My 88 has started shutting off. Help please.

[caninelver]

Last summer I put in a new battery and at the 3rd cruisefest (Bowling Green) c4c5 specialist adjusted my throttle body. I only drove it a few time since then. Yesterday I had to use the battery charger to start it. While it was idling it died but caught itself almost instantly and kept on idling. I went for a ride and it died while I was doing 40-45 mph. I pulled over and turned the key and it started right up but did this several more times. Back at the house I checked the battery with the voltage meter and it only read 5.6. I turned the key and only got a fast clicking noise which seemed to come from relay mounted on the firewall between the battery and the distributor. After the battery charged up to 12 volts I tested the plug going to the alternator and got 12 volts. How can I determine if the battery (1 yr old) is no good or if the alternator is shot. Or, could my fuel pump be starting to die? If it turns out to be the alternator, is is better to get a new one or to have the original one rebuilt?
Thanks.

 

[ßill]

Sounds like an alternator problem to me. With the engine off measure the battery voltage. Then start the engine, If the voltage does not go up the alternator is bad. If the alternator needs to be replaced, I think new is better than rebuilt but is more expensive.
hope this helps
ßill

 

[Vettefan87]

You can take the battery to just about anywhere and they can load test it for you. To check the alternator just look at the voltage while the car is running it should be at 13.5-14 volts. At least thats where my car charges at.

When my alternator went out I bought the lifetime replacement one from AutoZone, so I don't have to pay for another one .

 

[caninelver]

The battery is showing 12 volts with the engine off and 14.6 with the engine running. I don't know what else to check. Thanks for the tips. I was hoping it was just the alternator. At least it would be simple to fix.

 

[Vettefan87]

Since you don't drive it often could it be bad gas? Is it dry where you store it?

 

[caninelver]

Thanks but I don't think its the gas. I found an old post from badabing9 who has an identical problem (also an 88). He finally solved it with a new pickup coil which required removing the distributor. I am not sure I can work up the courage to attempt that-never pulled a distributor. The only other thing I noticed is my battery-which is 1yr old- is almost always dead but I think that is because I so rarely start the car. When I tried to start it last week it turned the motor over very slowly but it did start. I backed it out of the garage and shut it off and tried it again-nothing. I checked the battery and got 5.6 volts at the terminal so put the charger on. After a while I tried to start it and got a fast clicking noise coming from a black sensor or whatever it is that is attached to the firewall between the battery and the distributor. It was very loud. I disconnected this thing and put the volt meter on it and it showed 12 volts so I assumed it is ok. Does anyone know what that is and why it clicks. After the battery was fully charged that thing stopped clicking.

 

[vigman]

The Discharge

My 88 has a 2 week drain.. it's coming from the digital dash.. pull the fuse no current draw.. I just put a battery disconnect in.. so when I use the car... switch on... sitting for a long time switch off.

The relay clicking is your battery TRYING to deliver enought current.. but not and the relay chattering between just enough to pull in & the battery failing.

and NO NOT BUY A PEP BOYS ALTERNATOR~

Vig~