ran to the store and everything is fine . come out ,start my car and the light comes on . i figure oh well the battery lasted me 10 yrs so maybe i need a new one . put a new one in and thelight is still on . any ideas ? i have never had one problem with this car , even when i did all 5 swaps they always started first time and no codes . now this .

 

ttt

 

alternator..?

disconnect your negative terminal on the battery while your car is running.. if the car dies then u need a new alternator

 

check all you battery connections for tightness and cleanliness. Corrosion on the calbe ends can cause poor charging which can set offf the battery light. If you have a voltmeter: test the battery before starting- should be 12-13 volts. Start the car and read, should be 13-14.5 volts. If the running number is higher or lower you have a problem. If lower, test resistance of battery cables - positive to back of starter, negative to ground and from the alternator to the battery. THe readings should be very low if not zero. Higher than 25-30 ohms replace wire/cable. If your running number was high- your alternator is shot and needs replaced. If your running number was really low- turn on headlights, a/c radio etc and read again- if it drops lower or idle drops- bad alternator most likley.

 

10 years on the battery... **coff** tight wad! **coff** ahhaha.. just playing man..

 

10 years?? What kinda battery was it?

 

I think its your alternator, My car did the same thing about 2 years ago when the battery light came on..I replaced the battery but it still came on. Then I replaced the alternator and the light went out and havent seen it since

 

it was a everlast from wal-mart . i bought it in myrtle beach when me stereo sucked the life outta mine cruisin the strip back in 92 . bought a new one and put it in a marine box in the trunk . it was probablty still good but i turned it in for the core charge . DAMN ! I COULD HAVE RUN 10 MORE YRS ON IT !. anyway , i figured it was the alternator later today . i hope i got one laying around .

 

i guess its too late since you already figured out it wasnt a problem with your battery.

When the "Battery" light comes on, it means theres a problem with the ALTERNATOR. not the "battery". the light only comes on if there is not enough charge coming from the alternator. it has nothing to do with the battery, it could be disconnected or even the polarity reversed and the "battery" light would not come on.

a battery will not start the car because it doesnt have enough juice only if there is a problem with the charging system, or some constant current draw when the engine is off, which is usually not the problem.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drjondurst &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">alternator..?

disconnect your negative terminal on the battery while your car is running.. if the car dies then u need a new alternator</TD></TR></TABLE>


Are you serious? You NEVER disconnect a battery while the motor is running.

In 1962 when cars had generators, and just a coil and dist yes you could do that...

But with a alternator and computerized cars you DO not disconnect the battery cable while the car is running.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by biggdogg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it was a everlast from wal-mart . i bought it in myrtle beach when me stereo sucked the life outta mine cruisin the strip back in 92 . bought a new one and put it in a marine box in the trunk . it was probablty still good but i turned it in for the core charge . DAMN ! I COULD HAVE RUN 10 MORE YRS ON IT !. anyway , i figured it was the alternator later today . i hope i got one laying around . </TD></TR></TABLE>


Putting the battery away from heat, and keeping it warm during the winter will extend the life of the battery.. So yes ten years is possible... Same battery in engine compartment much less.

So far as your engine light... blet, alternator diode pack, or brushes... Take it by any auto parts store and have it checked.

 

thx guys

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by biggdogg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thx guys </TD></TR></TABLE>


Just so this thread may help someone in the future...
What was the "fix" to the problem?

Did you ever put a voltmeter on it to check the voltages, and if so what were the values? (Especailly when then red light was comming on)

 

why do they call them idiot lights anyway?

 

they call them idiot lights because i thought it was the thing it was showing in the light (e.i. battery ) they need a light for the alternator , not the battery . hehe! anyways i found another alternator in my attic and threw it on , no problems now . when the light came on i could tap the alternator with a screwdriver and the light would go off . maybe we can talk honda into making an alternator light , maybe a little lightening bolt or something easy .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Alan Wil &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Are you serious? You NEVER disconnect a battery while the motor is running.

In 1962 when cars had generators, and just a coil and dist yes you could do that...

But with a alternator and computerized cars you DO not disconnect the battery cable while the car is running.</TD></TR></TABLE>

why don't you go out and pull out your negative battery terminal while your car is running. if you have a good alternator then your car will keep on running.

the guy that you quoted was right about the alternator.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by drift2live &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

why don't you go out and pull out your negative battery terminal while your car is running. if you have a good alternator then your car will keep on running.

the guy that you quoted was right about the alternator. </TD></TR></TABLE>


If you pull the negative terminal off while the car is running you stand a GOOD chance of frying the alternator… and ANYTHING else electronic in the car.

In 1962 when cars had generators, and just a coil and dist yes you could do that.…. with no damage.
But with a alternator and computerized cars you DO not disconnect the battery cable while the car is running.

 

ohhhhkaaaayyyy, here we go . just to get the alternator out i had to take off my strut tower bar , remove the upper alternator bracket , unhook my iat and pull it out of the intake . the i loosened the 3 10mm nuts that hold the fuel rail on and removed the throttle cable bracket . i lifted the fuel rail out and moved all my wire looms and tranny cable , it took i few minutes but i finally wiggled it out between the brake master cyl and the intake manifold . thank place racing for the weld in mounts , they set the motor farther forward in the engine bay . if you have bolt-in mounts you will have to undo the driver mount to get it out because the motor sits farther back towards the firewall. next drop the new one in and do it in reverse. WHEW! what a day . it took about 30 minutes to do all this and whaallaa! i`m good to go . hope this was some help to someone .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Alan Wil &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


If you pull the negative terminal off while the car is running you stand a GOOD chance of frying the alternatorÂ… and ANYTHING else electronic in the car.

In 1962 when cars had generators, and just a coil and dist yes you could do that.Â…. with no damage.
But with a alternator and computerized cars you DO not disconnect the battery cable while the car is running.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is very true. The battery acts as a surge protector in the car's electrical system. It protects the ECM from voltage spikes. Removing the cable WAS a valid test on older cars that weren't computer controlled, but no longer.