1991 240 se dying issues

[bubb rubb]

so heres what happened, i go to my car after school and my dim lights were on, battery is dead... so i jump the car, at first i cant get anything then it starts rumbling and literally shaking the car back and forth then it starts... we let it run and disconnect the cables, it dies instantly.

we rejumped it and it started fine and we let it run for a long time. the whole time it made a knocking type of noise like something was loose or maybe disconnected, we took them off... it stayed on for probably 30 seconds then complete power loss. so next time i tried disconnecting it and seeing if it just needed some driving and i put it in reverse and pulled down another street and it dies when i try turning around. So i pushed it over to the side and left it...

any suggestions inqueries about what is going on?

basically a new battery btw, couple months old (crappy cheap one tho)

[vancouverbc]

Why caused you to buy a new battery a couple months ago?

[bubb rubb]

well it was an old battery that didnt hold a charge or so we thought...

[vancouverbc]

I would get a hydrometer to test battery. They are only 5 bucks. Also, a digital multimeter for about 20 bucks. a battery booster/jumper would also be good investment.

Alternator test using volt meter:

1.turn headlights on for 15-20 seconds to remove surface charge2.measure voltage across battery when engine off3.turn off all electrical loads ie wiper ,etc4.start engine and increase speed to 1500 rpm5.measure voltage across battery with engine steady at 1500 rpm

the voltage reading should be at least .5 volt higher with engine running. if voltage goes up more than 2.5 volts, alternator overcharging.

You can also test with engine running with lights on at 2000 rpm. the voltage should increase at least .5 volts

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq.htm

[bubb rubb]

thank you... and also could it be possible that my alarm, could be killing it? cause i had set my alarm then it died... and idk what happened but do you think that the kill on the alarm might have something to do with it possibly?

[vancouverbc]

thank you... and also could it be possible that my alarm, could be killing it? cause i had set my alarm then it died... and idk what happened but do you think that the kill on the alarm might have something to do with it possibly?

Your engine wouldnt respond to a jump if that was the case. If you are saying the alarm is draining the battery, Im not sure how that happens or how common that is. I assume bad wiring.

[bubb rubb]

well now we towed it to the house so hopefully ill just go through the list we may have cancelled out the alarm but im gonna test the battery and then the alternator and finaly some fuses and just see whats up cause its all electrical

[bubb rubb]

well it wasnt the alternator it was the fuse for the alternator... all 24$ of it to replace and now it runs great woot woot

[vancouverbc]

well it wasnt the alternator it was the fuse for the alternator... all 24$ of it to replace and now it runs great woot woot

I never thought of that. I wonder what caused the fuse to blow in the first place. The car was operating with no alternator. Good reminder to alwayscheck fuses first.