# Battery Light, Hot alternator, Burning rubber smell.....



## Mussen (Jul 1, 2006)

So i was on my way home last night when i noticed my battery light was on. I shut off the Heat/radio/high beams and went straight home. I open the hood and the strong smell of burnt rubber greats me. So i tested the voltage when the car was on and off across the battery. After poking around for a bit attempting to track down the smell i find the alternator very hot to the touch.(Burned my self a tad) The smell is identical to when one of my spark plug wires rubbed against my intake manifold.
I have always considered my alternator sketchy, battery light used to come on intermittently. 
Symptoms: 
Voltage across battery car off: v~12.06
Voltage across battery car on: v~11.86
Very hot alternator.
Battery light.

So i guess time for a new alternator. Ill go to auto zone and have it checked. Report back later.










_Modified by Mussen at 11:47 AM 2-25-2007_


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## sxracer001 (Jun 27, 2005)

sounds like your alternator **** the bed and is binding, while the belt is ebing forced over the pulley, making the smell


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## Mussen (Jul 1, 2006)

*Re: (sxracer001)*

No, its spinning,its not the belt. its not the smell of a burning belt, its the smell of burning wires. BTW i just ran it for a bit, after 3 min it was to hot to touch.


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## sxracer001 (Jun 27, 2005)

im still pretty sure its the alternator, no?


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## Mussen (Jul 1, 2006)

*Re: (sxracer001)*

Yes Im pretty sure, except it could be a short or something right?


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## Mussen (Jul 1, 2006)

*Re: (Mussen)*

::Update::
battery totally died lat night I had to jump start it to get it going, But it didn't last long after that. It took 4 tries to get it home. Guess ill make a few calls to junk yards..


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## FL 2.0L (Aug 1, 2002)

Alt is worth a quality new or rebuilt.


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## independent77 (May 23, 2003)

*Re: (Mussen)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Mussen* »_Yes Im pretty sure, except it could be a short or something right?









sounds like the alternator internals **** the bed.


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## Mussen (Jul 1, 2006)

I just had it tested at advanced auto. Girl there didn't seem to have any idea what she was doing, but it looked like she tested it right. It was indeed dead. O well, going to try the junk yards as i cant afford a new one at the moment. If i cant find one with low miles i guess ill have to buy one flat out )-:


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## sun98gtiVR6 (Jan 7, 2007)

*Re: (FL 2.0L)*


_Quote, originally posted by *FL 2.0L* »_Alt is worth a quality new or rebuilt.

x2 dont get a used one







, youll be sorry


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## cprobst (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: (sun98gtiVR6)*

is there any place around you that rebuilds alts, i had mine done for 30 bucks and usually when this guy rebuilds them its lasts longer then buying one from the factory


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## bearing01 (May 27, 2004)

*Re: (cprobst)*

what caused the alternator to die? Alternators usually get hot because they had a big electrical load like a short.
Before installing a new one and killing that one also you should do some diagnostics. You could have a short somewhere. 
1. Pull the battery -ve cable. Unplug the alternator positive (big fat cable, usually black or red) and put it in a plastic bag or something to insulate it from the chassis. 
2. Trickle charge the battery overnight. 
3. Hook either your Ammeter inline with the -ve battery cable and -ve battery lug. Or, insert a 12V test light between battery -ve lug and -ve battery cable. If you have more than 0.050 Amps or the light bulb illuminates then you got a parasitic current drain. 
Another test would be to just pull the -ve battery cable and watch for spark as you remove it. If you got any significant spark upon removal then you got a parasitic current drain. That drain is what killed your alternator, and it will kill your new one too.
If the parasitic drain only happens when you got the fat cable hooked to the alternator, then the drain is in the alternator. You probably got a bad rectifier diode pair that's burnt through and causing a short.


_Modified by bearing01 at 1:29 AM 3-1-2007_


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## Mussen (Jul 1, 2006)

*Re: (bearing01)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bearing01* »_what caused the alternator to die? Alternators usually get hot because they had a big electrical load like a short.
Before installing a new one and killing that one also you should do some diagnostics. You could have a short somewhere. 
1. Pull the battery -ve cable. Unplug the alternator positive (big fat cable, usually black or red) and put it in a plastic bag or something to insulate it from the chassis. 
2. Trickle charge the battery overnight. 
3. Hook either your Ammeter inline with the -ve battery cable and -ve battery lug. Or, insert a 12V test light between battery -ve lug and -ve battery cable. If you have more than 0.050 Amps or the light bulb illuminates then you got a parasitic current drain. 
Another test would be to just pull the -ve battery cable and watch for spark as you remove it. If you got any significant spark upon removal then you got a parasitic current drain. That drain is what killed your alternator, and it will kill your new one too.
If the parasitic drain only happens when you got the fat cable hooked to the alternator, then the drain is in the alternator. You probably got a bad rectifier diode pair that's burnt through and causing a short.

_Modified by bearing01 at 1:29 AM 3-1-2007_

Thanks for the Advise.








I have the alt out already and at the shop. Guy said it was "Totally Fried." He offered to rebuild it, but new was only 20$ more. I got the new and it should be in today.
I had the battery charge yesterday while it was nice and warm out(relative.... it was the upper 40s..)When i get home i will be testing for shorts.


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