I did the "ghetto" alternator test : turn on engine...and remove the + from the battery...the car didnt die....so does that mean that its not my alternator that is failing me and causing my car to die?

 

what makes you think theres something wrong with it....whats the car doing

 

Try using a voltmeter on the pos and neg leads. It should read about 14 volts. Do the headlights dim under minimal electric load?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 97civicdx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try using a voltmeter on the pos and neg leads. It should read about 14 volts. Do the headlights dim under minimal electric load?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The headlights doesnt dim...but the cluster does. Im not sure if one of the bulbs inside the cluster is brunt or not.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HYBRIDHATCH92 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what makes you think theres something wrong with it....whats the car doing</TD></TR></TABLE>
When i drive the car for awhile....it dies and shows the oil & battery sign. I would then let it cool for a good 10 mins...to start it up again. When it dies...i try to start it...cranks but no spark. My distrubutor, spark plug wires, and spark plugs are all new so i cant seem to figure out whats wrong.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 97civicdx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try using a voltmeter on the pos and neg leads. It should read about 14 volts. Do the headlights dim under minimal electric load?</TD></TR></TABLE>

14 Volts? i hope you mean while the car is running.

a standard battery should be around 12.6 Volts, anything lower than 12.2 you should be looking towards something not right in the charging system (both alt, battery, and all cables).

anything higher than 12.9 Volts while the car is NOT running would be an overcharged battery.. which would eventually expand and turn to ****.

 

either get a voltmeter, midtronics system, or go to napa and ask for a free battery/alternator test.

look at your terminals and battery cables to see if there is corrosion.

you dont happen to have a super lightweight flywheel do you?

 

Get a voltmeter. Check the voltage of the battery when the car is off. It should be approximately 12.7 volts if the battery is fully charged. Check the battery voltage when the car is running it should be 13.5-14.5 volts. Then turn on all your lights and electrical stuff in the car and check your voltage again. It should still be 13.5-14.5 volts. If its not you have problems somewhere. A multimeter is only about $35 and is useful for a lot of car and house stuff.

 

Can it also be the main relay?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by trooper0641 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
When i drive my car for awhile....it dies and shows the oil & battery sign. When it dies...i try to start it...cranks but no spark. I would then let it cool for a good 10 mins...to start it up again. This has happend 10x over this week...and i cant seem to find out what is wrong! </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

*cough*

 

*sneeze*

 

i wouldnt think it could be the main relay..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by USDMDC2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i wouldnt think it could be the main relay.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

It must be that good for nothing altenator then! curse you! you bastard!

 

2qfdqwfewf

 

How long does your car run with the battery undone? If for a long period of time your alternator is fine..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by trooper0641 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
When i drive the car for awhile....it dies and shows the oil & battery sign. I would then let it cool for a good 10 mins...to start it up again. When it dies...i try to start it...cranks but no spark. My distrubutor, spark plug wires, and spark plugs are all new so i cant seem to figure out whats wrong.</TD></TR></TABLE>

might be a bad ignition coil, happened to me before. could only start the car cold.

 

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

you dont happen to have a super lightweight flywheel do you?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Could a lighter flywheel have any effect? Please explain how.

Thanks

 

in the mornings can you start the car with no problem? this sounds like prob my friend had on her '91 accord. she could start the car in the mornings with no problem, but when she shut the car off she couldn't start it unless she wait a few mins for the car to cool down. i end up changing out the main relay and it solved the problem. here go read this is see if it helps:

http://www.markl.f9.co.uk/howt...y.htm

 

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

Could a lighter flywheel have any effect? Please explain how.

Thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

well he said he drives for a while and his car dies once ina while.
if your flywheel is light enough, it will do the same thing once in a while.