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Alternator test?


Supreme Cutlass

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Um. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't taking a battery cable off suddenly make the car no longer have a complete circuit and make it die anyway? :shrug:

 

That's what I was thinking as well, but I wasn't sure

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WELL, I tried it, and the car ran fine without the battery, the voltage spiked a bit but other than that everything was fine. EXCEPT, when I shut off the car, re-attached the cables, started it up again, I tried turning on the A/C before I unplugged the battery, and the car died instantly when I unplugged the battery. ...do I have a bad alternator? or should that have happened?

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I'm sure when you switched on the compressor, it put a strain on the alternator and caused the coils to fire at a voltage lower than required, hence the motor quitting. If you had the battery connected, it would have provided the extra boost in voltage the system needed at that moment.

 

You have a 3.1, (ha, I looked at your cardomain page :lol: ) removing the alt to have it checked out isn't that big a deal (be thankful you don't have a 3.4...)

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You have a 3.1, (ha, I looked at your cardomain page :lol: )

...what's that supposed to mean :?

 

Edit: J/k :lol:

I wasn't laughing at your car. Most people won't click on a link provided to see what the poster's car is about. I actually did click the link, so I "LOL'd" about it :wink: .

 

Back to the alternator, once you get it out, spin the pulley and see if it makes any odd noises. If you can hear any kind of squeaking, chances are your alternator's fried (or at least on its last legs.) That alternator in particular (CS-130) has a poorly designed case and sealed bearings that are too small. The poor design doesn't allow for proper heat dissipation, and this cooks the undersized bearings (and sometimes the voltage regulator.) The squeaking is a dead giveaway to eminent failure...

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It could be a draw coming from the door electronics sucking power. my pass. seatbelt had a draw and I just unplugged the clip off it. power door locks have a short too but they still work one way.

 

I want to get new door wiring harness. w-body cars have issues there. I guess as you open and close the door thousands of times some wires can break in there.

 

The starter has a fusible link that you can wireloom.

 

 

If you touch a solenoid or something and it is hot to the touch, that should give you tears of joy because you are getting close to finding the draw.

 

so keep it on the charger and go around the car you might get lucky.

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