alternator gone bad?

keaton · 03-10-2009, 02:15 PM

So yesterday morning I came outside to go to work and the jeep was completely dead. Turned the key and nothing happened at all. Figured the battery died since I hadn't driven it in a week. Jumped it and drove to work. After work I came outside and it click click clicked but wouldnt start. Jumped it again. This morning...clicked a bunch again so I jumped again. The whole time I was thinking the battery wasn't gettin charged enough on my way home. But today at break went to mcdonalds and figured out it's probably my alternator that's bad? I can drive it for 10 minutes and turn it off and when I try to turn it on it's completely dead. So is it the alt?

t-bird · 03-10-2009, 02:18 PM

go buy a tester and test it yourself.
or go to an oreilys or advanced and get it tested, but make sure someones there to jump you off when u leave.

when my alternator went bad, this didnt happen to me though, all mine did is i lost pretty much all voltage after 3 minutes of driving.

4pointOH1998 · 03-10-2009, 02:19 PM

Have your battery tested to see if it's holding a charge. Sounds to me that is probably the culprit.

Amadeus3 · 03-10-2009, 02:47 PM

Before you buy anything expensive like an alternator make sure your battery is good. And the most overlooked part of your electrical system are the battery cables, they can corrode from the inside out. Make sure all your connections are tight and not corroded and clean them and use dielectric grease.

keaton · 03-10-2009, 02:58 PM

Lucky for me I have one of those portable jumper things so I don't need anyone else around when I need to jump it. If I get off work today at a decent time I'll swing by autozone..buy new battery cables and have them test the battery.

3xratedxj · 03-10-2009, 09:34 PM

Mine did the same thing, turned out the diode in the alternator was shot. Every time I turned it off it would suck the juice out of the battery. But this might not be your problem which is why I say take it to a parts store and have them check your battery and alternator.

eliassami5 · 03-10-2009, 10:23 PM

im 99% sure that you're bat is on it's way out. Did you leave the jeep on for a while to charge the bat after you jumped it? Do you have a long drive from work to home? If the answer is no on both then it's you're battery, if the alt was bad then the jeep would die while driving because the battery isnt being charged while the ignition is pulling power from it. But since the battery is dying after you turn the jeep off this means the battery is not holding a charge and this is most likely from the cold weather and age.

keaton · 03-10-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eliassami5

im 99% sure that you're bat is on it's way out. Did you leave the jeep on for a while to charge the bat after you jumped it? Do you have a long drive from work to home? If the answer is no on both then it's you're battery, if the alt was bad then the jeep would die while driving because the battery isnt being charged while the ignition is pulling power from it. But since the battery is dying after you turn the jeep off this means the battery is not holding a charge and this is most likely from the cold weather and age.

My drive is 30-45 minutes on the freeway.

Hopin its the battery. Last round of cold spells about a month ago my battery kept dying on me. But it warmed up and it was fine. Now its cold again. Forgot about it til it got cold these past couple days.

LobstahJeep · 03-11-2009, 10:42 AM

I have a similar problem, the battery was on the way out so I replaced it. 2 days later its dead again. I had it tested and its holding a charge when off, charging normal when running, but it just dies after a few days.
Whats this alternator diode problem?

Hunterdad · 03-11-2009, 12:36 PM

I'll bet my left quarter panel it's your battery.

f3arn0FJ · 03-11-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunterdad

I'll bet my left quarter panel it's your battery.

Yeah, if you can drive for more then 5 mins off a jump then its your battery. Sounds like one or more of the cells inside took a craper and its not holding a charge anymore.

keaton · 03-11-2009, 04:34 PM

I'll get a new battery then. Gotta find the cheapest place to get an optima red then. If it turns out it's the alt I'll raid the jy and get me a zj one.

So what local stores sell optima brand? Wal mart? I'd go to autozone but pretty sure they only sell duracrap batteries.

LobstahJeep · 03-11-2009, 05:39 PM

Optima batteries are NOT what they used to be, don't get fooled.

90xjmark · 03-11-2009, 06:06 PM

wil a zj alternator bolt right up on a xj and is the output any higher, my xj alt is i think 106 amps

keaton · 03-11-2009, 06:34 PM

Then an optima isn't worth the 160? What should I get then?

And zj alternators are 120 output.