Any AUTO MECHANICS out there????

[Chizazz 0]

My truck decided to start acting up today. It won't start unless I get it jumped. When it's off the headlights turn on but the inside lights are dim and the power windows go up and down really slowly (causing the inside lights to dim more whenever I push up or down on window button), etc. Also yesterday the speedometer started reading about 30 mph faster than I was actually going. I'm being told it might be the alternator? Anyone know about this? Or does anyone in the Richmond, Virginia area want to buy a 1993 Chevy Silverado with 202k miles for a couple hundred bucks? It's time to get rid of herrrr.

[AggieDave 6]

Battery, alternator and voltage regulator. All at once.

Wait, doesn't the GM alternator have a built in regulator?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[rwieder 0]

Hello:

I gotta back Dave on this one. Before changing out altenators. After removal of the altenaror, when you go to O'Rieleys's of Napa, or whom ever, get them to "Bench Tesst It" That way it will either eliminate, or solidify you suspesion. Check Your Fusable Link as well.

Good Luck.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[DavidB 0]

Generally, when a fusable link goes, all electric is lost. Sounds like a weak battery and/or alternator. If the battery cables are corroded (white fuzzy gunk usually at the battery end) they should be replaced. DON'T just cut the old cable ends off & bolt on the TEMPORARY bolt-on replacements! No matter how tempting that may seem, they WILL corrode & that corrosion will travel into the insulation. Corrosion causes resistance, resistance causes heat.

BTW, if it turns out the battery is bad, you should probably replace the alternator anyway. A weak/dying battery makes the alternator work that much harder, that much longer. If you don't replace it, don't be surprised if it fails within the next 12 months.

When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

[Redline165 0]

Get your battery tested first. check your cables also for corrosion and loose connections. Batteries going bad will do all kinds of crazy stuff. ive seen an Acura MDX start cycling the radio on and off at varying volumes for 10-15 random minutes a day. (im an ASE master tech and work for an Acura dealership :D)

Fusible links will kill all power, its designed to kill a dead short from the alternator, preventing fires and meltage of wires.

How mechanically inclined are you? If you know how to work a voltmeter, put the leads on the positive and negative terminals, start the truck watch to see if the voltage goes above 14.6ish. if it does go higher then 14.6ish (will probley hit 17 volts or so) then if your truck has an external voltage regulator (one you can take off) id replace that. if not, you will have to replace the whole alternator.

-Kevin

[kj126 0]

2 Simple ways to check the altenator, If it is creating a charge it has a magnetic pull at the back and center of the altenator, (do get your hand caught while doing this) you can use a screw driver to see if it has the pull force.
2nd is just disconnect the negative battery terminal, cars need some type of charge to fire the spark plugs, if the altenator is bad the car will die.

I Am Sofa King We Todd Did!!

[Chizazz 0]

It was indeed the alternator. Had a new one put in today and it's back to normal. Thanks for the input!