Ok, so here is my story. My alternator went a couple weeks back. So I bought a new one and replaced it, however i did not replace the battery. By the time i realised that something was still wrong, i think it was too late. I put a new battery in, but now i think the new alternator is done. Its making a really loud whining sound and just wont charge the new battery (which is now probably $#@^#@)

So I charged up the new battery for 24 hours so i could get it down to a shop about 2 km away so they could test my battery/alternator to see which, if not both are causing the problem. But when i put my the battery in, she fired right up like normal, then i started driving down the road and it started idling really low and then stalled a couple times, so i just restarted it and drove it back home. The battery seemed to have lots of juice in it and this is the first time it has cut out like that. Usually everything goes before the truck stalls (lights flash everywhere, radio goes wonkey, spedometer goes screwey, but due the the freshly charged battery none of this was happening, except the stalling.

Is there now possibly something else wrong with the truck, or is this just due to the alternator/battery problem?

What should i do?

Thanks again fellas, if it wasnt for this forum, the disco would be gone long ago, but i love it too much, and you guys are here to support it! haha

 

I could be entirely wrong but I don't think an alternator should go bad that quickly if you have a bad battery...

If you're alternator isn't working up to snuff, your vehicle will run off of the battery until the power is exhausted. The alternator is supposed to recharge the battery.

I'd have the alternator checked, you may have just got a bum unit. If the alternator checks out good than it's probably a wiring issue whereby the alternator is not supplying juice to the battery. I hope this helps.

 

Take your battery and have it recharged, reinstall it and go have a free test run from one of your local auto parts store. If the alternator is fried, call whoever you bought it from and get it warrantied, what ever you do don't tell them about having a bad battery.
By the way, where did you but the alternator from, was it new or rebuilt?

 

Hey Mike,
This is what I did. I recharged the battery and was on my way to the shop, but it started idling really low when i came to a stop, then cut out, but i started it right back up again. however the idling was still a problem. The alternator was brand new.

On another note, twice now I have come out to start the disco in the morning and it has been STONE DEAD, when it was running fine the night before, and i didn't leave any lights on, nor and doors open or such, so something is draining my battery while my truck is off. I started disconnecting the negative lead on the battery when im not using it to stop this.

Any suggestions here?

I plan on sending the alternator back.

 

where did you get it?

a bad alt will cause all kinds of weird problems. Lots of stuff runs directly off the alt, and when it is goofy, you truck is goofy.

 

A guy ordered it in from the UK, i dont know where exactly he got it from. I just know it was brand new, identical to my old one. Why does it matter where he got it from?

Thanks, cheers

 

What brand and why from the UK when you can get them here on line for a decent price.
You must be using a tricle charge on your battery, take it out qand have a 2 hour hard charge put on the battery, then as mentioned before go have both tested together.

 

I just brought it to the shop to have them both tested. I think it is bosch alternator, and i Got it for around 250 CAD new. I couldnt find anywhere else close to that price.

 

just got it back from the shop, battery is good, alternator is only is crap, putting out 13A, the guy said it should be 14 or 14.5 or something. but he says its done, and its whining like a bastard.

Thanks for the help guys,
Cheers

 

Next time before buying a alternator check with the junk yards, you can usually get one for around $70 US.