Hello all. I'm assuming I have a bad alternator but just wanted to check and make sure someone didn't have any other ideas before I ordered a new one. My battery went dead a couple weeks ago so I went and purchased a new battery and charged it up. Few days later it was dead and when I put my charger on it my charger actually said "bad battery". Wal mart battery so it didn't surprise me. So I took my battery out of my lawn mower and put it on and charged it up. Worked great for a week and now its dead. I just can't imagine where I would have any kind of short to run the batter down so I'm assuming its a bad alternator. Any ideas/comments? Thank you.
If the engine runs without a battery then the alternator should be working. Maybe you have a drain on your battery? Bad grounds? Take a look through this thread it provides some insight on what to do. http://www.minitrucktalk.com/showthread.php?7731-Electrical-problem!&highlight=battery+drain
Thanks alot Greg for the post. I ordered a new alternator already. Maybe I should have tried this out before hand. I've got the alternator pulled off but I guess maybe I should put a charged battery on there and try the test with the light. Maybe I can luck out and not need a new (refurbished) $140 alternator? Thing is it just started happening within the past three weeks and I haven't done anything to the truck so would think its alt but ya never know. Short happens
Being that you have it off take the alternator down to the parts store and have them check it. 99% of the time they dont charge anything. Worst case a good auto electric shop can rebuild it for about 90.00 +-. The last one I had done was 85.00. But I live in Austin and "texas alternator service" can rebuild just about anything. They will take a stab at anything. Not many businesses around like them anymore.
Forgot all about having them check it out for me. Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately I'm not sure if anyone close to me would rebuild it. I sure wish as it would save me some money. Heck I could darn near send it to that place in texas and back cheaper than what I'm getting this one for. Basically gna be $160 after shipping. OUCH!
Easy way to check out is hook up to charger and put on low charge and rev the engine, if the needle goes down its because alternator is helping to charge.