God Damn Car

Another problem....think its the alternator, how bout u? Heres the sitiation:

Today driving my car to work the speakers in my car cut in and out, but the sub was fine. I figured it was just the amp. But then on my lunch i drove it again, did the same thing, only the tach cut in and out too. Then going home i had the radio off, the tach wouldnt work at all (speedo and gas still did), the clock was dim, cluster lights dim, and all my exterior lights were hella dim and my wipers barely moved. My battery light didnt come on tho, so im not sure if its the alternator. Plus, i've replaced the alternator once already this year, seems kinda odd it would stop again. Does neone else have ne suggestions?

PS I havent checked ecu for codes, but i doubt it would have electrical neway right?

sounds like an alt or dying battery ... hook up your battery to the charger tonight (if you have one) and charge it to full and see if this happens again.

yeah, i definitley dont have one...wish i did now tho. Im probly just gonna hope it makes it to work tomorrow (only 2 miles away from my house), then take it to western auto and get my alt/battery tested. I hope its the battery, then i have an excuse to get an optima :biggrin:

ok, i hate my car. went to western auto, they tested the battery and said the cell was dead, didnt test the alt tho, cuz they said it was the battery. so i went and spent $120 on an optima red top for my car, figured everything would be fine. But like 30 sec after driving the speakers starting cut out again, then the tach, then everything dimmed again. I went to the movies, and went to start my car it barely started, but did. Then everything was hella dim, by the time i got home i couldnt see the clock. I dont understand how, even if the alt is dead too, that the battery wouldnt have enuf power for even 10 min of driving. Neone have ne ideas?

could be a bad ground... but i'd get the alt. tested to see if the output is high enough... could be putting out just enough to run the car and not much more...

at least you have an optima now :)

yeah, but the rest of my car is falling apart, and the optima probly wont be able to fix it lol. i dunno, hopefully my alt is bad and i can get a free one since i've only had that one 6 months, if not, im screwed.

turns out it was my alt, killed my new optima too, but since i just bought it yesturday they let me return it :-D . And then i put in the alt, and now everything is working spiffy again, so im happy. Except my car makes a crazy loud ticking noise. You can hear it at idle, then when u rev its crazy loud. Neone have ne ideas? Im thinkin its vavles tapping, but i just would like a second opinion or ideas on wat i can do to make it go away.

my fuel injectors make a ticking noise not very loud though

I'm bettin' it's the valves makin' the noise, adjust 'em real quick, it only takes 10min.

...i have no clue how to adjust valves. didnt even know you can adjust em. Wat all is involved in adjusting them? Thanx

It's super easy, just check out the online Helms manual. I'm not too good at givin' directions online, but it's easy, it only involves a wrench and a feeler gauge.

Alternators have voltage regulators in them. So even if the battery is good the power still goes through the Alternator so the Alternator will fuck up the battery. And 10 minutes is about all I was able to drive when I had a fucked up Alternator, 10, if even that.