Is it Time for a New Alternator?
Every car parts are essential and play a vital role that allows your automobile to run properly, one of which is the alternator. It is the pivotal piece of the machinery that works with the battery to produce power for the electrical parts of the vehicle that will keep them all running. When the alternator malfunction, it can mean an inconvenience or expensive repairs. Now, does it still working? Or, is it time for a new alternator? How do you know?
Warning Signs for Alternator Failure
The lifespan of the alternator will depend on the car’s condition or how it’s being used, but one thing is for sure “it cannot last forever” as it does a tough job. Hence, be alarm if your vehicle shows the following warning signs.
A dashboard warning light
The battery light in the dashboard will usually come on when the computer detects that the electrical system has fallen down or below its requirement. Warning light usually means of a dead battery or the alternator itself have an issue.
A frequent vehicle jump start
One of the main jobs of the alternator is to provide enough charge of the battery, it signifies an issue if it will not be able to meet the vehicle’s electrical needs and will not be able to keep up the load requirements to start the engine. If your cars require a frequent jump start to bring it back to life, it shows that the alternator is beginning to have a problem or has failed.
A dim light
Another erratic alternator symptoms are dimming of lights or speedometer and tachometers that simply stop working for no reason. If you notice any sort of flickering lights when you switch on the ignition, it indicates that the alternator is not generating enough power to supply the vehicle’s electrical needs.
A “grinding” or “whining” sounds
Worn or broken car parts known that produced odd sounds like grinding or whining noise. Grinding sound usually due of damaged, dirty bearing inside the alternator. Also, if the pulley is not in correct alignment in the belt or if it’s canted on the shaft you’ll notice the same sounds that set as a warning
A bad smell
A misaligned pulley will often cause friction on the belt which creates heat and produced a bad smell of burning rubber. Hot wire scent often associated to an overheated alternator and will accompany failure.
Erratic electronics
The alternator is responsible for supplying electronic energy to your vehicle thus if you observed an over bright headlight or very dim if the speedometer completely fails or electronic windows breakdown it means to say that the alternator is experiencing issues.
A quick inspection
A quick inspection will help you to determine if your alternator is worn out or broken. Open the hood and check the engine compartment if a belt is too loose or too tight. If it shows cracking, excessive wear and other age issues it indicates a problem.
Considering that your alternator is broken and that you’ve noticed the above-mentioned warnings, the question is, are you going to buy a new one or rebuild it? If you are mechanically inclined, fixing it yourself is recommended as you might just replace some defective parts which are worth the time and is very cost effective.
How about getting from a junkyard for alternator replacement? Why not? All you need to do is ask assistance from our skilled mechanic, call (718) 297-9797 or like us on Facebook and see more tips beyond alternator.
