battery/alternater.. confusing

[njm23]

Alright, so my car has been having troubles starting lately(dead battery), assumed it was the battery, my old one was still under warranty. I start up the car (barely) and go get it replaced. Once the BRAND new battery goes in I try and start it, and NOTHING. I turn the key and the only thing that happens is like a click that lasts a millisecond. No cranking at all. But then I tried it 3 or 4 more times and it started on the last one. It runs at around 12.5-13v (atleast thats what is says on the dash battery gauage) I was thinking possibly the alternator, but was under the impression it is the battery that starts the car and the alternator has nothing to do with starting, only does something while the car is actually running.

[Ewok_Fetus]

Could be a bad ignition switch or dirty battery connections... Could also be a bad starter... Do the lights dim when you try to crank?

[Poopie]

I guess check the grounds again? The starting system is pretty simple. There are 2 power cables to the starter and and a small wire for the solenoid. If you drive around and your battery drains, then its your alternator. If it simply isn't starting I would check the starter. Let me know whats up.

[njm23]

Yeah, alright just spent 4 hours figuring this out haha. just got done (11:30 east coast). So Advanced auto told me my alternator was bad and wanted me to order one through them, said no way. I really didn't believe it, SO I brought it home with the new battery and got started. Car would randomly just not crank sometimes and others it would crank and BARELY turn over. My battery had a steady 12.3.12.5v but wouldn't charge when started..My alternator was putting out around 14.5 so i was like wtf? My alternator is fine. Somewhere there was a wiring problem. Checked the starter, it was damaged but grounds were good power was good.. It was an intermittent problem of randomly not cranking. Replaced it with my old one. But didnt solve it, then I traced one of my wires coming off the starter and found it somehow got cut and was screwing with it, fixed that and all is good now. Don't worry about it Aaron, we didn't fuck up haha. Although, we did forget to tighten down the pass engine mount from the bottom. ha Dont always trust advance auto battery checker for you alternator since they go through the battery to test it, could be a wiring problem like mine. ha

[djwimbo]

Good find.

the testers they use are junk. You need a genuine setup like the VAT 40 or newer equivalent to test the alternator & Battery.

[creechsa4]

trusty old voltmeter always works to check for switched/constant/ and power voltage. vw/audi love these things...for real.

[jrodpikap]

Why would Advanced have an "Alternator Tester" that ever told you that you didn't need a new one? That would just be bad business...lol.