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What caused which to fail first?


sprucegoose

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Ok, I'm trying to figure out what happened here. My 93 Eldo always ran, started, and had a consistant 14V reading on the message display and then... One day the message dispays battery no charge and I have this P110 code. The lights and other systems starting failing of course, but fortunately my wife was able to limp the care home a couple of miles. :(

I check the codes, clear them, and I get the p110 repeating active with only 11V showing. I checked the battery with a specific gravity gauge, and sure enough all the cells are almost dead, so I throw it on the charger. To my surprise, after almost 12 hrs., it doesn't seem to take a charge. :o It is a top of the line 75 Gold series Napa battery, about 22 mo. old!

So next I swapped in my battery out of my 98 Tahoe, (which is almost new), and again cleared the codes. Started the Eldo, and still getting the P110 error code with 12V showing in the message center. OK, so that tells me it has to be the darn alternator right? I was going to do a voltage test on the system with no load and then with load per the service manual, but my voltmeter isn't working. Have to get a new one. :(

So would a alterator that was going out take a battery down with it, and would it render it useless? Im thinking that if the battery was the first thing to go, it could probably overwork the alternator causing it to fail pre-maturely. Does that make sense? At any rate, it looks like I'll be buying both at this point... :angry:

'09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi.
'15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi
'70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration!

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Update...

I found out I will be able to get a pro-rated price on my NAPA battery. It will cost me just $18. :)

On the other hand, I'm quite sure I will need a new alternator, and it looks like a PITA to replace. Priced at gmpartsdirect.com and it looks like $150 including shipping, after core charge. However it is a "special order" part, so that equates to a long delivery time. <_< Will probably end up going to the local dealer, hopefully he can adjust his price to somewhat close to that... Anyone have to buy a new or rebuilt one from GM lately? Wondering what others have found and what they paid.

I did read another post on the old searchable archives of someone who had a bad experience with a Pep Boy's alt., so I'm not even thinking about going that route. Any suggestions greatly appreciated! B)

'09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi.
'15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi
'70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration!

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OK... I feel like I'm having a conversation with myself here! :P

I do want to finalize my findings on this post though. Last night after getting the new Napa battery, the ol' Sprucegoose is back in action! B) Not sure why the Tahoe battery switch the other day didn't give me the same results, but now the alternator is putting out 14.8V under load!

It is no longer getting the P110 error or the Battery No Charge message. Hopefully this is not just temporary. I must have not had a good cable conection when I tried the other battery. Now I really scraped and wire brushed the connections good, and torqued them down tight. So happy I didn't have to start diving into and paying for that alternator replacement! :D

'09 Cadillac CTS-4 3.6 direct injection, 128 K mi.
'15 Chevy Tahoe LTZ, 5.3i V8, 125 K mi
'70 Firebird Formula 400, Bored+.04, RAIII heads, M21 4spd., in-process restoration!

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In short, yes, a bad alternator can "take out" a battery sometimes. You're doing good not to go with the Pep Boys alternators. I've heard bad experiences with them in a completely different application (Nissan trucks), so if the same is true for Cadillacs, I'm sure you can find a better brand elsewhere...like AC-Delco. :)

And hopefully, you won't have to get a new alternator at all. I'm sure you've noticed folks get very weird symptoms with these cars when the problem is as simple as a battery. I hope your problems stay gone!

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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If you do have to replace the alternator, stay with Delco. Someone, Jason I think, just replaced his with an aftermarket brand and still had the "no charge" indication. Finally installed a Delco and all was well. Apparently there is some circuitry in the Delco alternator that is not in the aftermarkets which allows the PCM to "see" the alternator. Poor guy missed a day or two of school and now has an expensive paper weight that looks just like an alternator.

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