Hey, been a member of this forum for awhile now, and have found most, if not all of my questions answered in the search function, which is sweet. This is one I can't find the answer too. I have an oldsmobile Intrigue, 2001, which has caused very little problems in the past. It does have a new alternator that was replaced a few years back. A new battery around the same time, but that is about all the changes it has had.
Wife called me tonight, "Car is dead, come get me." I have noticed for the past few months, that the car has a tough time starting at times, as if the battery isn't holding its own. I have run it out a few times by leaving the lights on for ~5 minutes. So the battery is weak, I know. It didn't surprise me when she called - kinda expecting it for awhile. Maybe I should have replaced it earlier, but hindsight is 20/20 eh?
I get there and the lights in the car are very dim, and notice a strange smell, a rotten egg smell. (My wife was with another lady and I thought one of them had passed gas, so I kept my mouth shut, because I didn't want to embarrass them). I open the hood, and yup, the smell was from the car. After searching online, it was more than likely the battery. My wife and her friend didn't notice the smell till after they got in and tried to start the car a few times. We have never had the smell before.
I hook up the jumper cables, and the horn goes off, and realize later after scouring the internet that is common occurence - not worried about that anymore.
But the strangest thing happens, once the key is removed from the car, a noise comes from the front of the engine - and it only occurs once the key is REMOVED from the ignition. If the key is inserted, then the noise subsides. So key ON - no noise, key OFF - noise. What would cause the noise coming from the front of the engine, when the key is removed. It sounds mechanical in nature, as if something is turning (alternator?????) or something is trying to work, but can't. I am trying to get a differential diagnosis here as to what sounds could be coming from the front of the engine the AC - it was off, the fan was not turning, the alternator. What else could be causing this? It was dark, so I couldn't really see anything turning, per se.
It is late and I am going to bed, and I won't have time to work on it till tomorrow afternoon after work, so I was looking for some hints and some help as to what is going on before I tackle this thing. Here is what I am thinking, battery is shot and I am going to start by replacing it and see what happens from there. I am going to get a cheap meter to check my voltage of my alternator as to why it would fry my battery. I hope this solves my issues and I can stop worrying about fixing anything else. If it something more, what could it be?
Thanks for the help.