Need Help Diagnosing Problem on Talon

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03-02-2007, 10:07 PM
Mark52

Need Help Diagnosing Problem on Talon

My '95 Talon AWD is my daily driver. I've got about 135,000 miles on it, now. Today, when I started it up to go to lunch, several weird things happened: first, I heard a belt screech, Then the Battery light, Brake light and Coolant lights came on. I immediately figured the alternator belt had broken (which would explain the Battery and Coolant lights). I opened up the hood and everything was OK, no broken belts. I drove it carefully to lunch and back with no problems except the damn lights on. Then I drove it home (about 12 miles) this evening. Upon opening up the hood, I could see that the battery had been boiling (I guess) as some of the acid had come out the vents. Voltage tested at 12.75 with the car off, and 17-19 volts with the car running. My Haynes manual says normal for engine running is 13-15 volts. Maybe the regulator in the alternator is shot and overcharging the battery? Any thoughts? I wonder what the Brake light has to do with any of this?
Open for any and all comments and suggestions. Thanks
03-02-2007, 10:14 PM
cone-cerned

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark52

Maybe the regulator in the alternator is shot and overcharging the battery?

Sounds like that is the problem. 17-19 volts is too high.
03-02-2007, 10:15 PM
POS Racing

I'm thinking a bad alternator especially with a 17-19 volt reading.

May want to go get it tested at Vato-Zone.
03-02-2007, 10:29 PM
sammm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark52

My '95 Talon AWD is my daily driver.

There's your problem right there... ;)
03-02-2007, 10:31 PM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammm

There's your problem right there... ;)

::Rimshot:
03-02-2007, 10:33 PM
Mark52

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammm

There's your problem right there... ;)

Wait, now, I won D Stock Championship in that baby. She's getting on in years, but she's been very dependable up until today.
03-02-2007, 11:07 PM
Majik

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark52

Wait, now, I won D Stock Championship in that baby. She's getting on in years, but she's been very dependable up until today.

You need to call guinness book of records, you have the only one that is reliable.
03-02-2007, 11:22 PM
Treibenschnell

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majik

You need to call guinness book of records, you have the only one that is reliable.

Or maybe even desire-able... ;)
03-03-2007, 09:26 AM
onething

No wonder he's so fast in a Miata; he's used to driving an over-charging Talon all week. Kinda like being on the track team and wearing ankle weights all week. ;)
03-03-2007, 01:22 PM
Mark52

So this morning I pulled the alternator and took it to Vatozone. They tested it and sure enough it was defective. Bought a new one, installed it, started the car, all was well-no lights on or anything. Turned the car off to close the hood and get all the tools out of the engine bay. Started the car again to move it out of the garage and the ::Censor:: ::Rant:: lights show up again! Did a voltage check at the battery and find that it is not being charged at all.
Could there be something amiss with the electronics of the car to fry the alternator or am I just the unlucky benefactor of a defective Vatozone alternator?
03-03-2007, 01:24 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark52

So this morning I pulled the alternator and took it to Vatozone. They tested it and sure enough it was defective. Bought a new one, installed it, started the car, all was well-no lights on or anything. Turned the car off to close the hood and get all the tools out of the engine bay. Started the car again to move it out of the garage and the ::Censor:: ::Rant:: lights show up again! Did a voltage check at the battery and find that it is not being charged at all.
Could there be something amiss with the electronics of the car to fry the alternator or am I just the unlucky benefactor of a defective Vatozone alternator?

Any Fire? You didn't let Thomas borrow it, did you?
03-03-2007, 01:31 PM
POS Racing

Ya have them test the battery also?? May have a dead short in it that is killing the Alternator, especially since you boiled it just the other day.
03-03-2007, 01:37 PM
Mark52

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Ya have them test the battery also?? May have a dead short in it that is killing the Alternator, especially since you boiled it just the other day.

Seems like if there were a short in the battery, it wouldn't be showing 12+ volts or even starting the car?
03-03-2007, 01:39 PM
Majik

I had a problem in my eclipse that was causing a main fuse to blow for now reason. I know it isnt the same problem, but just thinking it could be some internal wiring problem that is causing the issue. Ofcourse it could be a bum alternator too. I would say when comparing the reliability of a DSM, and the reliability of a rebuilt autozone alternator your chances are 50/50 either way.
03-03-2007, 06:56 PM
Radio-Active

Remeber that Autozone bought out Chief Auto. I have had two bad Alternators from Autozone. I think they use an air nozzle to rebuild them(i.e. blow out the dust and set them on the shelf). QC is not included in the price, just a guarentee that you will be replacing them for the rest of your lifetime.:rolleyes:
03-03-2007, 08:50 PM
channelmaniac

I buy that kind of stuff (water pump, PS pump, alternator, etc...) from NAPA and have had excellent results over the years.

RJ
03-03-2007, 10:17 PM
black roadster

Some alternators have a seperate voltage regulator that goes bad.
03-04-2007, 02:39 AM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark52

Could there be something amiss with the electronics of the car to fry the alternator or am I just the unlucky benefactor of a defective Vatozone alternator?

Yep, they're built by Daimler Chrysler!

::Rimshot:

At least the engine hasn't ::Blowup:: like my sisters did!
03-04-2007, 07:23 AM
cam76034

I replaced my lifetime warranty alternator from PepBoys three times before I found the real problem. The bolt for the side mount battery (this is a GM quality product we're talking about) was stripped out. Once I replaced the bolt with an oversize that stayed in place, no more alternator replacements. Check your connections, and battery.
03-04-2007, 04:03 PM
Mark52

Finally got it fixed!

Took the alt. back to Vatozone this morning after church and it tested out as "failed". Got a replacement, installed it, cranked the car and all the damn lights came back on as before ::Censor:: ! But then I revved the engine up and the lights went off, and stayed off! Problem solved, at least for now. We'll see how long this one lasts.
03-04-2007, 07:26 PM
Radio-Active

:clap: Great to hear you are back on the road.
03-05-2007, 09:06 AM
trickyrix

Quote:

Originally Posted by black roadster

Some alternators have a seperate voltage regulator that goes bad.

I thought Ford was the last holdout in the mid 70s??? ::Banana::
03-05-2007, 09:17 AM
black roadster

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickyrix

I thought Ford was the last holdout in the mid 70s??? ::Banana::

Could be. My 74 Capri had a seperate VR.
03-05-2007, 09:38 AM
Radio-Active

Quote:

Originally Posted by black roadster

Could be. My 74 Capri had a seperate VR.

My 74 Fiat X-1/9 had a seperate regualtor. At 35 watts, the generator strained to keep up with the halogen headlights and windshield wipers.
03-05-2007, 10:14 AM
Ted the Red

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majik

You need to call guinness book of records, you have the only one that is reliable.

You are right... In my experience DSMs seem to have some kind of plauge. I had a 94 AWD Tsi. It only had about 60k when the transfer case locked up and broke the yoke. I traded it to a friend for his 95 RS eclipse and some cash. He put it back together and the clutch stopped working right. He replaced the clutch, flywheel, both master and slave cylinder, the clutch fork, and part of the trans case before it worked right again. Then the timing belt started to walk off of the cam gears, this was fixed by replacing alll of the idlers and pulleys. The struts and springs were shot to crap. He has had the car for about 3yrs now and has only driven it about 20-30 times. As for the eclipse he had I didn't ever have any problems. It neded to be finished up by replacing missing interior bits and what not. I ended up trading it to another friend and he still has it today.
03-05-2007, 06:46 PM
TurboDuane

Glad you have that problem resolved. Now's a good time to get the Timing belt changed! My son lost his on his Eclipse at 138,000 miles, and it bent 12 valves, and required a head job (pardon the pun);)

It's a real bear to change it on the DSM's but it would have been easier and cheeper to change the belt prior to failure.
03-05-2007, 09:23 PM
Mark52

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboDuane

Glad you have that problem resolved. Now's a good time to get the Timing belt changed! My son lost his on his Eclipse at 138,000 miles, and it bent 12 valves, and required a head job (pardon the pun);)

It's a real bear to change it on the DSM's but it would have been easier and cheeper to change the belt prior to failure.

Yup, its almost due. I changed it at 70K. It is a bear of a job compared to the Miata, but it's doable if you have good instructions and are not rushed for time. I had the timing belt snap on my old 92 Eclipse, but fortunately that one had the non-interferance 1.8L engine. I'm actually thinking about pulling the engine later this year and doing a thorough rebuild on it. Or I might just sell it...
03-06-2007, 09:13 AM
Sharpie

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboDuane

Glad you have that problem resolved. Now's a good time to get the Timing belt changed! My son lost his on his Eclipse at 138,000 miles, and it bent 12 valves, and required a head job (pardon the pun);)

It's a real bear to change it on the DSM's but it would have been easier and cheeper to change the belt prior to failure.

My brother's did the same thing just before 60k. After a lot of haggling, Eagle decided they'd only pay for half.
03-06-2007, 09:33 AM
Radio-Active

I saw a lot of BMW's with bent valves in the two months I worked for a european auto repair shop back in 1992.

I was also warned that Fiats were notorious for haveing the belt break around 35,000 and bending valves. I guess because the Fiat sits still in the garage so much waiting on its next repair, that the belt gets brittle.

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