Alternator ?

[mickytrus]

   Aye JUst running it by the group... ( for piece of mind, I guess)

 

     Got to see where the little battery lite is located on the dash the other day while driving.(unfortunately)

Strange, I drove not even a mile, turned the car off, went inside for about half an hour, came out,,,,, drove the

car and found the BAT light and the brake lite to be on while driving......

             ( My Loyale's  the dash would lite up like a Christmas tree when the alternator  would die!)

 

    So I drove back another mile,,,,, parked it..... and still while running disconnected positive terminal

on the battery momentarily............   Then the car  stalled out..........

 

       So I am figuring,,,, something went bad in the alternator.............

 

  Just looking for some ,,,,,,  group consensus ...........

 

Thanks, Micky

[idosubaru]

Just make sure you confirm it.  Sounds like you did by pulling the cables, but I'd try again just to be sure.

 

Terminals, corrosion, battery can fake people out. 

 

But yeah sounds like alternator to me.  

 

You don't say what vehicle/year but Subaru sells alternators for 1995-1999 EJ Phase I vehicles for like $70-$80.  They're typically way more expensive than that.

 

I avoid aftermarket alternators, they're low grade.  I'd run a used OEM alternator (and have) before aftermarket.

[lmdew]

14.3 volts or so is what the Alt should be putting out. 

 

Check all the battery and battery cable connections.  The negative cable goes back to the engine block, just in front of the starter.  You didn't say what year or model it was.  Most auto parts stores will test your alt for free.

 

If you do need one, I have several for 96-99.

Go Subaru, new or used is better than aftermarket.

 

Larry

[GeneralDisorder]

Battery and brake lights at the same time is bridge rectifier failure. It's in the VR, which is in the alt. So alt is bad. That's a 100% diagnosis.

 

GD

[1 Lucky Texan]

if it's the original alt, and you can do without the car for a few days, find a local rebuilder to rebuild your alternator, it will be much better than typical parts store alternator.

[heartless]

if it's the original alt, and you can do without the car for a few days, find a local rebuilder to rebuild your alternator, it will be much better than typical parts store alternator.

 

totally agree on this one.

[lmdew]

Send me a pic of yours, if I have a matching one I can ship it out Tue, $40 shipped.

 

Lmdew2@gmail.com

[1 Lucky Texan]

micky - did you get an alternator?

[1 Lucky Texan]

bump

[msmithmmx]

Start the car.  Turn on heat, radio and lights.  Take your multimeter set it to 20V DC and connect to battery.  Post your reading here.  You should see at least high 13.7 to 14.3V.    I recently replaced my weak alternator 12.4V.  I got that one from Pepboys lasted around 7 years.

[Bushwick]

Buy a decent multi-meter that can test diodes. With engine running, check the volts at the battery.  Should be around what msmithmmx posted WHEN running. If 12v or lower (when running), alt is bad. If voltage checks out OK, disconnect battery neg (1st) then set it aside so it won't accidentally touch the post. At the top of the alternator is a single, large gauge wire with a rubber boot protector. Pull that boot back carefully (they can rip) and use a 10mm wrench/socket and unhook the cable. Set it aside briefly w/o letting it touch anything. Set multimeter to the diode setting. Attach (+) probe to that stud the cable was attached to, and (-) directly to the case of the alt. Should see something like 0.5v. Now, reverse the leads (-) to the post and (+) to the casing. Should see no voltage or OL or whatever the meter designates. If you see something like "1.7" or any kind of actual voltage, one or more diodes are bad.