Yes, a vehicle can run with a bad alternator; it will just not run that long. Because the car is running off of the battery’s energy, it has stored up. After the vehicle has used that energy, it will then stop running.
But how can we prevent this from happening, so you do not get stranded alongside the road? Let’s look deeper into this and see how we can create a solution.
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How can I tell the alternator is bad?
There are some indications in your vehicle that will tell you when your alternator is on its way out. The one that you will notice immediately is dimming lights. With an alternator going bad the lights are going to look much dimmer than they usually do.
Your lights will get even dimmer every time an additional electronic device
kicks on. Like you’re radio, cooling fans, door ajar lights, and much more.
Your electrical system will be slowing down as well, but with new vehicles, there are much more sensitive to the voltage that they require to run correctly. If these vehicles do not receive that amount of voltage, they will not start nor run to prevent any damage from happening to the engine itself.
You will get a check engine light stating that you have low voltage being supplied to your vehicle. Some vehicles will tell you the alternator is going bad, but others will tell you that you have low energy in your system.
Now some people confuse a lousy battery for a bad alternator. If your vehicle is dead and will not start after you shut it off, you have a dead battery.
But if you try jump-starting your vehicle, it will run for a little while because you recharged the battery while jump-starting it. But once that voltage in the battery has depleted, the car will die again.
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Will a bad alternator create any voltage?
No, a bad alternator will not create any voltage that is why your vehicle is pulling power from the battery. If you feel that your alternator is failing and you see the indicators that it is failing, but you are still driving you need to do this.
You will need to shut off everything by is not critical to your driving abilities. This way, you have more voltage going towards keeping the engine running and at that could be the difference of you getting to a place to pull over before the vehicle dies.
Will a bad alternator hurt my engine?
Yes, about alternator can hurt your engine and its electronics. Many of the new vehicles that are being produced by car manufacturers are very sensitive with their electronics.
These electronics require a certain amount of voltage and amperage so it can run correctly. Having a system that this voltage and amp ridge is inconsistent and fluctuates as much as a lousy alternator then it can be bad for your engine and its electronics.
How do I replace a bad alternator on my vehicle?
1st you need to unhook the negative side of your battery. I would make sure that there is a chalk block or a piece of wood behind one of your tires.
This will prevent your vehicle from shifting or moving while you are working on it. You are already working on your vehicle; you do not need to worry about getting run over by your vehicle as well.
Then you are going to release the tension on the serpentine belt in your engine. To do this, you will either need a serpentine belt tool or a half-inch drive ratchet. I suggest using a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar to increase your leverage with the belt tensioner.
Once you have the serpentine belt off depending on the location of your alternator, you would then unplug the harness that is plugged into the alternator.
You should also have a constant wire hooked on to the back of the alternator if it does disconnect that wire. Next, you want to take out the big bolt that holds the alternator in then lastly take off the bolt that holds it to the slider.
The slider is an adjustment bracket so you can tighten and loosen your serpentine belt tension on the alternators pulley.
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How can I get my car to start with a lousy alternator?
To get your vehicle to start with a bad alternator, you will either need another car or a boost pack. Either one you use you will have to leave it connected to the battery for 10 to 15 minutes.
This will give your battery enough time to have a reasonable charge that the battery can start the vehicle. Remember, once your car starts, you are now on a timeline to get wherever you are trying to go.
I only say this because the engine will be drawing all of the batteries’ power and with a fully charged battery, you have about 10 minutes of driving.
With charging the battery for 10 to 15 minutes, you will not have a fully charged battery. So consider this when deciding where you want to park the vehicle.
In conclusion
Do not let your lousy alternator ruin your day. Even though most of us would be very aggravated if we did have about alternate or because of the troubles it puts you through to get a new one installed.
But do not fret replacing an alternator is easy and feasible for a beginner DIY. In the case that you do not feel comfortable with replacing your alternator then check the reviews of the mechanic shop, you want to say in your vehicle.
Most alternators will be on top of the engine and easily accessible. Then there are the vehicles that their manufacturers changed the placement on the alternator because of a new engine set up.
Any way that you choose whether you do-it-yourself or you take it to a mechanic make sure you work on the vehicle safely. That way, once it is fixed, you can enjoy many more years of driving.
Thank you for reading my article! I hope you found it enjoyable and beneficial in solving your problem. Check out my Youtube channel for more DIY Auto repair and flipping cars for profit videos. Thank you again!
