I have a 96 civic cx. I hooked up 2 ppi amps. a 2 channel 100watts and a 4-channel 200 watts. the 4 channel to the front and rear speakers and the 2 channel for a sub. well after installing the 2 channel for the sub, my car doesn't want to start. I don't think the alternator can't handle it. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem or i need a new alternator. i don't remember my last civic having a problem keeping up with 2 amps.

 

sounds like you might just need a new battery

 

yes sir he does. I have 2 amps in my civic and works fine. 300/4 and the 1000/1 jl's. works fine no problem but the lights are dimming mad so I'm getting a new alternator. but note my stuff suck more batt compare to yours thats why i need a new alternator.

 

ya you need a new battery a stronger one at that and u can get an upgrade alternator that pumps more power back

 

Need lot's more info...
Starting with a better explanation of " my car doesn't want to start".

When does it not want to start, after playing system, without engine running, for 2 hours, or what?

300W is well within what a stock alt. and batt. can handle, unless there is something wrong with one or both. 94

 

if anything, he needs to get a new high-amperage alternator as well as upgrade "The Big Three". The battery is only for starting the car.

 

lee0149 you might want to look into getting a capacitor before going the alt route. And yes we do need more info to help diag this no start.

 

Im running 2 amps and after some a few years on the stock battery, if I would listen to music while washing the car or something without the car on, id have about 10 mins before I couldnt start. I got a new battery that was a few cca higher than the stock and have yet to have a problem.

 

Adding a capacitor is not how you fix electrical problems. Generally unless you are a basshead a capacitor is a waste of money. Making sure you have a healthy electrical system is where to spend your time and money. I am running 3 Alpine PDX Amps. two 4.150's and a 1.1000 with a stock alternator and a Kinetik battery with upgraded power and ground wires. I have had no issues at all. Upgrading the Alternator is a good idea as well. I will do this when/if the stock one goes bad.

 

this guys right. caps are pretty much for looks. your amps dont sound like they are too big so there should be no problem using your stock alternator. Def. get a new battery to start or atleast go up to autozone and have them check it. you can go from there depending on if the problem still occurs. your stock alternator could have just shat out. idk how many problems i have had that deal nothing with the part im putting on etc.

 

capacitor is great if you have a good battery and a big amp that needs lots of power fast. The battery is not made to handle a huge amp sucking alot of juice at every hit (usually when you turn your system up). But a cap will not help if your battery is shot. i suggest trying a new battery and if you like blasting your music loud then a cap IN ADDITION so your amps can get the power they need right away without stressing the battery too much. My lights used to dim but i switched all my dash lighting to LED and my headlights are all HID so nothing dims nemore its great lool and my civic used to start after half an hour of movie watching and moderate bass if i had just driven it for abit then turned it off.

 

i have checked my battery at pepboys and they said it was fine.

 

OK, one more time, same question, and a few more...

"Need lot's more info...
Starting with a better explanation of " my car doesn't want to start".

When does it not want to start, after playing system, without engine running, for 2 hours, or what?
What exactly do you mean by car will not start, engine will not turn over, [crank] engine will turn over but will not start?
Does anything else not work?

300W is well within what a stock alt. and batt. can handle, unless there is something wrong with one or both"

To be able to help you need to answer the questions asked.94

 

2 months ago. i installed the 2nd amp, and i was able to start the car fine after 10 minutes of playing the system, but i had problems; when driving, the car would feel like it's getting ready to stall. if i put the music loud, the car would then stall. i thought it was the battery, so that's when i took it to pepboys to get it tested, and they said it was fine.

present day. i tried installing the same 2nd amp again. this time after 5 minutes playing time (without the car running), i cannot start the car. once i disconnect the 2nd amp, i'm able to start the car within a minute or 2.

by starting- it would crank, but doesn't seem to have enough juice to start. when i take out the 2nd amp, no problems starting.

theories; maybe my alternator going bad, and not providing enough juice for the battery. maybe i just need a new battery. but i have no problem starting the car without the 2nd amp. i did try disconnecting both battery terminals while the car was running to see if it stalled, and it didn't

 

There is obviously a problem with the "2nd" amp. [or how it is wired].

However the no start symptom is strange, engine will crank but not fire, [start], starting the car has nothing to do with the alt., starting the car is what the batt. is for, once engine is running that alt. takes over to supplies the power the car needs and "tops off" the batt. to replace what power was used to start the car.

It takes way more power to start the car then it takes to run the car so if engine cranks but engine does not start then a bad alt. or batt. can not be the issue, unless when you say engine will crank but not start, you mean engine cranks very slowly. 94

 

What-ever you do never ever RUn your audio system while the car off because it will drain your battery if you decided to crank it loud and long. If should buy a DMM and see what the voltage telling you on the vehicle electrical. I would say you battery is about to died. How old is the battery and alternator. I had run a system on my car over 2500 RMS power and that kill my electrical.

 

Optima battery and add some caps...problem solved.

 

ummm.... No.

 

Then suggest something.

Here is what this thread has:
-Alternator
-Battery
-Bad Wiring

BTW Shucks told me my battery was fine when it kept dying...bought a new one and was worked beautiful ever since. From you driving you can and having electrical issues while doing so try a better or new alternator. I had voltage issues after the new battery and it turned out to be old grounds. Your just going to have to run though trouble shooting steps and spend a few bucks.

 

It's one of two thing:
1) battery (I've had betteries test fine but are borderline passing.
2) your amp
-you amp is installed I correctly or something because it seems like from you explanation it is drawing current when it should be off. Have you checked to see if the amp is running when the car is completely off?

Also as someone mentions NEVER use your sound system when car isn't started unless you have a deep cycle battery. The ave battery isn't designed for constant drains and charges...that will drastically destroy it's life.

Now I do doubt it's your alternator, but if you do need I have a brand new HIGH OUTPUT alternator (130amps I believe vs the stock 65 amp one) one for sale. 89-95 civic (obd1) or you can mod the plug and make it fit obd2 (not sure just guessing)

 

i'm beginningto think it's the battery. even if it passed the test, and still start up the car, i don't see it to be the other 2 things.

 

could it be because i'm using 8awg power wire?

 

if you get a compasitor they wont dim much and itl take some of the stress off the altinator/ battery a compasitor is like an altinator but for your sound system

 

(1) like fcm said, your lacking in your info.
(2) you have 300w rms of power, stock ALTERNATOR and BATTERY can very easily support this. I have ran a 1200w class d on a stock civic supply and not had a problem. Beefing up a power supply that already can easily support your setup will not solve the issue.
(3) Don't add a capacitator - trash in my opinion and not worth the money.
(4) If you honestly think its the secondary amp, remove it and see if the problem persist, then its not anything audio related, if the problem is obviously the amp, then that amp is faulty.

 

wrong...
a stock civic can easly handle well over what he is asking from it,
a cap is totaly a waste of money when only runing 300 watts,
but opitma batterys are the best. i love them....