(83 Z28)

OK,
My alternator died again. I went into the store and when I came out the car wouldn't start. The lights come on and everything so the battery isn't dead. Well, I tried to get it jumped because I did it last time. Didn't work until way later. I had this happen and you guys helped me before. You said to find out if there was a short or something. Well, I checked the voltage in the battery, it was reading in the high 11's. I checked the voltage from the alternator - it was in the 13's. This was all with the car off. Finally, by some miracle the car started. Checked the numbers again - alternator was around 14 - 16. Battery was in low 13s and then when I revved the engine, it dropped to the low 12's. My friend thinks that it could be a fuse that is messing up the alternator. I've had it replaced and everything works fine for about 3 months and then it goes wrong again. also, I pulled my dash off and found out that there was no bulb in the "check engine" slot. So i bought one and put it in and it is on constantly. I haven't checked it out to see what the problem is related to, but is there a chance that it could be related?????? Please help me before I put a bullet in this car.

(83 Z28)

”My alternator died again. I went into the store and when I came out the car wouldn't start. The lights come on and everything so the battery isn't dead.”

The lights coming on don’t mean a thing. There could be enough power in the battery to operate lights but not enough to turn the starter. The starter draws the most current of anything in the car. That’s way the wire to it is so large.

“Well, I tried to get it jumped because I did it last time. Didn't work until way later. I had this happen and you guys helped me before.”

If you used a good set of cables, not those cheap aluminum wire ones, and the other vehicle was running, your car should have started even with a dead battery. If your engine didn’t spin, sounds like a starter issue.

“You said to find out if there was a short or something. Well, I checked the voltage in the battery, it was reading in the high 11's. I checked the voltage from the alternator - it was in the 13's. This was all with the car off.”

With the car off the readings should have almost identical. Think you didn’t find a clean ground when you took one of these readings. I don’t see much of a problem here. Maybe a weak battery but I don’t think so.

“Finally, by some miracle the car started. Checked the numbers again - alternator was around 14 - 16. Battery was in low 13s and then when I revved the engine, it dropped to the low 12's.”

Appears the alternator is working. Expect the alternator to be around 14.5.

“My friend thinks that it could be a fuse that is messing up the alternator. I've had it replaced and everything works fine for about 3 months and then it goes wrong again.”

Is the GEN light working? On some cars the field wire is tied back to the gage or idiot light fuse. If this fuse pops the GEN light acts up. Also the fuel gage stops working. Maybe this it the fuse your friend is talking about…Otherwise I’m not sure what he means.

“I pulled my dash off and found out that there was no bulb in the "check engine" slot. So i bought one and put it in and it is on constantly. I haven't checked it out to see what the problem is related to, but is there a chance that it could be related??????”

Need to read the code before anyone can give you an answer. Your original problem may be starter related but that won’t trip a code.

“Please help me before I put a bullet in this car.”

Don’t hit the tank.

Touche, John

“Please help me before I put a bullet in this car.”

Don’t hit the tank.

Stand far away if you do.........

oh, I know that the car didn't have power for a second. My radio reset to the factory defaults during all of this before I got it started. The engine didn't turn over at all, just one turn and then nothing. don't know if that helped at all.

Reads as if the battery is not being fully charged. I would do as John suggests.

I would check the cable connections as well as the cables themselves, no frayed cables and clean contacts and lugs. You should measure point-to-point, e.g., alt BAT terminal(stud) to battery POS post (not the clamp), should be less than 0.4 VDC with the engine running and a charged battery. Anything over this value means a dirty connection or strands of wire broken. Same with ground wire/cable. Also, don't forget the grounding of alt body to the neg battery post, ground straps from engine to frame to body, etc.

Charging voltage should never drop below 13.8 VDC with full load applied at idle.