Reddy Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Ok guys, thought I'd see if any of you have thoughts on what's going on with my car. About a week ago the car was dead when I got out to the parking lot. It wouldn't crank at all, just turn the key and nothing. Jumped it and got on my way. While I was driving I noticed the speedometer start wobbling (it had done this twice before) so I pulled over and turned off the car, planning to turn it back on. Well - it wouldn't turn back on. Called triple A, got it jumped, and it worked for the next 2 days it took to get it to AutoZone where they replaced the battery. Drove home, then a couple hours later I went out and it wouldn't start again. And this is where I'm at. I went down this morning to jump it using a battery charger - and it gave me electrical power but the engine still didn't turn over. What do you guys think? Should I just get it towed to the shop? My thought right now is alternator but I figured I'd throw it by you guys and see if you had any ideas. Thanks alot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Sounds like the alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 oh, and is it weird that right after the guy installed the new battery, it turned on, but then hours later it wouldn't? like... why the hell did it turn on the first time?? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandy125 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 02:18 PM) oh, and is it weird that right after the guy installed the new battery, it turned on, but then hours later it wouldn't? like... why the hell did it turn on the first time?? lol If the alternator is bad, then it started up on the fresh new battery. Then, while it was running it pulled from that battery instead of from the alternator. So, the next time you tried to turn it on, there was nothing left. Also, with a bad alternator, you never charge your battery back up. I'm pretty sure that's the way it works, but I am no mechanic. I just mess around with an old truck that I am very slowly rebuilding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santo=dorf Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Get a new alternator. Same thing happened to my GF's old car a few months ago. I didn't go into work today because my running nose and violent sneezing from the cold weather, and, my car wouldn't start. I can get the radio and display, but I need to get a jump from my old roommate. Still waiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipps Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Just keep a bottle of starter fluid in the car and spray it on the starter everytime you need to start it up. Its fairly dangerous stuff but I did it with my car that I had about 10 years ago and it worked like a charm until I could get a new car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I had a bad alternator in a car years ago, and it presented exactly like this. I'd defintiely say alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Reddy I pretty much had the same situation 2 weeks ago. One cold morning car wouldn't turn over, no response. Took it in, replaced the battery, drove it home no problems. Got to work fine the next day, try to lock the doors, and there's no power at all. Car won't start again either. Hours later it started, though, with no jump. I took it in again to be safe, they didn't find anything wrong with it, and it's started fine ever since. I'm not sure what the hell went on, but sounds pretty much the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 My guess your alternator figured out how to log onto soxtalk and now it spends all day posting and not working. It is a fairly easy replacement on most cars. Look at the shop manual or search the net, pull it off and have it tested. Easy stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 It's definitely the alternator. It affects everything electrical in the car when it happens. You know it's not the starter because when you turn the key nothing happens. If the battery was just low then it'd at least attempt it before dying, if there was something wrong with the starter everything else would work and it'd just click and fail to start. Should cost you about $80-100 to fix. (I had this happen before) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 03:14 PM) Sounds like the alternator. yup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 03:47 PM) yup. Not to be confused with . Edited January 16, 2009 by BigSqwert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 thanks guys. see this is why i love this place. actually, went back down about 2 hours ago to try again and it jumped this time. drove it in and it's at the shop right now, so hopefully it'll be up an running again soon. i love winter in chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Sounds like its the alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 04:48 PM) Not to be confused with . Oh s*** I was gonna reply by posting a Youtube video of the Perculator not knowing that's what you posted. lol. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c7CCayKXxE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santo=dorf Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Jumped mine too and started after I turned it off a couple of times. Waited another 15 minutes and try to start it again but the voltage was down to 10.7 volts. Looks like I'm going to have to change it tomorrow. Anybody have any battery changing horror stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaSoxxJim Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 The old van I had in C-U at college, I didn't even bother trying to turn it over in January of February because it was a lost cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 03:48 PM) Not to be confused with . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 04:38 PM) thanks guys. see this is why i love this place. actually, went back down about 2 hours ago to try again and it jumped this time. drove it in and it's at the shop right now, so hopefully it'll be up an running again soon. i love winter in chicago. Really its too bad you took it in. An alternator is a pretty simple job to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 07:52 PM) Really its too bad you took it in. An alternator is a pretty simple job to do. that's all well and good, but a) it's flippin' cold B) i'm in school and c) i'm also doing a show that has me commuting 50 miles a day, 5 nights a week. I just have no time. This is the easiest way for me to get it done. oh and i suck at mechanical things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 09:17 PM) that's all well and good, but a) it's flippin' cold B) i'm in school and c) i'm also doing a show that has me commuting 50 miles a day, 5 nights a week. I just have no time. This is the easiest way for me to get it done. oh and i suck at mechanical things. The alternator is kind of a gateway repair. Once you master that, you will be able to move on to other more challenging, and dangerous repairs. Good thing you just said no! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 09:17 PM) that's all well and good, but a) it's flippin' cold B) i'm in school and c) i'm also doing a show that has me commuting 50 miles a day, 5 nights a week. I just have no time. This is the easiest way for me to get it done. oh and i suck at mechanical things. In all seriousness, I am mechanically retarded, and I can do an alternator. It is literally a 15 minute job that you will end up paying about $200 for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 10:09 PM) It is literally a 15 minute job that you will end up paying about $200 for. That's what she says . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewashed in '05 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I think its the alternator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 10:09 PM) In all seriousness, I am mechanically retarded, and I can do an alternator. It is literally a 15 minute job that you will end up paying about $200 for. On most cars, yes. I had to replace mine on my '91 Grand Am about once a year. I even replaced it in a Pep Boys parking lot in Philadelphia once. But, my wife had a Sentra that you have to remove the starter to get to it and then it was still a "blind" job and you had to do it from underneath the car. It took me about 5 hours. It probably would have been closer to 3 if I weren't drinking that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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