93 del sol si...... i can jump it and it will start up but sometimes it will immediately stall out after the cables are removed. Other times it will run and work fine. I checked all of my grounds and other connections... nothing seems to be missing or disconnected???? is it the alternator or possibly the battery?

 

battery......take it in and have them do a load test on it

 

 

oh....and yes batterys can just die with out warning......it happened to me, and i had the same problem

 

if it is so dead the car won run after starting, you must have some dry cells. Go buy a good bettery,they average about 4 years of use. I have seen them 8 years old and still strong.

 

clicking noise is a starter is trying to turn things over..bad alternator

 

Wrong oh......the alternator's purpose it to keep the car running. The battery starts the car.

 

either way..ur going to need to get ur elect. sys. check d out..hope im wrong..ur lucky if all u need is a battery

 

need a new battery... just had the same problem

 

Ive had my 92 civic vx for over a month now, its covered by the dealer i bought it from. Had two(supposedly) common honda engine problems happen to it during that time. Engine would turn over but not catch. If you get turnover but no ignition it could be the ignition sytem or the main relay, the dealer replaced both for me, lucky for me. Or as you say its more clicking i think the recommendations to check the battery are good ones, also have the alternator checked if it isnt sending juice to the battery that will have you continually spending money on batteries.

 

Might want to try cleaning the connectors first.

 

Actually it is the alternator. If you can jump the car but it dies when removed it's the alternator.

That's the easy test, if the car still runs without the battery connected, the battery is bad. If it dies it's the alternator and/or relay/voltage regulator. The battery is used to start the car, but once its running it's from the alternator/generator and the battery gets charged. If the alternator is bad it will use juice from the battery. I had this happen may times to my wife's accord. the alt was running the batteries down. I went to go help her when it died once and all i did was keep my car running, took out my battery, and installed it in her car till we could get it to a shop. then I put my battery back in.

 

I think its the alternator too. After the car is STARTED the electrical system uses the most direct source of power... if the battery has no power (e.g dead or drained) it uses the alternator. If the alternator cant feed it it dies. Plain and simple.

EDIT: Here is something easy to check, tho I kind of doubt it is the problem... make sure the alternator belt is:

A. Actually on the crank pully and the alternator pully.
B. Tight enough to actually spin the alternator pully (though if it wasnt and was slipping it should make a obnoxious squealing sound).

ALSO: Check the connections to the alternator...


[Modified by N8, 6:41 PM 7/29/2002]

 

No, when the car is running it uses the alt, not the battery, the battery is just a storage unit, used to start the car and for power when the engine is not on. If the alt doesn't work properly the battery power is then used. That is why it is possible to remove a battery from a running car.

 

I typed that wrong... it came out wrong anyway... I know that it runs off the alternator. My point is still the same regardless: If the car dies because of power loss after the car is running, the battery has most likely drained and the alternator isnt providing current. The car WILL use the battery if the alternator isnt providing power.

EDIT: Spelling


[Modified by N8, 7:51 PM 7/29/2002]

 

all ya gotta do is take the car to Kragen s and get a free elect. check..battery, alternator..whatever..get it over with and get on the road again

 

Thanks alot guys.... i took a second look at it this afternoon and found i just forgot to plug in the alternator plug either that or it wasnt in very good and rattled out..... i really appreciate it but i feel more stupid.....

 

It's your battery...have them do a load test and get a new one.