Eldorado Bob Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 hello all, i am experiencing a problem and hope you can help...this morning i got a "battery no charge" message, i put the car in park and stepped on the gas, the message went away, but the volts would get no higher than 12.1, at idle the volts are at 11.4 - 11.6....i searched the archives and realize i may have a bad alternator (i thoroughly cleaned my battery cables, they were somewhat corroded, but no change)... BUT, along with the volt problem, i have been experiencing a choppy idle and a choppy, shuggish accelleration problem for about a week, i also sometimes smell an electrical burning smell which i now think might be the alternator...my question is, could these two problems be related, or do i have multiple things going on??? BTW, the car is a 1995 eldorado with a N*.....thanks in advance, bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Go to your local Pep Boys or Advance Auto or (fill in the blank) and ask them to load test your alternator. They will do this for no charge (pun intended). Your voltage is low but there are conditions other than the alternator that can cause a low reading. Ask the auto parts folks to also load test your battery. If you are able to start your engine and drive the car for several days, that means that somehow the energy required to start the car is being replaced into the battery. Otherwise, you would be dead in the water. Failed alternator, corroded cables (not visible), failing battery are just some of the possibilities you will want to eliminate. And if it comes to a failed alternator, do NOT buy an aftermarket rebuild. Go to the dealer or web based parts house and buy an ACDelco rebuild or a new ACDelco. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Bob Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 thanks JimD, i load tested the battery with a tester i have and under load the battery showed to be slightly weak, i am taking the car to a trusted shop in the morning, so hopefully a conclusion can be reached then...as far as the alternator, i've been bitten by the cheap rebuilds before (not for this car), so Delco is the only way for me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 I had the same problem. Did you check for codes, which may indicate there is a short at alternator's "L" terminal? If you're experiencing the same problem as I did, then the best remedy is to replace the alternator. It will progressively get worse and you risk getting stranded if the alternator can't keep pace with demands. In my situation, the alternator finally gave out completely. Since I didn’t have a fully charged battery it made the situation worse because there wasn’t much volts left to try to get home. Eventually, everything shut down, including the transmission, which defaulted to second gear; the instrument cluster also went dark, and eventually the engine died. Luckily, I was close enough to a gas station and was able coasted in. Called a friend who gave me a fully charged battery and I drove home. Bought a couple rebuilt aftermarket alternators, which were total garbage. Finally, PepBoys gave me a new (not rebuilt) alternator and everything’s fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 If the tests show the alternator is bad, another option that is overlooked is to have an AC Delco starter/alternator shop rebuild your existing alternator. They are usually located near most cities and the price is usually very reasonable. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dloch Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 If the tests show the alternator is bad, another option that is overlooked is to have an AC Delco starter/alternator shop rebuild your existing alternator. They are usually located near most cities and the price is usually very reasonable. I agree.. I replaced my failed orginal alternator with a "Lifetime" Bosch with which I have had to replace 4 times now. I believe the regulators in them can't take the heat. Once you have the chance to replace the alternator you will understand. When the car is started in the morning when it is cool/cold the voltage registers around 14.1 - 14.3. Once the car is up to temp the voltage will drop into the mid 13's. If it is real hot outside like it has been the past couple of days the voltage will drop in the high 12's which tells me I'm about ready to change another "Lifetime" alternator again or just bite the cost and get a rebuilt delco unit and end the craziness. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 BOB........Sounds to me like a PCM failure is coming your way. My 97 GM truck started acting funny and running badly like your Caddy along with a burning smell INSIDE the cab. 2 weeks later it wouldn't start! Towed to dealer........... Computer fried !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would wait for a complete failure or a good diagnosis before you start throwing parts at it.................geo 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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