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Alternator

Sparky

By Sparky
in MAZDA

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Sparky Newbie

Sparky

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I need to get a new alternator. Where is the best place and how much does it cost.

The car wouldn't start. It's only been three days since we last started it and this keeps happening. The battery is two weeks old. Could there be any other problem?

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MasterDon Rookie

MasterDon

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I need to get a new alternator. Where is the best place and how much does it cost.

The car wouldn't start. It's only been three days since we last started it and this keeps happening. The battery is two weeks old. Could there be any other problem?

machang dont go outright and ask for a new alternator,they'sll take you for a sucker and sell you second hand one at an outragous price...maybe only the brush set needs replacing or it needs to rewire,anyways 90% of the time it can be repaired....

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tharindu6 Newbie

tharindu6

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machang dont go outright and ask for a new alternator,they'sll take you for a sucker and sell you second hand one at an outragous price...maybe only the brush set needs replacing or it needs to rewire,anyways 90% of the time it can be repaired....

is there a way to increase the current( ampierage) that we receive from an alternator?

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charitha19 Newbie

charitha19

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sparky, if the car is turning over and there is no start its not the alternator, more like the starter motor or its something to do with power coil.. have u done the screw driver test to see if ur plugs are getting current when u crank the engine..

secondly if u kept the car for only three days and ur battery is not having enough current to start the engine, then its either they sold u a bad battery or there is something draining the current while all circuits are closed.. and to drain a battery to that extent when the car is off there should be a serious short circuit...

i have a really good feeling its not the alternator..but rather the startor motor or the electrical system it self..

Edited by charitha19
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harshansenadhir Apprentice

harshansenadhir

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from ur current setup u cant, but if ur engine bay alows, u can put a bigger altnator, they also come in differnt sizes and amps like batterries do..

i'll quote one of car manufacturers did with A/C and Non A/C versions of one of their model. Non A/C model came with 75amp alternator and A/C model came with 90amp. The difference was size of the pulley!!!! we checked and confirmed even with a popular electrician worked for the SL agents and he confirmed this. Smaller pulley in 90amp alternator allows it to rotate more times compared to 70amp one and produces fairly high voltage at same RPM.

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  • 1 month later...
charitha19 Newbie

charitha19

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The alternator was fried so I had to buy a reconditioned one. But the car is un-startable after three days so it appears the problem isn't solved. What else could it be?

does the engine turn over when u turn the key.. check if the spark plug is getting current and the fuel pump is deleivering fuel to the main rail...

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charitha19 Newbie

charitha19

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After three days the dashboard lights turn on but the engine doesn't turn over.

ok so that means its an electrical problem.... how are ur battrery terminal contacts... they must be tight and free of oxidation and corroson... did u check these.. i know its an obious question just wanted to clear that out..

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HardHat Newbie

HardHat

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After three days the dashboard lights turn on but the engine doesn't turn over.

need to ask some basic questions to run a 'process of elimination' of potential causes

Sparky is the engine not turning over at all or turning over but very slowly?

and what is the make, model, year of the car?

Is it a Petrol or Diesel?

Auto - Manual?

Edited by HardHat
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HardHat Newbie

HardHat

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The engine is not turning over at all.

It's a Mazda Astina 1989 1.5l DOHC manual petrol.

for the life of me I didn't notice that the make and model has already been mentioned in the topic heading

OK, if the engine is not turning over at all, we gotta start the investigation at the starter motor, and anything related to supplying power to the starter motor. No need to muck around with ingnition coils, distributors, plug wires, alternators, fuel pumps, turbochargers as yet.

First of all, must make sure whether there is enough juice in the battery. You said that dashboard lights comes on. What about the headlights and horn? do they work? If not, or of they work but very weak first remove the battery, charge it at any battery kade (or at home if you've got a charger) and re-install. Battery terminals must be clean and the clamps must be tight

Once the battery is full, next step is to check whether all the fuses are OK. Pay special attentian to fuses marked with "Start" "Engine" and "Ignition". There may be two to four fuse boxes in your car (not familiar with the Astina) probably one or two under the dash and another one or two under the hood in the engine compartment

If the fuses are fine, next check is whether the solinoid thingy on top of the starter motor receives current when you turn the ignition switch to "Start" position. Don't try this at home if you are not familiar with what on earth I'm talking about, and bring a mechanic home and ask him to do it (having said that 9 out of 10 so-called "mechanics" out there these days will also not know how to do this simple operation). If the battery and fuses are OK but no current received at the solinoid - problem is a loose connection somewhere in the wiring - get it sorted.

If the solinoid received current when the ignition is turned but the motor did not turn, next step would be to supply direct power to the starter motor bypassing the solinoid. Now definitely don't try this at home. Basically, high ampere power supply is already at the starter motor via a thick wire coming directly from Battery + terminal, but disconnected through a switch. All what you do when you turn the ingnition is that you supply some low ampere power to a magnet and coil device (the solinoid which got checked at the previous step) on top of the starter motor, which in turn moves the switch which connects the high ampere power to the motor, so that it turns. If the motor turns - problem is a jammed or burnt solinoid - get the starter motor serviced. If the motor does not turn - it's a jammed or burnt motor - get it serviced or replaced

if all the above done and the motor turns hunky dory and no starting engine yet - sell the car :lol:

Edited by HardHat
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