Outsane

sounds like the alternator..

The alternator should keep the car running with the battery disconnected.

nieuwendyk-25

You have a Die Hard that is 8 years old....I am assuming it worked at least 7 years....wow! That should be a record!

I have never had a DH last more than 2 years....

nieuwendyk-25

Huh? With the battery disconnected? I have two cars that the battery has been so dead we could jump it and the second you did anything like touch the brake (brake lights), turn on headlights, etc, it would die. It was the battery each time (yes, a Die Hard!)....Alt tested fine.

However, I agree, I do think he is probably looking at an Alternator problem

seanmearse

Here is my .02, i test several batteries a week at Kragen. 13-14 volts means nothing, reason behind this, i have had customers come in and swear up and down "my battery has 13.5 volts, its good. No, its not. A battery can have the proper voltage, but when tested for CCA or CA, it shows that there is next to nothing on tap. But, then again, i have customers that come in, like today, driving a Tundra (yota owners get my help to the fullest) who said his battery is shot, it wont start. so, i go outside, dont even need the tester, listen to what its doing, tap the starter a few times, fires right up, his starter was 69.99 plus tax, the battery was 89.99 plus tax. saved him 20 bucks, satisfied customer. Bottom line is, dont start replacing without thuroughly investigating the problem. Another thing is, the mobile testers we use are not always accurate, when you bring in a part off of the vehicle, it is a much more accurate and isolated test. Dont know if this was just a ramble or what, been at work since 7 this morning, just got home, so a little tired.

DupermanDave

i agree that it's the alternator. I only know this because I found out the hard way.

On the way home, everything started to get really dim. Eventually my gauges weren't reading properly. Coasting downhill, my engine just cut off. I was only 3 miles from my parent's house. I called them and had them give me a jump to limp my way to their house. After a jump and a partial charge it would drive fine, and then chug and die.

So now I'm borrowing their nissan maxima until I hop over to get me an alternator. I'd replace just the brushes, but no one local here sells them and I'm in a hurry now and dont want to wait for shipping.

since i had lots of time to sit by myself in the car, I checked out the old receipts. Alternator was changed out in 2005. That's a good amount of time and miles for an alterantor. Truck has a good 240k on it, and it's reasonable to assume this is only the truck's second alternator.

DupermanDave

Anyone have any brands to recommend? I'm fixing to go to autozone for an alternator, even after all the negative reviews I've read. Looking online for something new or good that's re manufactured, as I'm not going to spend $200 on a new alternator.

nieuwendyk-25

I used the Bosch on my Nissan that was from Autozone....it was new (about $90, I think)...no problems yet. I have had trouble with the Remanufactured ones being loud on some of my vehicles in the past. Don't know much about Bosch on alternators...they make some things that are good....others may have more experience with them. The cost was about the same as a remanufactured one.

In my experience, the cost has been more related to the actual vehicle/amperage or the spec the vehicle needs.

DupermanDave

autozone's website doesnt list anything other than duralast. Same with checker. checker only lists autolite.

Kiroshu

i think for the manual trans runners its about 80$+whatever the core is...which is rpolly 40-50$ so yea... alternators are not cheap...

DupermanDave

going to get it exchanged at carquest. PO did it there and it lasted a good few years. I see no reason to NOT go back.

DupermanDave

So i went ahead and went with the carquest alternator, which turns out to be a denso (toyota dealer brand)

Replaced it today and it took about 3 hours. Seems to have fixed the issue. So everyone out there take note: Even if the batter + emergency brake light on the dash isn't on, it could still be the alternator.

Outsane

congrats! mini drama over

Kiroshu

told ya lol good job on repair

DupermanDave

It was hard to get done. Instead of just pushing up the alternator and sticking it in the bracket where it goes, there was something sticking out on the bracket. So the alternator was a little too wide to fit in. We had to use a hacksaw and cut the thing off, and then grind it smooth before the alternator would fit in place. That's why it took 3 hours. I definitely don't want to have to do that again.