Alright guys a few weeks ago I had a problem where my car wouldn't start one day and then after jumping the battery and driving the car the gauges were jumping all over the place and then stopped after a few minutes of driving. I got the car home, let it sit about 10 minutes, and it wouldn't start again. I figured it was my alternator so I replaced it with one that my buddy had from a 99 civic. It started up just fine after that and I didn't have any problems until today.

Today when I was at the track the car randomly decided it didn't want to start again so I had someone push start me. I let the car run for the entire night at the track and then after I got home the car seems to want to start fine now. Is this alternator dead to, is the battery on its last leg, or is it something else?

PS: I couldn't test the first alternator that went bad because the stud that holds the power wire for the alternator broke off so i never figured out if that was the problem for sure.

 

Have you tested your battery? Are the cable connections clean and tight?

 

sounds like the grounds aren't properly connected, check them and the battery

 

I haven't checked the battery yet. Its about 2 years old though I believe. It sounds like it may be a ground because the car is mysteriously starting just fine now.

 

bump. Its starting to start weak again...

 

the guages will sometimes act up with a bad alternator. I would test the battery when it is running with a volt meter. should be about 13.5 -14.3 volts. if it is way up in the 15-16's, the battery is bad. if it is in the 12's and doesn't go up when the engine is reved up. Then go buy a new altenator.

 

well i think i figured it out. The nut holding the cable onto the alternator was kinda loose and the strap was moving around and not getting a good connection. I tightened it back down and it now has a higher running voltage. I guess the nut vibrated loose or something.