i have a 2000 suzuki vitara. it stalled out on me on the freeway. It would not start back up. we charged the batterey and it started,but sounded really bad. one mechanic told me it was a blown rod in the engine. then another one told me that he thought it was the alternator or just as simple as the batterey because if it is electrical it could mess up the timing and make it sound like the engine is shot. He said this because a week after it broke down we tried to start it after the batterey had been charged but it didn't and it was showing a charge when checked with a voltage reader, then when we treid to start it and then the battery went to a 0 charge. i do not have the money to make the mistake of going with a wrong diagnosis. Please help if you have any ideas or concurr with any of these suggestions.
2006-10-01 05:20:09 · 10 answers · asked by cyberflower4u 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You can take both the battery and alternator to places like AutoZone and have them tested for free. That should save you time and hopefully money in the long run.
2006-10-01 05:22:48 · answer #1 · answered by scare_all 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have a blown rod the car will usually start to overheat (has happened to me before)
If the battery is dead (really dead) the battery wouldnt hold much of a charge. If the battery is holding a charge and the car will start if jumped and run ok but then not start back up, it may be an alternator issue. Also if the car died while driving it check the battery cables, sometimes if they are loose the car may stop then not start but if the wires are cleaned and tightened, it may work again.
Not a mechanic but these are issues ive had before.
2006-10-01 05:26:33 · answer #2 · answered by indigo7us 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Charge the battery, and re-install into the car. Start the car, then remove the positive battery cable. If the engine dies, the alternator is bad. If the engine continues to run the battery is bad. A blown "Rod" will make a loud knocking noise. Do not run the engine long if you hear this. Japanese car have rubber timing belts, and plastic timing gears. The engine may have "jumped" timing. Your engine may run, but it will run poorly, new timing belt install can cost around $350. Good luck
2006-10-01 05:30:08 · answer #3 · answered by me m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually if you lose your alternator and restart the car by manually charging the drained battery your timing will be off. Most newer cars regulate the timing with a computer (instead of just by a series of belts like the used to).
I'd start witht he battery, and take it in have the alternator checked. If its not producing a charge then it very well might have thrown off the timing. And your car will sound and run like crap, if even at all, when the timing is off.
2006-10-01 05:23:14 · answer #4 · answered by amosunknown 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds to me like it may be the rod. I have never heard of an alternator making the car sound bad and throwing the timing off. Is the sound like metal on metal, banging and such, or is it just running rough? Do a compression test first, it is cheap and quick. I once paid a mech $1500 to fix an engine and when he was done he told me he had a finely tuned engine with a rebuilt distributer,but the engine had a dead cylinder. oops. Definetely invest in diagnostics. Compression test would have saved me big bucks.
2006-10-01 05:28:22 · answer #5 · answered by BNLCy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
borrow a battery for test starting you can remove the alternator belt and run the cold engine several minutes before the water gets to hot you are not turning the water pump that eliminates the alternator as source of the noise. Check to see if there is oil showing on the dipstick first! You may have damaged your engine running low on oil.
2006-10-01 05:25:40 · answer #6 · answered by John Paul 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try another mechanic...one that knows something.
Regardless of the timing...they should be able to tell whether it's electrical , or if there is in fact internal damage.
I'm pretty sure doing a compression test would narrow it down.
Good luck, because that sucks!
2006-10-01 05:24:06 · answer #7 · answered by a kinder, gentler me 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The battery or terminals are definitely a problem. You must get the car running before you can determine if there is a engine problem.
2006-10-01 05:28:20 · answer #8 · answered by Lab 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the alternator were making that much noise the bearing would be shot and you would be able to move the pulley around with little effort, check that out if the alternator is good you may have a major problem.
2006-10-01 05:24:45 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
get the altenator checked and battery too at auto zone
2006-10-01 05:23:53 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋