Faulty alternator on honda civic 90?

Hello,

My problem started when I noticed that the battery light turned on -
stayed like that for a few minutes after starting the car. After
running the engine for few minutes the battery warning light turned
off. Now the light is on all the time no matter how long I keep the
engine running.

I suspect a faulty alternator. These are the tests I did and the
results I got:

- Voltage across batery terminals when engine off 12.4 V
- Voltage across batery terminals when engine idle 11.3 V
- Voltage at the alternator (one lead of voltmeter on the alternator
terminal the other on the negative terminal of the battery - did I test
correctly?) 11.3 V when the engine is idle - same as at the battery.

I also tried to increase the RPMs when testing the battery voltage, it
never increased from 11.3V.

Based on what I have read this does point to a faulty alternator, but I
just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Articles on the net
suggest that the battery voltage should be about what I'm getting 12.4
V, but that it should go as high as 14V when the alternator is running.
In that case I'm way below those specs. But are all the cars equal?
Why does the alternator on my honda have a sticker that says 12 V ...
doesn't it mean that that particular alternator should produce ~ 12V ?
Mine is currently 11.3 V which doesn't seem that far off.

I'm very new at fixing cars, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

ixnaum wrote:
> Hello,
>
> My problem started when I noticed that the battery light turned on -
> stayed like that for a few minutes after starting the car. After
> running the engine for few minutes the battery warning light turned
> off. Now the light is on all the time no matter how long I keep the
> engine running.
>
> I suspect a faulty alternator. These are the tests I did and the
> results I got:
>
> - Voltage across batery terminals when engine off 12.4 V
> - Voltage across batery terminals when engine idle 11.3 V
> - Voltage at the alternator (one lead of voltmeter on the alternator
> terminal the other on the negative terminal of the battery - did I test
> correctly?) 11.3 V when the engine is idle - same as at the battery.
>
> I also tried to increase the RPMs when testing the battery voltage, it
> never increased from 11.3V.
>
> Based on what I have read this does point to a faulty alternator, but I
> just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Articles on the net
> suggest that the battery voltage should be about what I'm getting 12.4
> V, but that it should go as high as 14V when the alternator is running.
> In that case I'm way below those specs. But are all the cars equal?
> Why does the alternator on my honda have a sticker that says 12 V ...
> doesn't it mean that that particular alternator should produce ~ 12V ?
> Mine is currently 11.3 V which doesn't seem that far off.
>
> I'm very new at fixing cars, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>
=======================================

Unless it's also HOWLING, you can probably get away with replacing the
brushes kit.

Check www.tegger.com for more help.

'Curly'

I found my 96 accord ex's alternator to be faulty, when strange
electrical gremlins were taking place. Gauges and radio were randomly
shutting off, and all kinds of stuff. I got an alternator out of a
wrecked accord for $35 and everything works fine now.
Nick


ixnaum wrote:
> Hello,
>
> My problem started when I noticed that the battery light turned on -
> stayed like that for a few minutes after starting the car. After
> running the engine for few minutes the battery warning light turned
> off. Now the light is on all the time no matter how long I keep the
> engine running.
>
> I suspect a faulty alternator. These are the tests I did and the
> results I got:
>
> - Voltage across batery terminals when engine off 12.4 V
> - Voltage across batery terminals when engine idle 11.3 V
> - Voltage at the alternator (one lead of voltmeter on the alternator
> terminal the other on the negative terminal of the battery - did I test
> correctly?) 11.3 V when the engine is idle - same as at the battery.
>
> I also tried to increase the RPMs when testing the battery voltage, it
> never increased from 11.3V.
>
> Based on what I have read this does point to a faulty alternator, but I
> just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Articles on the net
> suggest that the battery voltage should be about what I'm getting 12.4
> V, but that it should go as high as 14V when the alternator is running.
> In that case I'm way below those specs. But are all the cars equal?
> Why does the alternator on my honda have a sticker that says 12 V ...
> doesn't it mean that that particular alternator should produce ~ 12V ?
> Mine is currently 11.3 V which doesn't seem that far off.
>
> I'm very new at fixing cars, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you
>

"ixnaum" > wrote in
ups.com:

<snip>

> In that case I'm way below those specs. But are all the cars equal?
> Why does the alternator on my honda have a sticker that says 12 V ...
> doesn't it mean that that particular alternator should produce ~ 12V ?
> Mine is currently 11.3 V which doesn't seem that far off.
>


An unregulated alternator in good condition will charge at well over 15
volts (and cook many components!). A regulator is needed to damp it down
to about 14-14.5V.

What you have discovered is that your alternator is not charging. Better
fix this quick or your car will be stranded. Your battery is already
*severely* discharged and will have sustained internal damage.

Curly has mentioned the brushes. When these go bad, the charge light
will usually flicker randomly for a while as the brushes make
intermittent contact, but will eventually stay on for good. It is
possible your brushes are simply worn out, but you won't know until you
remove the brushes from the rear housing.

To remove the alternator, you must remove the left driveshaft. The
brushes may be removed with the alternator in-situ.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Thanks for all the tips.

I'm going to have the alternator replaced at a repair shop. Removing
the driveshaft sounds too coplicated for me. On top of that have a
good garage to do this.

At least now I can be sure of what the problem is before throwing bunch
of money on this problem.

ixnaum wrote:
>
> Thanks for all the tips.
>
> I'm going to have the alternator replaced at a repair shop. Removing
> the driveshaft sounds too coplicated for me. On top of that have a
> good garage to do this.
>
> At least now I can be sure of what the problem is before throwing bunch
> of money on this problem.



Sometimes, you can wack the alternator and if the light goes out, that's
your problem. The same goes for the regulator.

JT

probally this is going to be the first time someone hear about this:

last month i rebuild my alternator because the light was comming on
with the engine at low speed, it cost me 100$Canadian to do it, first
week the car was perfect, but sutently the battery light start one more
time to come one, but this time not only at low speed!!!!. (my
alternator mecanic told me one day that the way that honda civic's are
made, with all the acc. on and with the negative cable of the battery
off the car should shut off(only with acc. on: lights, heather,
etc.)... soo i stop the car on a parkin lot and with the acc. OFF i
pull off the negative cable of the battery, the car stay! on!!!!, my
ALT. was working. with out worring i drove back to my house. next day i
put my multimetter with the engine off on the battery it say 11.98V it
was correct, i start the car, the battery light stay on, and i check
again the V. it was 14.30V... what the F.1@! the light is on and the
alternator is working!. i read the repair book and it say to check some
of the fuse like: battery fuse, under dash #12 and #24( the #12 i never
founded). but i check all the fuses and they were OK!. soo. i decide to
do somme experiences: i ran 2 cables from the battery to inside the car
by the window and i connceted them with the multimetter. the result
we
with the car off and acc's on: 11.10V + - .30V
car off and light off: 12.10V
car on light off (car not moving): 14.30V
car on light off (highter that 10km/h): 14.35V
car on all acc.on (car not moving): 12.80V + - 1.00V
car on all acc.on (car moving more that 10km/h): 14.30V ALWAYS!

soo that is happening with that light!!!!! that light is driving me
crazy!, i check the connection on the ALT. i even clean them and the
are perfect!. i check the hayness diagrams but i cant find what is the
cable that controls that light. because probaly there is a bad
connection somewere. IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM OR
THAT HAS A MORE PRECISE ELECTRIC DIAGRAM BESIDE THE ONE OF THE HAYNESS
REPAIR MANUAL THAT WE GET AT CANADIAN TIRE FOR 20$( BECAUSE THAT ON IS
NOT! PRECISE). LET ME KNOW. and for the people that will probaly reply
by saying that is a altenator of a battery problem is not!. we are in
december and there in quebec we start the day with temp of -13C and let
me tell you, every single morning my car start at the first try, even
with 250 000 km on it. i have a other car, a tercel of the same year
they are fantastic this 2 japans cars they had NEVER let me down even
with temps under -25C. they don't even burn oil. soo any info regarding
the F.1@! light let me know.

Here is an update.

Today I had the alternator replaced at a mechanic. $125 labor + $75
for the part.
The first thing I did when I got the car is grabbed my multimeter

Car off: 12.2 V
Car idle: 14.5 V

So I thought. Great! It's all fixed. (The battery light was not on
.... everything perfect)

I drove a few kilometers and the red light reappeared. I popped the
hood to do another measurement.

Car off: 12.2 V
Car idle: 12.5 V

So after a few km I have the same problem again? The one thing that
did improve versus the state prior to the change is that now at least
when I increase the trottle I do get more juice. As much as 13V ...
but that's still a bit low. Before no matter how many RPMs I was
running the engine at it was always steady at 11.2V

Now I also notice a rubber burning / electric motor burning smell when
I pop the hood. What does that mean? Bad alternator? Belt too tight
somehow?
The engine also sounds different. It has a sort of a whizzing sound
that increases with RPMs .. could that be the new alternator? Is that
ok?

Looks like I'm not out of the woods yet. Did the mechanic do a ****ty
job? Did they put a crappy alternator in there?

He told me I might have to replace the battery? Could that be it?
Could it be that the previous problem degraded my battery to the point
that it won't charge anymore? (I did drive my car to the mechanic this
morning successfully - with the battery light on)

"ixnaum" > wrote in news:1166145065.250097.46960@
80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com:

> Here is an update.
>


<snip>



>
> Looks like I'm not out of the woods yet. Did the mechanic do a ****ty
> job? Did they put a crappy alternator in there?
>


He sure did. Your "new" alternator is pooched. It's a standard crappy
aftermarket reman: bad right out of the box. Why am I not surprised?

If you don't mind the $400 expense (and possible backorder wait), you can
get a genuine Honda reman from your friendly local Honda dealer. That one
is guaranteed to last practically forever. Honda's authorized repair depots
use genuine Denso parts, the best there is.

If you're on a budget, you can have your grease monkey order one from
NAPA/UAP. Your chances there of getting one that works are slightly better
than from many other aftermarket places.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

> He sure did. Your "new" alternator is pooched. It's a standard crappy
> aftermarket reman: bad right out of the box. Why am I not surprised?

I will try to take care of it under warranty. I called them and they
said that they don't trust the multimeter measurement (because it could
be the battery)
They will do a bech test. If it passes they replace it, if it doesn't
pass I have to pay $40 of how much it costs to perform the test and
then I have to look for another solution.

Could it really be the battery? That doesn't add up. Also, it did
work 100% perfectly well for the first 15 minutes ... and then it
crapped out. If it was the battery I would have trouble from the
beginning even though the alternator was fine.