Whenever it doesn't start, or you have to get towed home... it's serious.

A month ago I started having problems with my alternator charging. Going from 11.2v to 12.4v to 13.4v. A couple days into this it stopped charging all together and I had to drive home one night on battery. So the next day I changed the alternator with a used junk yard alternator. Constant charging at 13.2v. Up to 13.4v and as low as 12.8v.

Over the past few months I have notice that the starter sometimes takes a while to engage. I turn the key and for a second or two, nothing. Then it kicks in, fires up fine. Saturday night it did it again and I went to run an errand close by. Went to get back in the car and only got a click. No start. Several tries and an attempt to jump it, still no start. Towed it home and went and got a starter. Installed it last night and the car started fine.

I let the car idle for a few minutes because the battery was low from all the failed starts, I assume. After I cleaned up my area and sat in the car to turn it off I noticed the TRACKS and SRS light on. I tapped the gas to rev the motor and the dash lights got a little brighter. When the idle came back down the CHARGING (battery) light joined the party. So I shut the car off and now the battery is to weak to start the car.

So, I'm wondering if I damaged the alternator trying to start the car or do I have another problem? I didn't disconnect or mess with the alternator when I changed the starter. What are the symptoms of a bad positive battery cable?

 

Well, the only sure fire way I know to test and alternator without taking it to a shop is to take a voltmeter and check the voltage at the battery terminals with the car OFF (should be between 11.8 and 12.5 volts if the battery is ok). Then start the car and check the voltage again at the battery terminals. Should be 13.5 or so if the alternator is charging. If not, you most likely have a dodgy alternator or wiring. Did the new the starter still take a couple seconds to engage? If so you might check the wiring between the starter and the battery/switch. If not then you can assume the starter was going bad and probably dragging the battery down too. Lastly, check the water in the battery if you can take the tops off it. Could be the battery is on its last legs too. Keep us posted

 

It fired right up. No starter engage hesitation at all. Now before the starter failed (or so I think it did), the starter hesitation was about 1 out of 5 starts.

 

Ok, I went and opened the cells and all 6 of them looked low (Volvo battery). So I put about 3 oz in each one and brought them up to the bottom of the cap line (a couple over).

Since I do not have a charger (I know I know) I took it to AutoZone for a free change. When I went to pick it up the lady said "your battery is bad, let me show you what it did". She showed me that it boiled over. So she stopped the charge when see notice that. (I assume it tested fine, just had to much distilled water added). I told the lady at AutoZone that I added water and she said "you're not suppose to do that, it's a maintenance free battery".

So I took it with me, installed it, and went to crank the car. There was about a 1 second pause and the starter kicked in and the car cranked up. I hooked up the ScanGauge and the volts was reading 13.7v. So I let it idle for a little while and took it for a spin. It constantly read 13.6v and slightly varied between 13.4v to 13.7v.

It ran for about 30 minutes. I will go out to run an errand soon. I'll report back.

 

Sure sounds like the starter and/or corroded cables.

 

With the voltage readings you are getting, it sounds like your Alternator is fine. I would check the battery voltage with the car off after the car has sat for a couple of hours. If the battery is ok it should be around 12V.

I'm leaning toward the fact that the old starter was on its way out, and drawing a LOT of current to turn it over. I would check the wires to the starter too, just in case.

Sounds like you are making progress in the right direction.

 

Ran around town and made several stops. Cranked immediately every time. The battery volts are at 12.4 when I turn the key on and drops to 11.2 while cranking. I think I'm good to go. Battery was probably to low and the alternator was likely discharged as well. Whatever that means.

 

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. This morning I start the car and the volts show 11.2. Bounces around between 10.8 and 11.4. Drive 4 miles and park it. Get back in the car 1-1/2 hours later and the volts are now at 13.4. Bouncing between 12.8 and 13.5. I guess I need to change the alternator again, maybe this time I'll get a better one from the junk yard. While I was there pulling the starter, I seen one that looked almost new. Either had Volvo on the tag or Bosch.

 

Yep, it sounds like an alternator issue. Have you checked the wiring and connections at the alternator? Either way, if you pull one you will have a spare. Good luck, you will get it!

 

Hate to say it but you might as well buy a "new" alternator from FCP. Took me 10hrs to replace mine and I wont do it again unless absolutely necessary.

Same with the starter. Electrical parts I try to always get "new" refurb units from the dlr or oem parts suppliers b/c I hate to do the job more than once although I can't afford to get new parts all the time.

I go to the junkyard for everything else.

 

Well, I figured out how to get the starter out in 30 minutes. Back in takes me about 40. Not a job I enjoy doing but the video's on my channel if you ever have to do it again.