hookedonkronik

Please let me tell you what happened today:

-I wanted to disconnect my positive terminal on my battery to reset the ecu for an hour or two.

-I broke part of the terminal that goes around the nut, therefore terminal was loose.

-started up car, drove. When stopped and restarted, it wouldn't.

-when car was dead, some guy offered to help with my jumper cables. I believe he was
doing it wrong (his car was off) and he said a spark came out of my alternator when i tried the ignition.

-car would not start with his boost.

-my dad bought new terminal. would not start with new terminal. Let me add the terminals on the actual battery (or whatever they're called) were corroded but i got a cleaner for it and brushed it all of with a wire brush (not hard though).

-so my dad boosted me, and it worked. I drove to work about 5km away and worked, then tried to restart my car and it wouldn't.

-so my dad boosted me again. I drove around the highways and city for about an hour, maybe more, went home. Turned off my car. Turned interior light on, it was dim as hell again. I try to turn my car on, and it's completely dead, no turn over whatsoever, but sometimes it will make a click,click,click,etc. noise slightly.

I originally asked my dad if he thinks that dude could of ****ed up my alternator by hooking up the cables wrong. He initially said na, but after a while he is now considering it :P So my dad thinks that it is the alternator now, but i'm still thinking it has to do with the connection of the battery. Because ever since that little peice of the terminal broke - my car has not started except right after it happened (hasn't started without a jump)


The car runs 100% fine when it's driving. It just always needs a boost to start. When I turn the key, nothing happens and only one of my dash lights barely comes on.

Does anyone know what has happened? If it was the alternator, wouldn't the car not run properly, if at all? Also, my mustang has a voltage meter, and when I turn the key forward the guage doesn't move at all (it would normally go 12-14 i believe).

Thoughts?

I'd truly appreciate if anyone reads through that.

rcdblink716

if guy hooked up jumper cables wrong could have blown the voltage regulator. That alternator is internally regulated. Pull the alternator and have it tested.

chronos

If the alternator or voltage regulator was bad your volts meter in the dash would be acting up. On most computer controlled cars if your alternator (or voltage regulator) is bad you will have many problems. I once had an alternator go bad on an 89 Grand Am and the car would barely run. It kept almost dying on me at every light. Every time I stopped at a light I had to put it in neutral and give it gas to keep enough current going to the computer. I was able to limp home that way.

What may also be a problem is a loose connection inside the battery itself. If you broke the connector, there have have been enough force to cause damage to the battery internals. This would explain why you can get it going with a boost, but it will not hold a charge. Try getting your battery and alternator tested.

I really don't get how the guy helping you could set up the jumper cables wrong. Black is negative, red is positive, how wrong can you go? I think that is a red herring.

MelloYello

Burnt up your alternator. double check your fuses also

ga chopper

take it to the auto parts store off the car they should be able to test her