1990lumina Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 1990 Chevy Lumina 3.1 V6 Hey, I know I should do a search on this, but I'm to pissed off right now. Here's the story. It has been snowing here for the last 4 days. Today it started melting a bit so the roads were wet. I was coming home from school and signalled to go off the freeway. I noticed my speedometer and moving up and down in increments of 4 kms either way with the rythum of the signal lights. I said okay, that's wierd something is probably just wet. Tonight my buddies and I were out cruising. I noticed that my signals weren't working the best, plus the radio clock kept blinking on and off with the signal, then suddenly when I put them on the idiot light in the dash frozen on and there was no ticking of the signal. I turned to the right at an intersection and all of a sudden I look down at my guage cluster, the guages were very dim and I said to my buddy, hey I better pull over and see what is going on; right as I said this my cluster went all goofy and all the idiot lights came on and my tach and speedo both froze in position. I said shit I gotta stop right now something is screwed, but I push my gas pedal, nothing, engine is dead, so I glided through an intersection turned left and parked the car. I try to start the car, turns over once then tick tick tick, I think solenod clicking on the starter. So I said this battery is dead so I thought my alternator must be gone and I read because my engine is computer controlled it won't run without proper voltage. I called my dad for a boost. When he got there the car started fine, but the signals were very slow to blink. I said to him you drive it home and I'll follow with my friends in the other car. I knew the car wasn't going to run for long so I said you better go. This is what pisses me off is the DRL system. I never thought about the fuse but the lights on didn't help. Anyway, we got it to my house, parked it in the garage, and right as my dad went to turn the engine off it stalled, LUCKY! So I hooked the battery up to the charger, and it is stone dead. Tomorrow though when I get the car started and I test the alternator what kind of voltage should I have, I'm thinking maybe it got wet today and that is what is wrong. However, I know these cars seem to eat alternators, and being that my alternator is original on a 15 year old car with 87000miles on it my alternator is probably packed it in?? Oh, the battery is only 2 years old AC Delco battery.. What do you guys think? Thanks - Jeff L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryk2003 Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 sounds like the alternator went out too me...when you check it you should have approx. 14 volts with the car running at idle...and it should go up when you rev the engine!... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted October 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Okay, thanks. That's what I thoguht. I'm pretty sure my alternator is gone so I'll quick check it tomorrow then go and buy a rebuilt or new, what ever I can get as I need the car for school. Thanks for the quick response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Sounds like what happened to me the first (and only :? ) time the alternator went on my 88 GP. The EQ on the tape deck and some other shit was acting crazy. My idiot light was on for like 3 days but I didn't look into the problem. It died at the park so my friend called his dad and I got a boost from a Festiva . Had to boost it like 3 times cause it kept stalling but finally got it home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitzel Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Damn, and I just ordered an iceberg alternator yesterday, if I would have known yesterday about your need of an alternator, I would've ordered you one as well and delivered it to Saskatoon for you as I am in the city practically every week. The iceberg design, as you will find if you do internet searches, etc., is apparently somewhat more effective than the factory machine. Crappy Tyre sells 'em for $120 with minimal warranty, or $160 for 2-year warranty (+ core). The local Auto Parts Plus place in Moose Jaw is $147 + core. NAPA is around $150 with 2-year warranty. Good luck! The weather sucks here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Surely alternator. Get a lifetime warrantied one, as there is a good chance you'll replace it in the future. The best replacement is a free replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitzel Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Surely alternator. Get a lifetime warrantied one, as there is a good chance you'll replace it in the future. The best replacement is a free replacement. Well, if the original poster or anyone else manages to find a lifetime alternator available in Canada, please do let me know. We have a couple other cars in the family that use the same CS-130 alternator, with pretty dismal reliability, so a 'lifetime' replacement would be nice, and the iceberg alternator might not be quite the solution I am hoping for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Changing the alternator on my 3.1 is like checking the oil.. It's like second nature now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted October 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Well I fired it up today after school (charged the battery over night) and checked the alternator current. 0 volts, plus the alternator was getting really hot so I went to Parts Source, got a rebuilt Bosch w/ 5 year warranty for $160 CAN (probably will crap out right after the warranty expires). I changed it out in 30 mins and now I'm getting 14.5 volts at idle. Loks like tomorrow will be a good test as it is snowing tonight and there was freezing rain before it snowed so I'll have evey possible defrost going tomorrow morning because I'm to lazy to scrape windows Anyway, thanks again for the help - Jeff L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitzel Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Congratulations on the alternator swapout. Should be a great test tomorrow, theres ice frickin everywhere down south here. 135hp? According to http://www.w-body.com/motors/index.html, that motor should be making 140hp. Have you derated it somehow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted October 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 135hp? According to http://www.w-body.com/motors/index.html, that motor should be making 140hp. Have you derated it somehow? No I haven't derated it. I have heard everything from 135-160hp that my engine could have, although 160 is probably the newer 3.1s. I just assume mine was making 135hp, but if it making 140hp I'll change my signature and picture tomorrow if I get around to it. Thanks for pointing that out. - Jeff L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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