alternator or battery?

[defrag]

so i drive home from work today and eat lunch and i come back out to the car and it wont start at all. so i got my friend to jump me and i drive back to work. along the way i notice that everyonce in a while the radio will cut out and the gauges will all bounce around crazy like. once i get to work i try to roll up the windows after i shut off the car and i had no power. then i tried turning the car on again and had no juice at all. i tried charging the battery with a car charger but still the battery had no charge according to the thing.

all of this points towards a dead battery but im wondering if the alternator is bad as well.

note: my door is not on correctly so sometimes the domelight will stay on even when i think the door is shut.

[O2Bsogood]

That's a tough call, but from the sounds of it you have a dead cell in your battery and it's not holding a charge. I'd have the battery tested at a local auto parts place or Wal-Mart. If they say it's good, set it on the charger for a few hours and then see what the car does. If that doesn't help than I'd go have the alternator checked. Good luck

[ January 27, 2004: Message edited by: O2Bsogood ]</p>

[Devilboy28]

Sounds like something my car did after the starter went out. 99% sure it's the battery.

[defrag]

so i replaced the battery, now the cars trying to turn over but just wont catch. im wondering if a bad alternator could cause this? maybe its not gettnig any fuel? how can i test that?

[MustangEater8251]

when the car doesn't start do oyu have power with everything else? like radio, lights and such...

Just the motor won't turn over?


Also do you have a 5-speed?

[defrag]

ya lights, radio and everything works. car just wont turn over.

[John D.]

Check your fuses. You may have blown you fuel pump fuse or something along those lines when replacing the battery.

[CamaroRob97]

Maybe you have some resistance somewhere in the charging system. You can use a mutli-meter to check from the fuses to the starter itself.

[defrag]

good idea on checking the fuses, but if the starter fuse was blown would you hear the engine trying to crank over?

[MustangEater8251]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by defrag:
ya lights, radio and everything works. car just wont turn over.<hr></blockquote>

It won't crank? or just not turn over?

If you have a 5-speed, dry putting a paperclip or wire jump to connect the harness on the clutch safety switch.

If it cranks does it crank normal or kind of wierd?

Also unhook and clean the wire battery connectors and the connection on the back of hte alternator...

remember to unhook the battery before you undo the wire on the back of the alternator.

[ January 27, 2004: Message edited by: MustangEater8251 ]</p>

[defrag]

im getting the feeling that its the starter, how hard is it to replace and how much?

[defrag]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MustangEater8251:
[QB]

It won't crank? or just not turn over?

it just wont turn over

[John D.]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by defrag:
good idea on checking the fuses, but if the starter fuse was blown would you hear the engine trying to crank over?<hr></blockquote>

I don't even think the starter is on it's own fuse? I do know the fuel pump usually is.

If the starter was bad the engine wouldn't be cranking. Your either not getting spark or not getting fuel.

[ January 27, 2004: Message edited by: John D. ]</p>

[defrag]

so i replaced the alternator and battery, still wont turn over. its crankin its little heart away but just wont kick over. ive been trying to listen for the fuel pump but truefully ive never heard it so im not sure if mine is audible.

whats another way to test if im getting fuel?

[mjparme]

I guess it doesn't matter now that you switched both parts out but if you want to test if it is your alternator or battery you can get the car started, then remove the negative battery cable. If the car continues to run the alternator is good. If it dies the alternator is bad.