall, may be a crank sensor. These won't allways post a code, till they get worse.

Harvey.

In view of the fact that CEL, ABS and the oil fault light come, the oil indication system etc. surely is not the problem, i.e. it unlikely that there are three faults.

The symptoms you describe indicate an alternator fault which has been reported here many times. However the exact cause is rather obscure and the reason, as far as I am aware, has not been previously analysed and described.

The dash indicator lights, test on turn on circuit, incorporates blocking diodes to eliminate a sneak circuit which would otherwise exist. In an event involving faults within the alternator rectifier network, alternating current is induced on line. The result is pulses of reverse voltage, dependant on engine revs., which pass the blocking diodes in the test circuit and energise the indicator lights accordingly.

[NikFu S.]

Whoa, blast from the past.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by NikFu S.

Whoa, blast from the past.

Greetings,

I recall thay you were party to a rather controversial debate in the distant past and unlike one other person invoved, I hold you in high regard. *>)

Cheers, Trevor.

[msvx95]

sounds to me like your alternator maybe freezing up periodically...and your battery is low on juice....true you can run the car on just the battery if the alternator dies, but if the battery is low already.....this could be the prob.