'93 SUDDENLY DIED! HELP, ASAP!!

[countrygrl]

Hi guys! Need some help, please! My '93 Infinity has no idiot lights to tell me if the battery is charging or not. I had an old battery, and was having trouble starting my car. The other day, someone gave me a newish Marine battery. Car started better than ever! Drove it 2 days, then suddenly, the radio went dead and 1/4 mile later the car died! How do I check to see if the alternator is working? Is there any other module or anything that I should check,nthat would cause the car to die suddenly? Is there a brush kit available for the alternator?'
Im currently stuck out in the country with no other vehicle, so this is urgent!
Thanks for your help!

[N/A Q45]

If you can get a good battery and start it there's a pretty good chance you either have a bad connection or a bad alternator. You can test the alternator with the car running. If you have a friend that can help you, rev it to 1000rpm get a volt meter and measure the voltage at the battery with no load (should say around 14v), then turn everything on like rear defrost, radio, heater, lights ect if it goes less then 13 there's something not working right with the alternator, unless you're in my situation where I have a some extras on the car that draw to much for the alternator at low rpm, going to put a smaller pully on today see if it helps. Mine would say 14.4v no load at idle and 11.85v under load (everything on) at idle, funny thing is I just took it to a buddys altanator shop and the alternator is just fine, just not able to produce enough at low rpm so if I spin it faster in should be fine. Maybe you have some extras on your car?

[countrygrl]

Thank you! I actually do not have any extras on my car, so now I know how to test it! My late husband did all my mechanics, and I am fairly mechanically inclined! I thank you for your info! I knew there was a way to check, but did not remember how! You just made my day! I learn something new every day!

[N/A Q45]

Ya np, and I the pully size was the problem for me the voltage is fine for mine now. But if you don't have any major extras like you said then either the engine grounds are not enough (was also a problem for me on many cars) if it's not grounded right it won't charge right and you will think you have a bad alternator. So you should get atleast 3 good 4gauge wires and run them from the engine to the chassis with good clean connecting points.

[BadQ45t]

You can take the car to Sears and they will test it for you a in 2 minutes. While I wouldn't do any auto service at Sears I have done plenty of batteries over the years there. Of course they want to sell you a battery, any other mechanic can do the same test for free quickly and easily.

[maxnix]

I had an old battery, and was having trouble starting my car. The other day, someone gave me a newish Marine battery.

Cheaping out or under specification battery is the road to alternator replacement.

Get a new correctly sized battery and hope you haven't done any damage.

[black g50]

My old Gal also died on me 2 days ago at a off ramp.The only 2 indications something were wrong was 2 strong vibrations and higher idle speed then she shut off.Had to quickly jump out n try to push her to side of the road,lucky for me a passing car stopped and helped me get to the side.Did not have a low charge indication.