Civic-EG.com Forum 3.3.1

- Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:47 pm #272857 So this one night driving home I first noticed my headlights turned off, minutes later I noticed my tach and other meters turned off too. But while driving and turning my headlights off on the freeway, my tach, fuel, temp gauges, speedo gauges go back on to normal. Then when appraoching a stop sign my car just died, with no sign of engine struggling, no sputter, just died silently, I noticed it died when trying to give it gas.

To me that sounds like an alternator problem. But ok so the next day I jump started the car, she ran fine for like 10 mins idling, the turned the head lighs on again, she ran really weak almost died. This time again I turned on the hi beams, she died instantly.

A side note is that I have my foglight wiring harness hooked up to the positive bat terminal but not finished installing it. I'm thinking maybe it started draining my battery somehow.

Is there any for sure signs I should look for to kno if my alternator is bad?
I heard of disconnectiing the ground battery wire when running and if it dies the alt is bad, but I heard doing this is dangerous to all ur electrical components??

Any help is appreciatted.

[chrono404]

- Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:55 pm #272862 You can have alternators checked at places like autozone.

It could very well be both issues. I would get the battery tested, if it passes test the alternator. If that passes then its probally the wiring.

I had a Similar issue in my '99 EK Hatch shortly after installing a DVD player. I miss wired the Aux/antenna wire and that blew a fuse although i didn't know it. I bought a new alternator and new battery and that still didn't fix the issue as I didn't beleave the tests where bad. After going over wiring diagrams and more diagrams I was defeated. I ultimately took it to a Local tuning shop Speedfactory who is well renounced when it comes to Diagnosing Honda wiring issues. They replaced a few fuses and a few other issues i had at the time and It ran like a beast afterwords. (for 3 hours until it was T-Boned and then totaled)

2017 Chevy BoltEV DD |2001 Honda CRV SE

- Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:03 pm #272869 Thanks for the inputs. Just not trying buy an alernator, those things are expensive. I will do more testing. I will test the alternator at autozone and see what's up

- Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:42 am #273033 so before i wanted to take out the alternator, i lift the little boot that covers the main wire. i find a severly corroded contact between the terminal and that nut. so i clean it up, slap on the new battery and measured the voltage i get from the battery.

idling when warm with no headlights on(no load) : about 14.00 -14.24 volts

idling when warm with headlights on : about 13.50 -13.80 volts

i left the car idling for about 15 mins to see if voltage slowly went down. stayed the same so i guess i can safely say my corroded wire between the battery and the alternator was the culprit yay my cars back on the road now.

EDIT: a side note my old battery had 11.50 volts. so it was bad too.