Simple Alternator/battery Advice Needed

[duscarter]

I had to buy a new battery for my SC400 after letting it sit for four months. I had the alternator tested at the time and it was fine. I did have the common PS leak, but it was not from the pump (I fixed it by cleaning the filter). The car ran perfect for two months. It completly shut down yesterday. I took the battery back to Advance Auto and got a new one. They told me the battery was not dead, just depleted. When I started the car the battery light was on. I took it to Advance and they said the Alternator was bad. When I started it today the battery light was not on, and the car ran perfect. Do you guys think it is an alternator problem, or the fact that I just bought a cheap battery? I bought my jet ski batteries from them too, and they only lasted a season.

[SKperformance]

The alternator is shot, also check your battery terminals and the grounds to the chassis from it.

[jzz30]

the batt light can turn on and off when the alt. is bad. grounds and wires to the alt. can be bad but mostlikey its the alt. i have had frayed wires from heat on a alltrac celica give me batt light troubles but the wires run close to the exhaust manifold so the heat ate up the wires.

[duscarter]

Thanks for the advice guys. It has been running great the past couple of days. I could see no evidence of ps fluid on the alternator. I will double check all the wiring per your advive. The alternator is probably going from age. :(

[mehullica]

Buy a cheap voltmeter and connect it to the battery. Run the high beams, flashers, blower on high, wipers on fast. The voltage should not drop below 12.4 at idle.

[DaveMcKenz]

Buy a cheap voltmeter and connect it to the battery. Run the high beams, flashers, blower on high, wipers on fast. The voltage should not drop below 12.4 at idle.

If it drops below 12.4V what would the problem be?

Thanks

[Randerso]

My SC400 has 240,000 miles. In that time I have had 3 alternator failures - none of them indicated by an instrument panel indication.

[duscarter]

I was following the instuctions from (http://www.lextreme.com/alternator.html) on removing my alternator. I was checking my fuses and noticed that the A120 fuse was busted. Someone had twisted the two pieces of metal together to make the connection. Could this be causing my problem? I need to borrow a buddy's jack stands if I want to get under the car to remove the alternator. The nut and bolt you access from the top are easy, so i don't think the one on the bottom should be too bad. I just don't want to spend the money rebuilding an alternator if it doesn't need it.

[jzz30]

most places will test to see if your alternator is acutally bad before rebuilding!

[duscarter]

Got up under the car today and you can definatly see where PS fluid leaked on the alternator. Does anyone have advice on how to get that clip out? I also wish I could see Monarch's cover he put over his alternator. I don't want to do this again.