Hey there Honda-Tech. I have yet another problem on my CRX. I turned on the car and the check battery light turned on. I thought it was unusual since I just purchased a new battery about two weeks ago. The car turned on fine with no problems so I decided to drive it like that. The funny thing is that when i rev my motor the light turns off, But once the revs go back down to idle, The check battery light turns on. Is it my alternator or a defective battery? I know theirs a way to check if it is your alternator... How do you do it?

So what do you guys think? Please let me know guys! Thanks again!

 

might be the alternator. i have the same situation before. make sure the bolt on the charge wire to the alternator is on tight. mines was loose before and my battery light went on.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 89hatcher &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">might be the alternator. i have the same situation before. make sure the bolt on the charge wire to the alternator is on tight. mines was loose before and my battery light went on. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Ill be sure to check it right now. Thanks! Did your light turn off when you would rev the motor too or no?

 

yeah it would go off because i think that when reving the alternator would charge the battery.

 

so the alternator will work while i am driving but not while its idling? Hmmm I didn't know that.

I just removed the negative wire on the battery while it was running to see if it would stay on but it turns right off... So i am thinking that i need a new Alt.?

 

you need a new alternator, if you still have doubts, take it out and bring it down to a parts store that can test it.

but im 99.9% sure its the alternator.

 

sounds like your brushes in the alt. are worn down. time to rebuild or replace

 

may be a loose connection or belt too...but definitely a problem at the alternator

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zrickety &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">may be a loose connection or belt too...but definitely a problem at the alternator</TD></TR></TABLE>

The belt is tight and The bolts seem to be on tight. I'm also sure its the Alternator... I drove it to school this morning and it was fine, But once it got hot after school the light came back on. I think its just showing signs that I need to get a new one.

I have a question though. So when the light is off is it still actually charging my battery? Oh and whats the best way to remove one. I keep hearing that taking the axel out is the easiest but I also hear that taking the manifold out was quite simple too.... WTF!!!???

 

when the light is out, it is charging. i'm pretty sure i've removed them before without pulling an axle or manifold. just takes some maneuvering to weasel it out of there

 

Ill try and pull it out without taking the axle out and see how it works out..... But now I have a new prob.... VSS went out... Code 17

 

the vss is cable so its either a broken cable or it eoutta the vss its self


and when you take out the alt remove the 2 nuts that hold the master cylinder to the brake booster and push it outta the way and it will come up threw there. dont undo the line though

 

This how you check it.......
1. take a volt meter and check your battery
2.check the cable from the battery to the Alt
and make sure that its getting source
voltage
3.since Honda Alt are externaly excitation
put the voltmeter on the and check the signal wire. You should read between 1.00-2.00v
if that's not getting any voltage then there's a break in that wire somewhere and its not tell the Alt to send current back to the battery to charge it.
4. If you are getting voltage on the signal wire now you have to make sure the Alt is producing current. To do that you need to get a Amp meter and put it around the batter wire on the Alt. You have to drain your battery alil by turning on your lights, wipers, etc....but don't turn on your car. Then turn on your car and see how much current is going back to the battery. Find out what the Spec Amperage is for your alternator and your amp meter should be with in 90% of the spec of your alternator.

Im against taking it to an auto store for them to check it because it can test out good but if your signal wire bad then your never going to be able to charge your battery. the alternator will never know that it needs more amps.

 

To get the alternator out through the bottom, all I did was remove the alternator bracket and it fell right out. No need to remove the axle.

 

Hmm. I didn't think of that. Ill have to try it. My battery light went off for about a week and now it came back on. I think its time to operate! <TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HYPROPULSION_R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">To get the alternator out through the bottom, all I did was remove the alternator bracket and it fell right out. No need to remove the axle. </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

It's definitely the alternator, this was happening to me in my sedan for awhile. It would turn on then turn off then off then on. Your battery will end up dying and you'll have to push it off the side of the road in busy traffic That's what I had to do at least haha. Good luck!

 

That battery indicator light is totally misleading. From the manual, it is the charging system light. When it is lit, it's saying there's a charging system problem. Most of the time that traces back to the alternator. The alternator brushes are a strong candidate for changing. See http://honda.lioness.googlepag...rtips and a link to how change the brushes. It is possible you can change the brushes "in situ," that is without pulling the whole alternator.

 

What you need to do since the alternator supplies the power when you're engine is running. Turn you're car on and then disconnect you're battery cables. If the engine dies then you have a bad alternator. If you're engine is still running then you're alternator is fine.

You can also have a parts store check it for free. They would be able to help you out.

 

@I VTEC I'm having the same problem as you were having with the battery light and charging system. So was it the alternator?"????

 

yup i had same problem and it was my alternator.

just unbolt the alt brakact, turn the wheel all the way to 1 side and it'll maneuver out

 

cool thanks for the life of me i couldnt find what was wrong.. I know hondas have wiring problems sometimes.

 

i got it down good, all i do is remove the intake,unbolt the alt, maneuver it across the back cross member and out the passenger side, i changed my last alt in a matter of 15 mins

 

The "battery" light is not an indicator of the condition of the battery, ever. Its called the charge warning light, its almost always a problem with ur alternator. There should be no doubt that its an issue with the CHARGING system, which does not include the battery really, when the light comes on.

You check it with a simple voltmeter touching the top post and ground. Should read 14.5V, no more or less than half a volt.

You can remove it a number of ways, but I prefer the RIGHT way, out the driver side. Its easy once you figure it out. I don't see the point in messing with brake components to get it out, but I don't see that big a problem taking out the intake if it comes out that way.

 

i have the same problem only my battery light turns on and my car won't start, it doesn't crank, just clicks.

 

4 year old thread. Please don't bump up old threads unless you're truly contributing something worthwhile.