Background:
'98 ITR with ~ 36k miles and factory original battery and alternator

Last weekend, I was at the track when I noticed that the battery light on my dash was on. A friend checked to see if the battery was getting a charge, and it wasn't - making it appear that the alternator was not working. So I drove it home trying to use as little of the power equipment as possible. The trip home took about 45 minutes, and the whole way home, the light was on.

I put the battery charger on the car and let it charge up. I then took the car to the car wash to get it cleaned up from the track, and sprayed the motor down, then drove it back home. No battery light this whole time.

I took the car out yesterday and the light would turn on and off with what seemed to be without reason. If I just drove the car normally, the light stayed off most of the time, and when I really got on it, the light seemed to come back on, but it wasn't entirely consistent.

I checked all of the connections, and everything appears to be tight. Could the belt be slipping because it is dirty, or anything like that? Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks for any and all help!

 

i would say it is the belt, the same stuff was happening to my R and the problem turned out to be the alt. belt. did you check the condition of the belt?

 

Another thing to check is the bolt that you use to hold the alternator belt tension. I have seen them come loose causing the same problem you are describing.

 

I ended up tightening the belt last night, and everything seems to be fine! Thanks guys for your help!

 

It is either the belt, alternator, or battery. Look at each one.

 

I never woulda thought it would be a belt problem and probably woulda went and bought a new battery. you saved me a few bux Thanks