Bad Alternator? (2003 Honda Civic LX)

[college man]

My suggestion is have the battery load tested at an auto part store._x000D_
see what there test shows.

Topic

[yarddog1950]

How old is the battery?

[spelunkerd]

Let’s see, you did a voltage drop test and measured 0.01 volts. Then you did an ohm test on the ground and it measured 2 ohms. That means the current you used for the voltage drop test was only 0.005 amps…._x000D_
_x000D_
To do a voltage drop test properly, you nee

[Matt Brandsema]

[quote]Quoted From spelunkerd: _x000D_
_x000D_
Let’s see, you did a voltage drop test and measured 0.01 volts. Then you did an ohm test on the ground and it measured 2 ohms. That means the current you used for the voltage drop test was only 0.005 amps…._x000D_
_x000D_
T

[Matt]

Most auto parts stores can perform a free charging system check.

[rice400]

Wait a sec, is the car in questions a 2000 cavalier or a 2002 civic?

[Matt]

Quoted From rice400: _x000D_
_x000D_
Wait a sec, is the car in questions a 2000 cavalier or a 2002 civic?

_x000D_
_x000D_
Heh, that’s an interesting question, but the same theories still apply.

[rice400]

I

[spelunkerd]

Before condemning the alternator/voltage regulator, I would test and then fix that bad ground wire, and then repeat your alternator tests. I have a hunch your problem is just the bad ground. 2 ohms is way too much static resistance for a large ground wire

[Trcustoms719]

[quote]Quoted From spelunkerd: _x000D_
_x000D_
Before condemning the alternator/voltage regulator, I would test and then fix that bad ground wire, and then repeat your alternator tests. I have a hunch your problem is just the bad ground. 2 ohms is way too much

[twiggy]

You mentioned measuring alt voltage with full load and hi rpm and said the gauge was jumping around. Are you talking about the gauge of your meter or in your dashboard. If the voltage of your meter is jumping around it would indicate a high ac component t

[spelunkerd]

twiggy02919 makes a really good point. The battery stabilizes the circuit, and other exterior components like the AC compressor make assessment of the alternator in isolation more difficult. When I get confused like that, I try to simplify the testing, wh

[Matt Brandsema]

I will check the wiring on the positive side tomorrow.

[Fader]

Ok so wire diagrams.._x000D_
Check out this place. It was on another post here on the form somewhere.http://www.powerlibrary.net_x000D_
Login Code: pl249412345678 Next page look for:_x000D_
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[EricTheCarGuy]

How about checking the belt tension?

[Matt Brandsema]

[quote]Quoted From EricTheCarGuy:_x000D_
_x000D_
How about checking the belt tension?

[Author]

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