What would cause a car alternator to keep going bad?
- Defective Alternator If the alternator in your car is five or more than five years old and you experience electrical problems often, then the alternator may be worn out or defective. ...
- Problem with computer system If the computer system that manages the car’s electrical parts has a glitch, it will directly impact the alternator. ...
- Issues with wiring ...
- Faulty fuse ...
- Severed pulley or belt ...
What would cause alternator to keep going bad?
There are a few issues that could make the alternator go bad, such as jump-starting the car the wrong way or installing an accessory that overloads it. Leaking fluid in the alternator or a tight belt can also cause damage to the alternator bearings, causing premature wearing.
What kills alternators in cars?
Running in full charge mode continuously can kill an alternator, so trying to have your new alternator try and charge your dead battery can result in immediate alternator failure.
Can a sound system mess up an alternator?
Subwoofers alone will not damage your alternator. Subwoofers, along with their amplifier, can harm your alternator if it draws too much power from the battery. And this might cause the alternator to overheat and ultimately destroy it.
What are signs of alternator failure?
7 Signs of a Failing AlternatorDim or Overly Bright Lights. ... Dead Battery. ... Slow or Malfunctioning Accessories. ... Trouble Starting or Frequent Stalling. ... Growling or Whining Noises. ... Smell of Burning Rubber or Wires. ... Battery Warning Light on Dash.
Can an alternator fail suddenly?
Alternators can go bad suddenly, or slowly over time. If your alternator is slowly going bad over time there are some warning signs you can look out for. So, how do you know if you are having trouble with your alternator?
How long does a car alternator usually last?
seven yearsHow Long Does an Alternator Last? Alternators have an impressive lifespan of seven years–or between 80,000 to 150,000 miles. But be careful that you are not wearing it out prematurely!
How often do alternators need to be replaced?
The average longevity of an alternator is seven years or about 150,000 miles. Several factors can impact the lifespan of your alternator, including the quality of the part, the overall condition of the vehicle, and how many electronics are being used.
What happens when your alternator dies?
If the alternator dies, the battery doesn't get a charged and rebuild its power storage from any drain it had to cover. When the car is running, the charging system (alternator, voltage regulator) should recharge the battery and provide sufficient electrical power to the vehicle. The battery serves as a backup.
What would cause a car alternator to keep going bad?
A car alternator may keep going bad because it’s worn-out, the computer system has issues, damaged wiring, and a faulty fuse.
Why does my alternator burn out?
Common reasons for alternators burning out in your car are oil spillage, a faulty battery or incorrect mounting.
How to prevent alternator failure?
One of the best ways to prevent a failing alternator is to inspect the battery, spark plugs, oil, refrigerants, and splash shield of the car periodically . Regular car maintenance can also prevent alternator failure.
What does a bad alternator sound like?
A grinding or whining sound from by the car’s engine is one of the giveaway signs of a bad alternator. An alternator contains many components that rotate while the engine is running.
Can you jump a car with a bad alternator?
You can jump start a car with a defective alternator to help you drive to the closest mechanic. However, only some cars support this feature. The jumper cables must be able to provide enough electricity to certain important parts of the car to set it in motion. Some of these parts are the control unit, fuel pump and fuel accelerators.
Can a bad alternator kill a new battery?
Yes, a faulty alternator can overcharge and eventually damage the battery. In contrast, an insufficiently charged alternator will result in a dead battery or accelerate its failure.
How do I know if my battery or alternator is bad?
Your battery is bad if the dashboard lights of your car are dim or flickering. On the other hand, the car’s headlights appear extremely weak or bright because of a bad alternator that prevents the battery from getting charged properly.
What happens if an alternator dies?
If it’s an electrical death, it could be using alternators from a poor source , like some of the marginal alternator recyclers. They just slap in a new set of brushes and ship it. Or if the alternator has an external voltage regulator, it could be under or overdriving the alternator.
What happens if your headlights are brighter than before starting?
Continue Reading. It depends. Mechanically a pulley could be off-center and strain the alternator bearings. Or in older cars the tensioner may be adjusted too tightly.
Does it hurt to change a ballast resistor?
If your car has a ballast resistor, it doesn’t hurt to change that as well. If not, then I would do a thorough inspection on the battery, to make sure you don’t have any plates shorted out inside or badly corroded battery cables and terminals, which could put a much larger load on your alternator. Fast. Simple.
Do you need to change the regulator and alternator at the same time?
Modern alternators have built in rectifiers (diode packs) and usually regulators too, so it’s a non-issue today. So if you have an older car, I would recommend changing out both the regulator and alternator at the same time. If your car has a ballast resistor, it doesn’t hurt to change that as well.
Do alternators have rectifiers?
Modern alternators have built in rectifiers (diode packs) and usually regulators too, so it’s a non-issue today. So if you have an older car, I would recommend changing out both the regulator and alternator at the same time. If. Continue Reading.
Is an alternator good for a charging system?
The new alternator (and the old one for that matter) is just fine. It takes more than just an alternator to make a charging system. Some folks continue to think in terms of parts only when a problem arises. One should not ignore the electrical circuits and connections that are an integral part of the charging system.
Why is my alternator not charging?
Alternators put out alternating current, and the battery needs direct current to charge, so there is a voltage rectifier that converts it, and it can suddenly go bad, too. A faulty voltage regulator can also stop an alternator from charging at all. Otherwise, a no charge condition can mean an internal break in the windings, bad brushes, or burned out slip rings. If all the external wiring seems good, it is likely an issue inside the alternator.
How to keep an alternator working?
The single best thing you can do to keep your alternator working well is to keep it clean and dry. Dust and dirt can get into the alternator, and over time cause shorts or wear on the brushes.
Why is my alternator not putting out 13.8 volts?
An alternator that won’t put out at least 13.8 volts is in need of replacement or at least a rebuild. But, if the low output is combined with squealing noises, it may just be a case of a slipping serpentine belt. If the belt is good, low output can be caused by the insulation breaking down on the internal alternator windings, or it may just be worn brushes; either way, the unit needs to come off and come apart.
How to prevent alternator bearings from going bad?
You can minimize the chances of this happening prematurely by keeping the drive belt and tensioner in good shape. Nothing will kill the bearings quicker than a too tight belt, but a belt that is too loose isn’t good either. If your car has a spring-loaded tensioner, you should at least inspect it at 50,000 miles when you change the belt. If you have an older car with a manual tensioner, be sure to tighten it to the specification found in your Haynes Manual.
Why does my car smell like acid?
If you notice an acidic smell or your battery is leaking fluid, it may be because the alternator is overcharging. You can easily check by measuring the voltage at the battery with the car running, which should not go above 15 volts even with the engine revving. First, check that all the wires to the alternator and regulator are connected properly and not broken. If your car uses a voltage regulator, either separate or built into the alternator, it is inexpensive and easy to change. If you have a car where the voltage is regulated by the ECU, you may need to talk to an expert technician.
Why are my headlights dim?
If you notice your headlights get dim with the engine at idle and get bright when you rev it, chances are your alternator is not putting out enough power.
What causes a serpentine belt to overheat?
Mechanical Issues - This category of failure often just involves the bearings wearing out and squealing, or in extreme cases, seizing up. Besides not charging the battery, this can also throw the serpentine drive belt, causing overheating.
How long does it take to rebuild an alternator?
Much less $$ to get the alternator rebuilt, he said he can usually get it rebuild in less than a day.
How to tell if a battery is burning?
Start by looking to see if there are any visible signs of burning or melting. This will typically happen near the battery or the alternator. Check the whole cable though if you don't see anything. You could also check the output near the alternator, then on the battery side. If there are any differences, swap out the cable.
How to tell if thermostat is stuck open?
Far as your cooling issue, Sounds like the thermostat is stuck open. Pretty easy to test this one. Basically just pull the thermostat and see if it's closed or open. You can throw it in water and bring the water to a boil to see if it opens/closes correct.
What causes an alternator to fail?
There are 3 common failures. Each can cause sudden death. There is an electronic voltage regulator inside of most alternators these days, and that can fail. Older cars might have an external regulator. That could fail too, but that doesn’t count as an alternator failure. There are six diodes inside of most alternators, and the diodes can fail. Sometimes, not all of the diodes fail, causing the alternator to have a weak output instead of a complete failure. The other common failure is the brushes. They carry electricity to the rotating part of the alternator, rubbing on spinning slip rings as they carry current to them. The brushes are made of carbon and are pressing on the slip rings through pressure provided by small springs. The carbon brushes get shorter and shorter as they wear, and eventually the spring tension goes to zero, and the brushes can’t provide electric current to the slip rings anymore.
Why is my alternator overcharging?
Have the module that controls the alternator checked. It may be misreading the voltage and causing the alternator to overcharge.
How to get more miles out of alternator?
Sometimes, if you are lucky and have a failure of the brushes on the road, you can put a spacer like a piece of cardboard between the brush and the spring to get a few more miles out of the alternator.
Do alternators and regulators have to be replaced together?
Older vehicles usually had separate electrical components, such as a separate regulator, rectifier and alternator. In the old days, we would always change the regulator and alternator together. Otherwise you would get a type of back and forth, where one new part would cause the older part to fail, then when you replace that, it would in turn cause the other part to fail.
What are the main killers of alternators?
Overloads, shorts and bad connections apart from normal wear and tear are the main killers of alternators.
How long has Fast Eddie been fixing cars?
Fast Eddie fixing and breaking cars for over 50 years.
Do alternators have rectifiers?
Modern alternators have built in rectifiers (diode packs) and usually regulators too, so it’s a non-issue today .
What happens if your alternator is not working?
Then works perfectly after the alternator is replaced. If your battery is failing, the alternator will be working harder than designed all of the time to recharge it . That can kill it easily. The next thing after that are if the wires that connect the battery to the car are loosely connected, or are damaged.
Why won't my alternator charge?
There’s other reasons for an alternator to refuse to charge; erratic connection in the dashboard warning light, weak link between the alt. and battery, etc. and even the belt can be an on and off thing.
What does it mean when your alternator is faulty?
Or maybe your alternator’s wiring is faulty – keeping it from doing its job correctly.
Why is my alternator not working?
So, if something is using power, your battery isn’t getting recharged.
What are the Signs of a Bad Alternator?
The most significant sign of a bad alternator is that your battery will keep dying. A dead battery doesn’t automatically mean that you have a faulty alternator, but it’s the first sign that you need to dig a little deeper.
What happens if you pull a fuse and the amperage drops but it's still not under the 100?
If you pull a fuse and the amperage drops, but it’s still not under the 100mA threshold, you have multiple parasitic draws. You’ll need to find out what is causing all of them to keep your battery from dying! Once you’ve isolated the circuit, you can cross-reference what circuit runs through that fuse.
How many volts should an alternator put out?
When it’s working correctly, it should put out between 13.5 and 15 volts. Check for a parasitic draw. If your alternator is working and your battery is holding a charge – it means something is killing your battery when your alternator isn’t charging it! That means you have a draw.
What to do if you have a blown fuse in your multimeter?
If you have a blown fuse in your multimeter, you’ll need to replace it before conducting a parasitic draw test.
Why does my car battery keep dying?
Common Reasons Why Car Battery Keeps Dying. There are a few reasons that your car battery could keep dying even if your alternator is good. The most common explanation is that you have a bad battery. It doesn’t matter how much juice your alternator is pumping into your battery if it can’t hold a charge. You also might have something that is drawing ...
