fliplyricist1

So I guess me getting the new Optima redtop only temporarily healed the problem. Seems that when the weather is close to freezing outside, my car dies randomly (as was displayed by a thread that I created about two months back). First I thought it was the battery, so I replaced that...then I thought that I might as well replace the fuel filter while I'm at it...so I did that as well. The car had been running fine for the past 2 months, then the same problem I had originally reared itself again tonight...at the worst time (midnight in a burger king drive through lol). The abs light just randomly came on (which happend the first time), then I started hearing a repeating series of 2 'clicks' emanating from the right hand side of the engine bay. 'Oh crap' I thought....then all the sudden all the interior instrumentation lights became super dim, and then both the tach and speedo started going all freaking crazy and wacky like they were possesed...and then the car started idling hardcore and then seconds later...died. Damnit!!!

This time I thought maybe, just disconnecting one of the terminals of the battery and resetting the ecu and letting it sit would help like it did before, but each time was a no go and didn't even get the engine to turn over at all. So I called the towing company.

Dude was real cool and asked me some questions. Then I thought....someone on this forum said that if it's your alternator, if your car is running and you disconnect the battery terminal and the car dies, then it's your alternator. Well this battery is brand new, and the guy thought that it was a bad battery, so he jumped it with my truck. And low and behold, the car started right up. But then I thought to try the 'alternator' test and disconnected the battery terminal while the car was running, and well....car instantly died.

So I'm thinking, it's definitely a bad alternator. Question is now...is my 2 month old 150 dollar optima red top toast as well? Or are there any other things that I should consider? Car got towed back to my apartment, as I didn't want to leave it at a shop overnight and I thought maybe I can replace the alternator myself.

Is this an easy DIY? Anyone have any suggestions what alternator brands to look at for good ones? I don't need any special one...just one that's reliable and replaces stock. I have a 3.0, btw. I came across this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-A...spagenameZWDVW

Any thoughts? I want to order one asap so I can install it hopefully this week.

Thanks all!

DoubleSh0t

iTrader: (1)

Your battery should be fine, assuming you don't have a dead cell. If you have a dead cell, the battery won't charge. I don't know of a way of testing for a dead cell unless maybe Autozone can do it for you, otherwise you'll know if the car doesn't start.

My dad installed my alternator for me in about an hour while I was away.

NitiNiteZ

iTrader: (1)

it could be a bad alternator, but just throwing out another possibility, a bad distributor. Maybe if you noticed any scratching from the distributor or anything when your car was on and at idle... this will also cause your engine to just shut down, happened to me. This might be another possibility. And about diy on the alternator... not too sure since I haven't done that. good luck!

dragon084

yeh sounds like u need a new/rebuilt alternator.

~150-200 $

fliplyricist1

thanks guys! niti: I only said the alternator because people on here said to do the test and disconnect the battery while the car is running and if doesn't keep running and shuts down, then it's the alternator. Am I correct in this assumption?

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

It's the alt, I replaced mine a while back, that assumption is correct

fliplyricist1

thanks man

how was the install? any special tools added or run accross any difficulty?

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

it's only 2 or 3 bolts, I didn't install my last one, had it done by a shop owner I knew that specialized in generators and alts. I will be replacing that with a higher output in the next few months as part of my power/ground overhaul, so let me know how it goes for ya. I've done alts on other cars, mostly fords, and a dodge, shouldn't be that hard. Just haven't done it. Getting to it on the 3.0 looks like the biggest pain cuz it's down low instead of up high.

fliplyricist1

ahhh freakin a...you're right...it is low

shit. well, I ordered a high output reman alt that should arrive here tomorrow...so worse comes to worse I'll just have the car towed to a shop that will install it for me

was hoping to do it myself though...oh well