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flashing battery light

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:09 am
by reaperstk
Ej1. Starting off, it started doing this after i put in my subs and hooked up a new head unit. After work the battery was dead. Jumped it and came all the way home (not playing any music) with no problem. Next day, tried starting and all lights were very dim and wont start so i charged up the battery took off the head unit, amp, subs and all wires that i connected. its been working for 2 days total now but the battery light started to blink from time to time. I notice today when coming from home that when it DID come on it seems like the front lights came on even brighter than usual (like it was switched to high beams) any thoughs.
Also i remember u can check the altonator by removing either positive or negative terminal n if the car runs then its good so which was it (positive or negative) dnt have a volt meter so tryin to figure out before buyin one thanks guys

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:25 pm
by JUICE
Probably your alternator about to take a dump. Any auto zone / pats jockey shop should be able to test it.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:54 pm
by Ajax1989
Alt are very easy to replace. Just take it out and take it to your local auto parts store and test it.. If its bad replace it and your probs should go away

You have a small chance of frying the ecu by taking off the positive while the car is running

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:58 pm
by TrailerTrash
You can fry the ecu by doing that? never heard of that :? ive always done that to test the alternator. i unhook the battery cable and turn everything on thats electrical in the car. radio, lights, heater, ect. if the car runs the alternator is fine as far as im concerned.

if u are running a high power amp without a capacitor that puts extra strain on your alternator. could have been what caused your problem

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:40 pm
by reaperstk
I dnt always do it so hopefully itll b fine. I didnt have a capaciter just battery straight to amp for power. Just drove it to work today and it didnt come up. Maybe its just at night when headlights are being used. Could it be that its draining too fast for the altonator to keep up? Maybe i should just change it for a peace of mind

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:02 pm
by bigpunn421
i wish my supercharged b18 alt could be changed easily

PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:24 pm
by JUICE
reaperstk wrote:I dnt always do it so hopefully itll b fine. I didnt have a capaciter just battery straight to amp for power. Just drove it to work today and it didnt come up. Maybe its just at night when headlights are being used. Could it be that its draining too fast for the altonator to keep up? Maybe i should just change it for a peace of mind



stop by any parts store and they'll test it for free.. My light flickered like yours for quite some time, I thought it was some loose connection or something. Till one night after running 11's at the track all fine, on the drive home on the highway everything started goin dim and it all came to a hault. They tend to completely go at the worst times. Lol

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:17 am
by rustyrex
TrailerTrash wrote:You can fry the ecu by doing that? never heard of that :? ive always done that to test the alternator. i unhook the battery cable and turn everything on thats electrical in the car. radio, lights, heater, ect. if the car runs the alternator is fine as far as im concerned.

if u are running a high power amp without a capacitor that puts extra strain on your alternator. could have been what caused your problem



dear god i hope you are just joking? a capacitor is completely worthless.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:37 am
by reaperstk
JUICE wrote:
reaperstk wrote:I dnt always do it so hopefully itll b fine. I didnt have a capaciter just battery straight to amp for power. Just drove it to work today and it didnt come up. Maybe its just at night when headlights are being used. Could it be that its draining too fast for the altonator to keep up? Maybe i should just change it for a peace of mind



stop by any parts store and they'll test it for free.. My light flickered like yours for quite some time, I thought it was some loose connection or something. Till one night after running 11's at the track all fine, on the drive home on the highway everything started goin dim and it all came to a hault. They tend to completely go at the worst times. Lol


damn ur scarying me now. Dont wanna get off work n die in the middle of the freewy at midnight and no1 is awake to come get me haha. Knock on wood :thumbdown:

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:40 am
by teal_dx
AjG20 wrote:Alt are very easy to replace. Just take it out and take it to your local auto parts store and test it.. If its bad replace it and your probs should go away

You have a small chance of frying the ecu by taking off the positive while the car is running


I find them to be a PITA to remove... it's like a game to wrestle them out between the axle and subframe. But maybe that's just cause everything else is so easy to replace on our motors.