alternator help please!!!!!!!!!

[satur9]

okay yesterday it was 9 degrrees and my car wouldnt start. so i jumped it and went to work. on the way home my car starts acting funny and dies on the street. i push it of the road in fifteen degree weather this guy helps me push and gives me a jump. i get home and decide to let it run .10 mins later its off. its dark now about 8 o clock single digits temps. i pull the optima yellow top out and take it to autozone. hes says the battery has a dead cell. well i need my car running and i cant take the battery back to where i got it(50 miles away) so i give them my optima as a core(extra 100 bucks without core) and buy a fifty dollar battery.i thought the alternator keep the car running if it was running already. and even though i had no problems today i take it back to autozone for a alternator check. volts is 14.5 running (13.0)off. the amp clamp tester on the thing is reading 5 amps. he said this is low and i need a new alternator. now i dont know where he had the clamp. but i did an internet search to see what the amps are supposed to be and i dont know exactly what im reading but a few sites said 5 amps 2 to 7 amps etc.so im at a lost. i do have a digital multi meter with amp clamp. i dont know where or what to read to double check. i also did the highbeam headlight alternator test if anyone knows what that is.anyway the new battery is under warrenty but if its my alternator id probably still get stuck again which i dont want so if i need a new alternator ill get one.but i dont wanna waste money i aint got. this is from some website"current, causing low alternator output. To test: load unit as in Figure 2 and measure field current with current clamp or use 10A jack on DMM. Readings range from 3 to 7 amps. On integral GM units: with alternator not turning, jump terminals #1 & #2 (fig. 4) together and connect both to Batt + with DMM in series set to measure 10 amps. Field current should be between 2 & 5 amps, higher current with lower battery voltage. Control battery voltage by loading it with a carbon pile. "

[kevera]

Sounds like your regulator is going.Not much in that loop,I'd try the alternator.*EDITED ON POST BELOW*

[Raven]

If you need a new alternator here's a sweet deal if you can wait for it to be shipped. 2 miles on it and I've dealt with these guys before.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...l1247

[satur9]

well the new one(probably refurbished) from autozone is only 103 dollars. so id still just get it from them. but it was freezing cold and and they made the new guy go out and test mine. first he said it wouldnt work because of my hypervoltage and ground wires were in the way. i said just put it on anyway and he seemed kinda pissed.i just wanna know if i can check it again myself (or if i even need to)before i buy a new alternator.

[jimincalif]

Batteries alternators and regulators can be funny.First problem, your bad battery. If something broke in the old one and created really high internal resistance, the alternator won't necessarily keep the car running. Any increase in load, such as turning on the lights, the radiator fan, etc. creates a current demand beyond that which the alternator is putting out. The battery initially supplies this for a brief moment, then the voltage regulator senses the voltage drop and increases the field current to the alternator which then increases the alternator output. If the battery cannot handle that brief load, the engine will stop running. So, if you've replaced the battery and all seems well, it probably is. On the volts 14.5 seems high, I thought most automotive alternators were set to hold about 13.8. If you have just a regular battery now, watch the fluid level in the cells, if it is being overcharged it will boil off, probably won't hurt the battery much in the short run as long as you don't let the level drop below the tops of the internal plates. If you see a consistent loss here then the regulator is causing the alternator to overcharge. On the current draw, the amount of current (amps) the alternator puts out depends on the demands. With the engine running, a fully charged battery and no electric accessories, the current demand is fairly low (I don't know the number for the Vibe). If the current was too low the volts would read too low, especially with load on the system.In the last year I've replaced the battery in my boat, minivan and Vibe. I don't have a way to test for current, so once I have the new battery in and charged, I tested the alternator output by turning everything on, radio, A/C, hi beams, etc. and then checked the voltage. If it is 13.2 or better, the alternator is covering the load.I take the battery tester places results with a grain of salt. My old Lexus ES 300 never passed the test at Sears, they always said the current was too low, but I kept the car 8 years after that first test and never had a problem.In conclusion, I'd probably just monitor it for a bit, if the car runs fine and you don't lose electrolyte from the battery it is probably fine.

[kevera]

Man,it's hard to read your post in all small letters,sorry .But after re-reading your post and Jims,your alternators seems fine.So keep an eye on it,but you should be fine.Here is a simple test to try.One Very Simple Alternator Test:1) Start Car and run at a normal idle. 2) Connect a Voltmeter Directly Across the battery Terminals.3) Turn on Headlights to High Beam.4) check the battery Voltage.*** The Battery voltage Should read between about 13.8 to 14.2 volts. (Possibly up to 14.5 Volts.)5) Increase motor speed to about 1500 RPM. The Alternator should now produce a battery voltage between 14.2 and 14.6 Volts. *** If it is Lower than 14.2 volts, the Alternator probably has one or more Bad Diodes. 6) Now, Maintain the 1500 RPM and Turn off the Headlights. Run this test for One Full Minute. "The Battery Voltage should NEVER Exceed about 14.8 Volts". ***If it Does, the Alternators Voltage Regulator is probably Faulty, OVER CHARGING the Battery.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by kevera »Man,it's hard to read your post in all small letters,sorry .But after re-reading your post and Jims,your alternators seems fine.So keep an eye on it,but you should be fine.Here is a simple test to try.One Very Simple Alternator Test:1) Start Car and run at a normal idle. 2) Connect a Voltmeter Directly Across the battery Terminals.3) Turn on Headlights to High Beam.4) check the battery Voltage.*** The Battery voltage Should read between about 13.8 to 14.2 volts. (Possibly up to 14.5 Volts.)5) Increase motor speed to about 1500 RPM. The Alternator should now produce a battery voltage between 14.2 and 14.6 Volts. *** If it is Lower than 14.2 volts, the Alternator probably has one or more Bad Diodes. 6) Now, Maintain the 1500 RPM and Turn off the Headlights. Run this test for One Full Minute. "The Battery Voltage should NEVER Exceed about 14.8 Volts". ***If it Does, the Alternators Voltage Regulator is probably Faulty, OVER CHARGING the Battery.I've got another test that can be performed at the same time as the one above... Start the car, make sure EVERYTHING is off electrical possible..Test voltage, note number..Now, turn on EVERYTHING possible, and re-test voltage.... If you can't maintain above 11.5v something is on it's way out... I've normaly tested battery voltage at 14-14.5v with the car running... taking into consideration voltage drop of the system, most things see ~12.5v... It definitly sounds like the Alt. though... if it can't keep the car running... the battery is for start up or loads over what the alt can produce..

[northvibe]

I have a voltage regulator thing i got from bluecrush and i think it says like 14.4 when my car is idling...so 14's are normal when stuff is on i know that. good tests above though!

[satur9]

the car runs fine with the new battery 2nd day no problems. i did the headlight check again. 14 volts at idle 14.1 at 1500rpm. then i turned on everything icluding my 500 watt amp with the normal moon and tunes amp. 13.5v . radios off it stays at 14.tis is with the highbeams and heater on.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by satur9 »the car runs fine with the new battery 2nd day no problems. i did the headlight check again. 14 volts at idle 14.1 at 1500rpm. then i turned on everything icluding my 500 watt amp with the normal moon and tunes amp. 13.5v . radios off it stays at 14.tis is with the highbeams and heater on.Really, that seem quite strange... I wonder if the dead cell was causing problems with the ATL, not allowing it to properly run the car... Anyhow, glad you got it sorted, makes me 2nd guess my Optima purchase i was considering...

[satur9]

that was supposed to say 14.1 with the highbeams and heater on. i been running as normal with lights,fogs,heater,amps and stuff on been remote starting it as well. so far so good. .