Starting Problems-Please help(kinda long)

[davis911s]

I finally got the car going today by installing the new altenator nut. I drove it around all day in the great weather, top-off (windows down) It was great.

THEN I stopped at my house ran in for 10 minutes and the car wouldn't start. IT is NOT fuel related, I have fixed all that. The engine tries to turn over for a quick second and that's it. It is like dead battery. So I attached the multimeter and I have 11.8 Volts at the battery when the key is off.
The car started after sitting for 2 hours and I checked the battery again, With the engine running it was still only in the 11s for voltage.

I am thinking altenator but are there other things to check first? What should I check??? If it is the altenator how hard and how much to rebuild one? (Its a Marchal from a77 2.7)

Thanks everyone
Shawn

[john70t]

Shawn, don't quote me on this one but I remember hearing that 12.6v was 100% charged, 12.4v was 75%, and 12.2v was about 50%.
Lead acid batteries don't like to work when they don't have max charge and keeping on the starter when they don't have any push left is a good way to replace them. Most new cars wont start if the computer doesn't see at least 9v while --cranking--.

You might see if its still any good by disconnecting it from the car and giving it a 2 amp charge overnight. It'll probably have a surface charge of 14+ volts that you can remove with a couple minutes of high beams to show the real charge.

The charging could be just the voltage regulator(I think it's external until 83????). There must be a way to ground the sensing terminal it to full-field the alternator for a few seconds and check maximun out-put.

[Zendalar]

Check that the Alternator warning light is still usable I did not have the light and my car's battery went empty.

Its just normal bulb, so they go out too.

[davis911s]

UPDATE

I fully charged my battery and re-installed it. 12.4Volts. Started the car, when it was running It was reading 12.7 Volts. Then my brother-in-law hooked up his (ampmeter?), he said the altenator was putting out 18.4 Amps.

We also noticed that the right side reverse light is STAYING ON, as soon as the key is at the "on" position and stays on when the car is running. NO MATTER WHAT GEAR, even when driving??

I am thinking that I have the wires to the switch reversed, I will fix that tomorrow!

Could the lights be draining the battery even when the car is running???? I thought the altenator would charge that???

Please help any info is appreciated.

Shawn

[davis911s]

It was my voltage regulator-see post about it.

Thanks

Shawn