Sorry, it's another alternator question...

scottyec76 · #1 08-02-2007, 10:05 PM

Has anyone had an alternator go bad without the alternator light coming on first. I had no problems with it until yesterday I had a new cd player installed, professionally I might add. I took the rodeo out last night and it seemed like the dash lights were a little dim but then I thought it was just me being paranoid. Well I took it to a friends house tonight and as it sat running in his driveway it started dying, I revved it up one good time and as the idle dropped it shut off. I had to get it jumped to get it home, which was maybe a mile, shut it off and that was it. I got no warning light or anything. Sound like an alternator or just a dead battery? If it's the alt. how hard are they to change? I know they're not cheap. Oh yeah, the Rodeo's a '97 by the way.

amigo-2k · #2 08-02-2007, 10:13 PM

I would start with checking the battery connections. the shop I'm sure undid the battery before the install, so maybe the the connections are not tight.

how many miles do you have on the truck?

scottyec76 · #3 08-02-2007, 10:22 PM

I thought the same thing with the connections, I checked them, they're good and tight.

I have around 97,500 miles on the Rodeo.

FL 3.2L · #4 08-02-2007, 10:57 PM

What did you have installed? Hate to say it, but I try to stay away from "professional installations" as much as possible. (Did my first cat back exhaust swap on my VW Tuesday and I was surprised at how easy it was. I can only imagine how much time, money, and Tylenol I saved by doing it myself!) Possible you have a short somewhere?

scottyec76 · #5 08-02-2007, 11:14 PM

The only thing I had installed was a cd deck, it's my work vehicle. I normally try to do things myself too but I realized shortly after signing on to this forum and talking to people that working on these beasts is anything but easy no matter the part. So instead of giving myself the headache I let someone else do it that way i have more time to devote to "the good car", where everything is easy because I know the car inside and out. The "short" had crossed my too but I'm hoping for the alt. or the battery being the cheaper options at this point.

amigo-2k · #6 08-02-2007, 11:24 PM

What is the history of the battery.

scottyec76 · #7 08-02-2007, 11:43 PM

I'm not sure of the history of the battery, it was in the rodeo when I bought it in March. The headlights work might be a little dimmer than before and the radio works fine. It just won't start the car without a jump and it takes a few minutes before it takes enough charge to start it, but once I shut it off but that's it.

scottyec76 · #8 08-02-2007, 11:47 PM

I just checked the terminals again and the negative was loose enough to pull off by had with a little wiggling. I only checked the positive before because I didn't think the shop would take the negative off maybe I was wrong.

scottyec76 · #9 08-03-2007, 10:23 PM

2 batteries drained in 2 days...definitely the alt. I'm about sick of this thing!

FL 3.2L · #10 08-03-2007, 10:51 PM

Get the latest battery properly charged and change the alt with one recommended on this board and you'll be back on the good side of the love-hate relationship with your wheels!

scottyec76 · #11 08-04-2007, 01:14 PM

Ok...Fully charged battery and new alternator and still not charging ! Any ideas, anyone. I'm just fed up with this thing want to get it running so I can sell it.

FL 3.2L · #12 08-04-2007, 06:05 PM

Sorry your headache continues. I guess a drain somewhere wasn't ruled out. Maybe take it bake to the place that did the install and get them to check their work. Where is trooper? He likes an electrical challenge, doesn't he? Is it possible to pull the fuse for the HU and see if your problem resolves?

FL 3.2L · #13 08-04-2007, 06:06 PM

Where did you get the alternator? Rodeos are very picky when it comes to alternators!

scottyec76 · #14 08-04-2007, 10:39 PM

I got the alternator from advance auto. I don't remember which brand I'd have to look at the receipt they gave me a choice of 5 kinds I know it's not a bosch. Is there a fusible link on the rodeo? A friend of mine told me to check that.

trooperbc · #15 08-04-2007, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyec76

I got the alternator from advance auto. I don't remember which brand .... Is there a fusible link on the rodeo? ....

just don't get confused about the brands. all the rebuilt/remanufactured units are going to be the oem brand, they are just going to be rebuilt/remanufactured by different companies. i have always had excellent results with the rebuilt by bosch alternators and starters for many different vehicles.

there is more than one fusible link. look in the engine compartment fuse/relay box. but that's like any fuse, they pretty much are on/off, not intermittent or 'iffy'.

good luck

//bc

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