I have a 86 firebird, and there is a check engine light coming on. Now I pulled the battery off while it was running and it died. I turned on all the lights and they seem to waving in and out a little bit. There isnt a batt light on or a amp light but Im going to test the amp light by unplugging the alt. The batt light seems to work durng startup and goes off in a couple secs. Could it be the voltage reg in the altinator going bad or should i start looking for a short before changing the alt.
2007-04-11 12:25:31 · 4 answers · asked by secretgovernmentman 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Pontiac
It might be failing, but it's probably not the cause of your check engine light...
Check the system voltage. If it's running much higher that 14.7, you have a bad reg.
2007-04-12 04:11:23 · answer #1 · answered by InjunRAIV 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 'check engine ' light is detecting a problem,but it may or may not have to do with your charging problem.You should be getting a reading from your BAT gage on your dash.If the engine dies after removing the cable.Yes, replace the alternator as it has the voltage regulator built in.I believe your charging system stopped charging and the Alt is at fault.The 'check engine' light came on because you pulled the battery cable while runiing the engine.You will need a diagnostic test done.This can be done at Auto Zone for free.
This can be done after you replace the alternator.
2007-04-13 05:58:18 · answer #2 · answered by tturbod2001 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may want to check for a short before replacing the alternator. You can even use a battery charger with an amp meter on it and plug it in to one circuit at a time through the fuse panel with the battery disconnected.. This will tell you how many amps each circuit draws, and should help you locate the short.
Additionally, it is NOT a good idea to run the alternator with the battery disconnected. The voltage regulator can suffer damage from running in a no-load condition, even for a short amount of time.
2007-04-12 16:06:40 · answer #3 · answered by Aaron 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the car starts and runs by itself, chances are you are not having an alternator or regulator problem. The charge light coming on when in the bulb check portion of starting indicates all is okay. If the bulb is on or on dimly, then yes you would be having an alt. problem. The check engine light is a condition where a sensor is determined to be faulty or has detected an engine problem. To address this, scan for codes and locate and repair this problem and you should be okay form there. Good luck.
2007-04-14 19:27:52 · answer #4 · answered by Deano 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋