j0natell0

ok so i have just got a new alternator is remanufactured but i got it tested and its good. so i put it on and i try to start the car but it wont crank.. i jump it and crank it and it cranks fine. drive it for five minutes and headlights starts to flicker and speedometer starts to dim. i pull into the garage trying to reverse in and the car just dies. jump it again for a good 30 minutes and turn off the car and try to start it and it wont crank! the alternator light doesnt even come on. i was told it could be the belt?? or i maybe have a short somewhere??

Black Diamond

Have you ever thought i might be the Battery??? But a remanufactured alternator may not be your best bet either...but it sounds like the battery..

blackdiamond

vanste

^^^ what he said... just because the alternator is rebuilt or new doesnt always mean its good, and another thing battery could of been the main issue...

Former User

What year Civic? Is the alternator fuse blown?

honda.lioness

x2. No charging system light lit on the dashboard, then the alternator is probably fine, and the problem is the battery. Note that the charging system light is the light with the battery icon in it; very misleading, since it is for the charging system.

If the battery has been jumped a lot or is old, it is probably not holding a charge and needs replacement.

j0natell0

96 civic b20 swapped, no the fuse is not blown

j0natell0

yea i thought that was for the alternator to know that its charging the battery, so i thought it would be the alternator. and the battery is not old i just got it in january. I used a multimeter on the battery and alternator and they were different volts. i think they are supposed to be 14?? but the alternator was like 9. something, and i cant remember the battery

honda.lioness

What is the name of your new battery's manufacturer?

To clarify, connect your multimeter's leads to the battery terminals; set the multimeter to "DC Voltage"; perform the following voltage checks; report back:

1. With the engine off, should be at least 12 volts.
2. With the engine idling over 1000 RPM (and so warming up), should be around 13.9 to 15.1 volts.
3. With the engine idling and warmed up and the headlights, cabin blower, and defogger on, should drop below about 13.5 volts. If more loads need to be added to get the voltage to go below 13.5 volts, then this is fine.
4. With the engine idling at a steady speed and so warmed up, voltage should not oscillate by more than maybe 0.1 volt. Oscillations of a full volt or more are a concern.
5. Should never go over 16 volts.

It is possible your new battery is a lemon. OTOH, since the alternator was also just changed, I would rule nothing out just yet.

j0natell0

ok so a miracle just happend. i just went outside to check the volts and jumped the car and there was a really loud screach coming from driverside bay area. idk wth it is. but i do know that my alternator belt is hitting the timing belt cover and it broke a hole in it so it could spin. its still spinning good but just cut the timing belt cover up. I can now take the negative terminal off and the car will still be on. but when i turn off the car and turn it half way again the battery charging light is still not on?? and when i start the car agian that screech is still there.. what could that screech be? it is very loud. i will make a video of it if i can.

here are the volts.

1 - 9.87
2 - 13.91
3 - 13.15

raidacaipo

I think I know what it is.. Have you checked all the grounds?
Grounds:
1. Valvecover to chasis
2. Transmission to chasis
3. Thermostat housing

If your missing a ground, most likely your alternator would be doing extra work which means theres not enough power going quickly into your battery to be recycled. Therefore your battery is draining quicker than your alternator can generate power back into the battery.. And this can all be caused by a loose ground. Check all grounds and give us the update

j0natell0

is the thermostat housing ground near the passenger side headlight? if so all the grounds are good. why doesnt my battery charging light come on?

Former User

When you turn the key to ON(II) without starting the engine, does the charge/battery light turn ON? Not all alternator problems will trigger the charge light to turn ON. Conversely, a bad battery can also cause the charge light to illuminate.

Is the alternator belt broken? Or is it still intact and turning the alternator? I wasn't sure how the timing belt cover was damaged? What do you think was the cause?

honda.lioness

An improperly installed alternator belt is a well-known cause of such a screech. Have you been tensioning it per the shop manual? Also is the alt belt in the correct grooves of the crankshaft pulley and alternator pulley? The belt digging holes in the TB covers is really odd.

Then the alternator seems basically sound, meaning its internals seem fine but external wiring and the belt still need checking. Note that it is not good for the alternator to have to charge the battery from such a low level. Preferably you have a separate charging unit (purchased at say Autozone) for the battery while you are troubleshooting here. Just sayng you might wear down your alternator fast unless the problem is fixed quick.

j0natell0

no the battery light is not on when key is half way turned (II) the belt is not broken but it does neet to be replaced soon. I have no clue what the cause was. but there is a loud screech when i start up my car. so best bet is to replace the battery and the battery light should come on when key is half way turned? (II)

the volt for the battery when the power is off is 9.87

j0natell0

ill check the belt one more time. should it be in the middle pulley?

raidacaipo

the loud screech is caused be a loose alternator belt.. either tighten it a bit more or go buy a new one and retighten it.. btw the thermostat housing ground should be located near the radiator fan sensor.. Kinda on top of the transmission near the vss sensor.. look for a brown sensor and then look next to it.. you should see a small ground with a 10mm bolt..

Former User

The fact that the charge light does not turn on and stay on with the key turned to ON(II) indicates a problem with the alternator circuit or a burned out bulb. When you fix the alternator belt/timing belt cover issue, then focus on the charge light problem. Start by again checking whether fuse 15 under the dash is blown. Then check whether the bulb is blown or the Wht/Blue wire between the alternator and charge light is bad.

honda.lioness

I believe it should be in the crankshaft pulley groove closest to the timing belt cover (= most inboard).

j0natell0

blown bulb as in the battery light in the speedometer? if so, how would i change that

Former User

Yes, the bulb for the battery light in the gauge assembly. Remove the gauge assembly to get access to the bulb to check whether it is blown. You can use a multimeter to check the bulb for continuity, which it will have if good.

westom

You have really confused yourself by not establishing anything as good.

For example, only recharge the battery (using jumper cables) for 10 minutes. Disconnect the cables. Measure that battery with the multimeter. Obviously it must be well above 12 volts. Then only turn on high beams. The voltage should drop, but remain above 12. If yes, the battery is good; move on to other suspects.

Alternator can output just enough power to keep the dashboard light off. And not enough power so that the battery discharges. This can be due to many reasons including a loose belt (which should have been automatically tightened; then locked in place) or defective diodes in a replacement alternator. Just like the battery test, you also have no idea (yet) whether the new alternator is good or bad.

Of course, you replaced an alternator thinking the original was defective. Why? What are details that told you the alternator (and not numerous other parts of the charging system) was defective?

And finally, it is not entirely clear what exactly are the two point touched when measuring each voltage. If an alternator output is measuring 13.5 (not to be confused with voltages on other wires), then the battery also must measure 13.5. If not, what is that other failure? And only if the black meter wire is on the exact same spot for all measurements. IOW by not specifically stating where both probes were located for each measurement, then confusion reigns.

And finally, no matter what you do, always have a battery connected if the car is running. Not doing so may create other damage.

It is rare to nearly impossible to have that dashboard bulb fail. It must illuminate when key is first turned on – along with many other dashboard lights. Long before suspecting the bulb, verify numerous fuses related to that circuit. If in doubt, check the fuse anyway. Verify as in remove and measure it with the meter because even a blown fuse can visually appear good. Long before a bulb fails, a fuse more often blows.