Kristoliquid

ok so my wife was driving and then suddenly the radio screen started to flicker and then it started to smell like burned rubber and then the odometer disapeared from the screen. Then she stopped the car.

I tried to start the car but it would just dry turn. with all the dashboard lights just flickering while turning the key.

I waited a little bit, then the odometer re-appeared but still the radio screen was flickering. And when i turned the key again after 5 minutes, it wasnt the same. It didnt even turn the same way as previous. just made a sound but it stopped.

Could it be the alternator that just blew up?

thanks.

ezone

Low system voltage can sure make the radio quit.

Jump start it, see if it acts normal until you remove the cables from the running car and the battery depletes again.

Did the alternator quit working? Sure sounds like it so far.
Why? WHY burning rubber smell? Did the belt shred or come off? Did the harmonic balancer ring slip so the alt quit charging?

Kristoliquid

so i woke up this morning and i started the car, it started like normal, i let it run for 5 minutes., when i look under the hood, i think i see the engine kinda vibrating a little more than usual. I never really looked before, maybe its normal.

im gonna jack the car and check the harmonic balancer to see if its ok, maybe its kinda crooked and it what makes the engine shake a little.
Should i let the car turn longer than 5 minutes and see what happens?
any ideas?

ezone

Engine will always vibrate some especially at idle.

Was it a rubber smell like tire smoke, or was it electrical burning smell?
Check belt tension? Balancer is pretty unlikely, I just tossed it out because I have seen it happen and it's obscure.

Put a volt meter on the battery, run the engine and turn on the headlights, check system charging voltage, and let it run long enough to get the alternator hot , maybe temperature affects charging problem

Check alternator mounting bolts

Kristoliquid

i guess its the alternator that blew up, i just finish doing tests with the multimeter and the battery is @ 11.88 volts and when i start the car it goes to 13.x i think, but never at 14.6 v. and with all the lights on, road light, 4 flasher radio and fan, its still low voltage.

the battery is only one year old. so i should not be that.
im still gonna check the belts, but when i look from the top, everything looks to spin fine.

ezone

Don't say that. I see batteries killed in brand new cars.

Charge up the battery first, then have it tested.
THEN do the alternator charging check with a charged up battery..
(jumper cables attached to a good battery may also work for the charging check)


General charging spec range is 13.8-14.6v, but sometimes the car has to have a little load on the electric system (headlights) to get it to ramp up charging rate (due to ELD control).
But if you try to crank up everything electrical on the car, you may need to raise the engine RPM to boost alternator output. (alternator can't put out its max at idle rpm)


If you can find someone with a real charging system tester (usually referred to as a 'VAT' tester), you can see charging amperage output as well as voltage.

Will your local Honda dealer run the battery and alternator checks on their 'GR-8' (pronounced "GREAT station") for free?
Local Dangerzone check?

Kristoliquid

I just saw something when getting the alternator out, when I changed the timing belt, I had to get it off. When I plugged it back, I didn't put the screw back on, where It's covered by a rubber thing. Maybe that's a ground or something? I bought a used alternator and gonna do tests. Hopefully it's only that. It's guaranteed 1 year. So that's gonna be not too bad. Then do battery tests. Could it have made the fuse jump since the ground wasnt connected on the alternator, if that's what it is that thing.

ezone

The single fat cable covered by a rubber boot is the hot cable (positive cable to the fuse box) that has to carry the 80+ amps the alternator puts out.
If the nut was left loose, is there heat and arc damage on the post/nut and cable eyelet?

Kristoliquid

it wasnt even screwed on before this event, so maybe it did some damage. the ring connector was loose in the boot, probably not even touching the screwing part.. i did not check to see if there was any heat damage.

ezone

fix the connection, then run it and see if it charges better?