Car question

[Doombard]

So this morning I woke up and had a dead battery. I got a jump and drove to gas station down the road, filled up, wouldnt start again. I get another jump and drive home just as the car dies again. Sound like an alternator problem?

[Aksannyi]

Just jumping it won't likely revive your battery long term if it is truly dead. I'd say certainly it's an alternator problem if you've left the battery on a charger for a long period of time and then had the issue, but it's very possible that it's just a dead battery.

Did your car kinda have a weird sound like something was cycling in the engine? Very hard to explain, almost like what your washer sounds like when it's on spin cycle. I remember that kind of noise when my alternator went, though this was about 10 years ago so it's not as clear in my mind as I'd like it to be, and different cars make different noises. I also remember my car was very jumpy when the alternator went. Would jerk forward like one of the tires was lopsited or something.

I'm no mechanic, but if I had to guess I'd say get a battery first, and well, if that one dies too, you need a new alternator, unless you JUST bought a new battery.

[Doombard]

Just jumping it won't likely revive your battery long term if it is truly dead. I'd say certainly it's an alternator problem if you've left the battery on a charger for a long period of time and then had the issue, but it's very possible that it's just a dead battery.

Did your car kinda have a weird sound like something was cycling in the engine? Very hard to explain, almost like what your washer sounds like when it's on spin cycle. I remember that kind of noise when my alternator went, though this was about 10 years ago so it's not as clear in my mind as I'd like it to be, and different cars make different noises. I also remember my car was very jumpy when the alternator went. Would jerk forward like one of the tires was lopsited or something.

I'm no mechanic, but if I had to guess I'd say get a battery first, and well, if that one dies too, you need a new alternator, unless you JUST bought a new battery.

It actually is a pretty new battery, and I hear a noise thats like a high pitched whining when I accelerate.

[Aksannyi]

May be alternator then. :/ I'd take it to get checked out.

[Gunslinger]

Definitely sounds like a problem with the alternator... or at least the momentum getting to that pulley.

Start your car and have someone accelerate with it in neutral while you look under the hood. A lot of times a high pitched noise like you're describing is actually from the belt not moving the pulley on the alternator (or it could be spinning from the tensionor on the crank shaft itself- not enough tension, bad belt, bad pulley, etc).

It very well could just be a problem with the belt and/or tension along it. Could save you a bit of money if you can replace that yourself . However, if the alternator is spinning when the engine is revved, then you'll have your answer :[

Edit: Oh yes, check your connections running from the alternator to the battery too. If there's corrosion on the line or around the battery terminals that can actually prevent a charge from getting back successfully too. You can undo the connections and clean them with some steel wool and a wire brush.

[Dantrag]

take it to advanced auto parts, they're usually actually pretty helpful with this kind of thing.

[Doombard]

Definitely sounds like a problem with the alternator... or at least the momentum getting to that pulley.

Start your car and have someone accelerate with it in neutral while you look under the hood. A lot of times a high pitched noise like you're describing is actually from the belt not moving the pulley on the alternator (or it could be spinning from the tensionor on the crank shaft itself- not enough tension, bad belt, bad pulley, etc).

It very well could just be a problem with the belt and/or tension along it. Could save you a bit of money if you can replace that yourself . However, if the alternator is spinning when the engine is revved, then you'll have your answer :[

Edit: Oh yes, check your connections running from the alternator to the battery too. If there's corrosion on the line or around the battery terminals that can actually prevent a charge from getting back successfully too. You can undo the connections and clean them with some steel wool and a wire brush.

I did clean them and still no go, There is an advanced auto parts like 5 mins walking distance my my apartment, I thought about trying to take the alternator out and hoofing it up to them, but I have 0% clue on wtf i'm doing and I'm not sure how to take it out.

[virusiidx]

Definitely something up with the alternator or it's connections. Running with a bad alternator will drain the battery pretty quickly too. All the battery really does is power up the alternator to start the car, or power the electronics when the car is off. Alternator is the main power source when motor is started up, so that's why it's dying even though you jumped the car.


Edit:

It very well could just be a problem with the belt and/or tension along it. Could save you a bit of money if you can replace that yourself . However, if the alternator is spinning when the engine is revved, then you'll have your answer :[

This too, though you might not be able to tell if the belts are running if it doesn't start. Make sure the belt connected to the alternator is firm as well. Any squeaking when you start up?

[starsky0]

You can take it to almost any auto store. They have a machine there that can tell if it'd the battery or the alternator... same thing happened to me last year.