does anyone one on this forum know anything?

eveytime I post in here I never get replys,
i guess no one knows anything.


try this problem:

new alternator seems to be clicking very loud when idling. the sound is very close to the alternator if it wasn't coming from there in the first place.

what the heck does that mean.

HELP

Some people aren't sure about different vehicles, so they don't answer. I have a Grand AM...

What year model is your vehicle?

It's hard to tell you exactly what's wrong with it when I'm not able to hear the clicking noise itself. Who installed your new alternator?

take your car to autozone or any parts store, and ask them to test your alternator. they will usually do that for nothing. then you will know for sure if that is the problem....

Actually, scratch my first post. I'm pretty sure I know what it is. I would check your starter. Sometimes when you replace your alternator, your starter can develop a clicking noise which is telling you it needs to be replaced. I would have a mechanic check it out and tell you for sure (since I can't hear the noise from all the way in Texas).

my girlfriends dad n bother.

93 grand am SE v6 3.3



no, the starter is fine, it cranks no problem

autozone can test your starter as well

Posted by '00' GTP - 08-22-2003 at 08:41 AM
take your car to autozone or any parts store, and ask them to test your alternator. they will usually do that for nothing. then you will know for sure if that is the problem....

Posted by '00' GTP - 08-22-2003 at 08:51 AM
autozone can test your starter as well


I agree with that. I can't hear it, so I don't want to tell you to try things when I don't know exactly what's wrong with it. Take it to Autozone. :smile:

how can it be a starter if the car has no problem starting

Sometimes when you install a new alternator it can develop other problems. Installing any part that wasn't made with the car could cause a problem and everyone knows that. Some parts are bad because of factory f-ups, some don't fit well with the rest of what's under the hood. I knew a guy that had a Pontiac Grand AM that had replaced his alternator and he heard a clicking noise. It was his starter. But in another case, there was a Dodge Ram with a clicking noise and a replaced alternator that ended up being the battery, that was one of our trucks and it sounded like a friggin' bomb ticking. Ya never know.

My first guess was the starter, but I could be wrong. I can't hear it. It could be any part of your engine that just isn't kosher with your alternator or it could be the alternator itself. Clicking noises are tough to diagnose, especially over a computer.

The starter can be bad and still start because the springs or whatever is in there is just being stretsced out and making the gear not completely retract and it is rubbing on the flex plate. I had that.

just got back from the shop

seems that noise is from the water pump :(

and the serpterine belt was cut on one of the sides


all in all


$440 canadian funds


:(

Sometimes when you install a new alternator it can develop other problems. Installing any part that wasn't made with the car could cause a problem and everyone knows that. Some parts are bad because of factory f-ups, some don't fit well with the rest of what's under the hood.


Sometimes installing a new alt causes problems well that is BS!! The problem with alternators is when they go bad, replacing just the alt and not the battery or just simply recharging the battery causes problems. The Alt went bad putting a heavy strain on the battery to make up for the bad alt weakens the battery. Now putting a new alt with a weak battery causes the alt to overwork itself and can cause the new alt to fry!! Also putting on the cheapest alt money can buy is also bad. You get what you paid for, you spend 20 dollars you get 20 dollars worth of an alt.

Now could you explain your statement on factory f-ups???

Posted by Flatrater - 08-22-2003 at 08:02 PM
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally Posted by furious_pontiac03
Sometimes when you install a new alternator it can develop other problems. Installing any part that wasn't made with the car could cause a problem and everyone knows that. Some parts are bad because of factory f-ups, some don't fit well with the rest of what's under the hood.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes installing a new alt causes problems well that is BS!! The problem with alternators is when they go bad, replacing just the alt and not the battery or just simply recharging the battery causes problems. The Alt went bad putting a heavy strain on the battery to make up for the bad alt weakens the battery. Now putting a new alt with a weak battery causes the alt to overwork itself and can cause the new alt to fry!! Also putting on the cheapest alt money can buy is also bad. You get what you paid for, you spend 20 dollars you get 20 dollars worth of an alt.

Now could you explain your statement on factory f-ups???


Okay.. Lemme get this straight. You're questioning why I said when you install a new alternator, it can cause other problems. Yet you just said:

"replacing just the alt and not the battery or just simply recharging the battery causes problems."

How is that not what I said? I'm, by no means, being rude. But that's what I just said. He only replaced the alternator, not the battery and the alternator. I didn't give specifics on what it can cause because frankly I don't know that much about alternators. I'll be the first to admit that without a problem. I mean, I'm female, how much do you expect me to know? Nothing, right? That would be B.S. I know, from experience, that when you replace anything, it CAN but not always cause problems with other parts of the car. And the only reason I answered his question because of the clicking thing. I know what it COULD be by experience. I wasn't trying to be a car expert. I don't think it's kosher that you were rude about it, calling my statement BS when you said the same thing. I was posting to help him out, not make it known that I'm Miss Car God. I'm not, I'm still learning. Geez. I swear almost everyone that posts on this forum is trying to make everyone else look bad.

Factory F-ups...

I had a factory f-up battery one time, I had a factory f-up starter one time. Some parts just aren't perfect. I took 'em back, replaced 'em, I was good to go. But shhh happens and not every part is always made the same.

Posted by snipez - 08-22-2003 at 07:52 PM
just got back from the shop

seems that noise is from the water pump

and the serpterine belt was cut on one of the sides


all in all


$440 canadian funds






I'm sorry about your water pump. :headshake

Hey im new here and i drive a LOUD saturn SL2 with A JL W7 but i need help with my moms 1999 Grand Am Se V6......the alternator has died and im looking for a link to give me directions to replace it..i'd appreciate any help its only 8 degrees outside so the faster i can do it the better...............www.xtremesaturn.com << Check Us Out

for furious - any help is appreciated - especially from someone who has had the problem or at least similar symptoms! keep posting and ignore those that try to put you down!

This is an extremly old thread, I'm surprised anyone found it to bring it back from the dead. After reading it though I have to say (I know this is an old thread and all, and things change) Flatrater how can you say that adding a new part can't cause problems? A new part can cause old worn out parts to fail. A new fresh part can cause stress levels to rise that were not present before because the part was worn out along with every other part around it. If I have avalve train with 300K on it and I decide to put fresh valve springs in it ant that's the only change I make, you're almost guaranteed that you can kiss that valve train good bye. Or here's asnother example, let me put new rings in and not hone the cylinder walls, again something is gonna give. Hmmm, maybe I should rebuild an engine with 400K on it but reuse the head gasket. Sorry for bustin your chops especially on an almost 2yr old thread, but man, you came down hard on her and she was right. I hope she's still a member and hasn't walked away because of that.


Marc

Hmmm, answered my own question, she did leave after that comment Flatrater. How do you expect people to say interested when you trash them, granted some deserve it. It would be nice to have knowledgeable people on here because they are few and far between, and she at least had a clue.


Marc