well, a while ago i started hearing a ticking sound coming from my engine. it was most noticeable around 3krpms and it got louder the harder i hit the gas. now i know, most of you are saying.. "check your valves" but it goes deeper than that.

--rewind--

i got some spark plug wires... mainly b/c they were mad fast NGK blues and my cars lights would dim at stoplights. well, after installing them, my dimming went away. i figured that was it.. since the old ones i took off were OEM p30? yeah WTF. anyway, i didnt get a battery b/c the problem went away.

well, after a while, the ticking cam back, this time MORE noticable. it started that noise after i got my intake manifold done, so( i had my vavles done 5 months ago) i took my car too factory 5, a local car shop that does an awsome job at what they do. we took my car around the block, he heard the noise, and said it sounds like nothing wrong, and he said the valves are perfect.

so tonight, i took my car to autozone to check my battery. they said it was so low that they couldnt even test it. i was gonna buy a battery but the guy said to take it home, charge it overnight, run it and bring it back next night or so.
well i asked him, if ticking near the area of my altonator might be something. he said it might.

heres my diagnosis for u guys:

ticking noise NOT in idle, under load while driving only. sounds like its coming from the alternator area. at idle, the pulley at the altonator sqeaks, but i dont think thats a problem.

so my question is. can my altenater be junk b/c of that noise? what does that noise mean if it doesnt? it sounds like it might be my altonater, but im not positive.

thanks guys
rob

 

hmmm... alt bearings... autozone warranty, get a new one... then the battery (if needed)

 

how hard is that to fix?

how much they run for?

 

for an ameteur hard, for me 10 min..

two bolts, 14, and a long bolt with a square head.

take the two bolts off and drop it from the bottom...

putting tensuion on the new belt might be difficlu, i use a piece of exhaust piping and a hammer....

 

not to bad, IF you don't have to pull the half shaft

 

well. it might be the alternator completely... the battery level is low... but then again the car runs and starts right up

 

While you car is running, grab a volt meter and look at the voltage across the battery terminals, it should be around 14.4v

if its under 14
thats bad,

if it's over 15 that not good either.

if its fluctuating around alot (12-15).... thats not good either

My civic had the dimming lights symton, after an alternator replacement, I never had the problem again.

after the battery is fully charged, have it tested.

Batteries only last for about 5 years.

If you your car has been cranking slowly, it may be time for a new battery.

 

take the alternator belt off and start the car, see if the noise is still there.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b18ccivics &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">take the alternator belt off and start the car, see if the noise is still there.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i second that