mihela816 Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Ok, I replaced my alternator this morning with a used one from my other car. I started up the car, and turned on some accessories, radio lights brake lights. Then I drove it around the block, seemed fine. I opened the hood and touched the alt. It was freaking hot, like 150*! Is that normal? Should I be worried? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 They DO get pretty hot.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannymik Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 they power you car while running=a large load on them which turns into heat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted August 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Yeah, but it was running for about 3 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadz34 Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 It doesn't matter, soon as you get a load, heat builds even if it runs for 30 seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted August 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 There's no way this is normal. The thing is getting so hot in 10 minutes that if I lick my finger and touch it, it boils off instantly. I can smell it in the car. The BAT terminal seems to be loose. Could that cause the alternator to work harder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadz34 Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Yes, it has to keep the engine running with no help from the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetdreams Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I'm pretty sure any garage will test an alt for free... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Yes, it has to keep the engine running with no help from the battery. no, your car runs off the battery, not the alt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonyman87 Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Yes, it has to keep the engine running with no help from the battery. no, your car runs off the battery, not the alt A car should be able to run without a battery. The battery is just there so it buffers and stores power for when the car needs it.. like when starting the car. Think about this. A carbattery is charged by what object in the car. . Ding ding ding. thats right the altinator.. the main powersource for any vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I figured out the problem. My power wire for the alt is worn out, and the alternator I chose had a bad bearing and the brushes were worn out too. I went and looked over my old Iceberg that crapped out. I figured out what was wrong with it and fixed it. When I tested it at school it was putting out 150 amps, so I threw that one on. It stays much cooler. I'm replacing the power wire tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOHCRagtopguy Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Sorry, but the car runs off the alternator once it is started. The sole purpose of the battery is to start the car and store voltage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Sorry, but the car runs off the alternator once it is started. The sole purpose of the battery is to start the car and store voltage. Exactly. My auto electricity textbook says precisely the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwingvksm Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 Sorry, but the car runs off the alternator once it is started. The sole purpose of the battery is to start the car and store voltage. Exactly. My auto electricity textbook says precisely the same thing. Also try to absorb voltage spikes/drops... :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetdreams Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 "the car runs off the alternator once it is started. The sole purpose of the battery is to start the car and store voltage." true that I remember a few months back I said this and some guys tried to say I was wrong, I didnt even reply. the simplest method to test an alt is to unhook the positive off the battery and see if the alt can keep the car running. this is of course without the options running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 why will a car run for a short time with a dead alt then? the car runs off the battery, and the alt replaces power taken from the battery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo231 Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 why will a car run for a short time with a dead alt then? the car runs off the battery, and the alt replaces power taken from the battery Its the same reason your car will run without a battery and without an alternator if you just feed it 12 to 13.4 volts of electrical DC power. The car does not run off the alternator or the battery specifically, it runs off the power system. The car won't start without a battery. With just an alternator there, there is no power, as the alternator needs to spin. However, once started, a car will run without a battery. As long as the alternator is spinning, no battery is required. Now, start a car with a battery and no alternator...no problem. She'll start and run if it's a good battery...but in about 15 minutes...OH NO...your battery is dead. Car won't start or run anymore. As soon as the battery is dead, the electrical system is dead. So, as you can see, you need both for the car to start and run correctly. Because alternators are designed to run the car and charge the battery, they provide enough power to run the car without the battery. Once a battery is charged, it consumes very little electrical power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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