javageek

I figured that title would get some people in here to help me. Anyways, the other day on the way home from work my radiator fan wiring caught on fire. I caught it in time, clipped the wires, and drove home with the heater on. Yesterday I had some time so I replaced all the wiring, turned the key on and the fans fired up. I was hoping the problem was solved and the car was fine but it's not. I had it idling smoothly last night but when I turned on the headlights the AFR shot to 17 and the car died. I turned the lights off, started the car, and it ran fine until I turned the lights on again. I am also able to do the same thing by holding the window down button if the window is already down. This afternoon I got it idling, hooked up a digital mm, and watched the voltage bounce from 14.3-14.8. I disconnected the battery and the voltage coming from the alternator was reading 15.1. But as soon as I pressed the window down switch voltage dropped down to 8 before the car died. So what is the diagnosis? Bad alternator, voltage regulator, bad ground somewhere? I'm stumped...

Alex01tib

Bryan had to replace the alternator every so often, it may have died again

give him a jingle, see if it sounds familiar

Denisst99

might be a bad ground somewhere,
you're putting more electrical load to the system when turning the fan on,thekeep the window going down and other stuff that pulls mucho amps..
so if a battery or body ground is bad it can do that,same if the alternator ground (case to engine) isn't good

javageek

Does anyone know any good deals on a new alternator? Anyone have any input on a better one than stock?

12SecRD

BOSCH. Mine came with a 2 year Replacement and Road Side Assistence smile.gif Not sure if thats just a Canadian promotion.

Alex01tib

if you buy one from autozone they'll replace it for free if it breaks, thats what bryan did, but i doubt the deal would roll over to a different buyer.

'treezy

don't go buy something expensive when heat is probably your alternator-killer.

Hotter wires/alternator = higher resistance in cars.

And I would have to agree, since you'll probably be buying a bunch of alternators throughout the cars life, get one with a free replacement plan. Read the fine print regarding non-OEM equipment on the car though

01tibby

i cant remember the details with his setup, but get the downpipe ceramic coated.

also make some kind of heat shield for the alternator...

http://cgi.ebay.com/TURBO-TURBOS-ACL-TURBO...1QQcmdZViewItem

SOCKS_old

yeah, if its the alternator, i would DEFINATELY build a heat shield AND heat wrap the downpipe at the least.. you shouldn't have to replace that shit all the time.

Alex01tib

yah you might want to do that, it gets a bit hotter in florida than in NY, although the present alternator lasted the summer up here in NY i doubt a new one would last long down there.

although the vented CF hood will most likely help a ton, my under hood temps dropped dramatically with the new hood