Help, I think my Alternator is going out

AnthMC · Mar 3rd, 2005, 12:48 AM

Hey everyone, don't laugh at my question but I just want to be sure I replace the right part here...... I just put a new/used battery in my car like 3 -4 months ago after having the stock one in there since I bought the car in 99. Now my stereo light keeps dimming and turns off and back on usually when the car is comming to a stop or when I'm not giving it gas. Keep in mind I have an amp running on there too...... Is this an alternator problem?? Sounds like it to me..... and its still stock but just want to make sure.... thanks for all your help!!!

Token Moron · Mar 3rd, 2005, 01:04 AM

sounds like a battery to me....usually when the alternator is starting to go bad, u will see the brake and battery lights on the dash light up simultaneously..

B14_Stealth · Mar 3rd, 2005, 06:30 AM

take a tester and test the battery when the car is on and running with a load, like headlights ..radio..etc . If the alternator is charging perfectly..then it would say AT LEAST 13 Volts but most of the time its closer to 14. When the car is not running the battery would probobly read somewhere between 12 and 12.5V.

Ninety-Nine SE-L · Mar 3rd, 2005, 09:19 AM

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha <---you told me not to laugh, so I did anyway

joking.

It could be the alternator, I would expect the new battery to work just fine. Any car place can test your battery and diode for free, try checking there.

Tavel · Mar 3rd, 2005, 11:26 AM

like b14 said, you can test it yourself.

you need a voltmeter of course. start with the car off, put the two leads of the meter on the two leads of the battery, it should read 12v.

now turn the car on and do the same thing, it should now read 14v

if its low with the car off then its the battery, if its low with the car on then its the alty.

**wes** · Mar 3rd, 2005, 01:17 PM

If the car runs better with the RPM's increased then I would say it's the battery. You said new/used well that says used to me. I would test it first as stated then check the alt.

AnthMC · Mar 4th, 2005, 12:36 PM

Yea that's what I was thinking of more along the lines of the battery. This one guy that is my roommate was trying to be nice and put this piece of Sh*** older battery in when I would have just went out and bought one. The factory battery lasted me a good 5 years. I'll test it first and see what happens!! Thank you for your help and I'll let you guys know how it goes!