Help me narrow down my electrical problem?

[Matt_Awesome]

I have been trying to repair my car on my own but haven't been able to pinpoint the problem yet.

Around November I took a trip to San Francisco and when I got back I realized there was a slight screech when starting my car.
It kept getting worse, and I ignored it.

So, about 2 weeks ago my stereo freaked out, I pulled over and turned off my car then it wouldn't start.
My buddy came down, jump started me and it started fine.
I drove like that for a day. Then the following night it died while I was driving.
I turned off my lights and had to push start my car by myself.

I have only been driving my car during the day and it is fine but at night I can't use any lights without the battery draining.

I took my car to AutoZone and they hooked something up that said I had a bad battery and a bad alternator.

I went and removed my alternator and brought it to our 24hr autozone and they tested it and told me it was fine. So, I bought a new alternator belt and put that on. Next day I got a new battery and after 3 days it continues to die on my.

Also, replacing the alternator belt didn't stop the squeeling noise either. I think it might be louder now.

[25Horseplay]

It might be possible the new alt is bad. Or you could have something that is putting a draw on your battery when the car is off.

[doylerl]

Isn't there a fusable link between the battery and the alt.? If so, it may be bad.

[batstiva]

It might be possible the new alt is bad. Or you could have something that is putting a draw on your battery when the car is off.

I don't think he swapped the alt., just the belt and battery. If I'm reading his post correctly.

Matt, I think your issue is going to come down to a bad alternator. I suspect the noise you are hearing is the bearings in the alt going out. Just my .02 tho. Curious, because I've never done it, how do they test the alt. to determine that it is good. I know how I would do it, but curious how they did it.

[GenevaDirt]

they have a machine they hook it to and put it under load and check the output.

I agree with Batman....Alt is bad....unless you left the belt loose.

[doylerl]

They put it on a machine with wires running to it. It has a belt on one side and a lever with the mounting bracket attached. They hook the belt up and turn it on, and the machine reads the output from the alt.

[doylerl]

I don't think he swapped the alt., just the belt and battery. If I'm reading his post correctly.

Matt, I think your issue is going to come down to a bad alternator. I suspect the noise you are hearing is the bearings in the alt going out. Just my .02 tho. Curious, because I've never done it, how do they test the alt. to determine that it is good. I know how I would do it, but curious how they did it.

they have a machine they hook it to and put it under load and check the output.

I agree with Batman....Alt is bad....unless you left the belt loose.

I ddn't read the part about the noise. If you are hearing a noise, I would have to agree with them.

[92festie]

I went and removed my alternator and brought it to our 24hr autozone......

they have 24hr autozones??

[skinnypin]

The car dying on you could be a fusible link. My car was dying on me when driving and would start right back up and keep dying. Cleaned the fusible links because they were corroded and then it was fine. I would try that. The alternator screaching i dont know. I am having the same problem, but it doesnt make my car die.

[GenevaDirt]

The car dying on you could be a fusible link. My car was dying on me when driving and would start right back up and keep dying. Cleaned the fusible links because they were corroded and then it was fine. I would try that. The alternator screaching i dont know. I am having the same problem, but it doesnt make my car die.

dying is from the battery getting to weak to keep the car running because the alternator is not putting out enough juice to keep the car running.

[sanjeet]

Skinnypin is correct it is most likely the fusible link and it will be the red one, best check is to put a volt meter on the battery positive and negative terminal and it should read around 12v, start the engine and rev it up the volt meter must be reading 13.2-7v, if the volt meter does not move then the fault is with your charging system, and as skinnypin said check the fusible link especially check for corrosion if it is the flexible type.

The screeching is most probably from the fan belt that is not tensioned properly, thats easy to do and the belt should deflect about a quarter of an inch when properly set.

[GenevaDirt]

car would not start with a jump if the link was bad. Since he said he changed the belt and it is still screeching I would bet the bearings in the alt and that the alt is not producing the way it should.

[skinnypin]

my car would start with a jump and run for a while and then start killing on me again. sometimes if i just hooked jumpers up to my battery and then tap the jumpers together to create a spark then my car would start. dont know why this would work but it did. but after i figured out that my fusible links were corroded and cleaned them up everything was fine.

[batstiva]

Well, hell. Let's not get into a pissing contest here. Pulling and cleaning the fusible links ain't a bad idea on general principles. And it's free, so Matt Awesome, pull 'em, clean 'em, hook 'em back up and see what happens. Doubt it will fix the starting/running problem, and I know it's not going to fix the squeal, but go for it. Check the tension on the belt, as Sanjeet said. Too loose or too tight will cause issues. Let us know the results after this is done, please?

[getnpsi]

Can you not bypass the links as a temp test to see what happens? Don't do your jumpy near exposed metal.

BTW there is a thread somewhere where people replace those pieces with more heavy duty cartridge pieces, can't find it now. 30 second wait to search for a typo and now im impatient.