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Alternator going bad..help

Discussion in '308/328' started by climb, Dec 10, 2007.

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  1. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
    4,866
    Atlantic Beach Fl
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    #1 climb, Dec 10, 2007
    Changed battery last week and all seemed well till the car started sputtering just after driving at low speeds and at idle. Seems fresh battery got me five or six around town drives. Took car to the NAPA where i bought battery and they tested the alternator and got a 13.5 rating with the engine running. Light doesn't come on while driving but the sputtering scares me so i'm putting trickle charge on battery each time i drive for now.

    Tension on belt seems fine and i hear no slipping or squeal.

    Did anyone ever find a cheep replacement alternator and actually use in in FI 308? Read other threads and found nothing conclusive about replacements.

    1980 308 gtsi.

    Any advice other than remove alt and have it rebuilt??

    thanks
     
  2. Darolls

    Darolls F1 Veteran
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    Jul 2, 2003
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    Sparky
    #2 Darolls, Dec 10, 2007
    13.5-14v is normal output.

    Did you also check output with accs. on (headlights etc)? Also, does the battery lose its charge?
     
  3. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    Apr 27, 2001
    5,516
    Duluth, MN
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    The Meister
    #3 Meister, Dec 10, 2007
    How old are your plug wires??

    last summer I had some sputtering/missing at low speed and idle.

    Replaced/made a new set of wires w/ new extensions and was good to go.

    Perhaps the voltage regulator on the Alt is (occasionally) bad??
     
  4. 348SStb

    348SStb F1 Rookie
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    Apr 9, 2004
    2,991
    Palm Beach County, FL or Nassau County, NY
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    Dave
    #4 348SStb, Dec 10, 2007
    Removal and rebuilt all together shouldn't cost you more than $250, so don't panic in case you find that the alternator is shot.
     
  5. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
    4,866
    Atlantic Beach Fl
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    #5 climb, Dec 10, 2007
    I've got a reciept from 2004 showing an alternator and regulator rebuild and a follow up diagnostic: charging at 13.9 at idle. Plug wires, rotors, caps and coil wires replaced at Ron Tonkin in 2004. Magnecor brand.

    After a trickle charge on the new battery i took a drive for about 20 min. stopped at NAPA and again at UPS( turned off car both times ) then drove straight with only a few stop lights.
    Got home put the trickle charger on and it took a half hour to get it the green light on the battery charger to turn on. I'm thinking it's slowly using more of the battery than it's giving back to it and eventually it will die while driving. First sputter took place about a quarter mile from my house. I pulled car back in garage and charged the battery (old). Second one happened last night (new battery) after driving to my parents about 3 miles away. Visited, got in started it up and turned on lights and got the sputter. Turned off lights and radio and kept hitting the throttle to keep revs up a little and made it home with only the one sputter. Both times i put the charge on.

    Do any of the relays correspond with the alt or regulator??

    Guess i could check for sputtering just after a fresh charge. If it's doing it just afer a green on the charger then it raises the chances. it's something else i'd think.
     
  6. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
    4,866
    Atlantic Beach Fl
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    #6 climb, Dec 10, 2007
    Ok..Just got it again this time while idling in garage ( door open of course). Able to clear it with two blips of the throttle. Short drive with several stops and no more sputters.

    Thinking it's ignition/fuel related as the charge was fresh.

    Think i'll start by changing the plugs.

    What is the # for the iridium(spell?) plugs i've heard good things about??
     
  7. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    Apr 27, 2001
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    The Meister
    #7 Meister, Dec 10, 2007
    Intrested to see where this goes....

    Hope you find the gremlin soon!

    AFAIK, lots of "short" trips seem to take more away from the battery than they give.

    Probably no relavance, but recently I put the 308 to sleep along with the others. It's been very cold here (Northern MN), and it took a long time to for the car to come up to temp/idle and as such for the alt to kick in and start to charging the battery. In fact the car died twice while idleing, and I needed to throw the charger on it to get it going again. Point of my story is that (obviously I'm in a much colder climate), but 10+ minutes of running the car prior to the alt kicking in ran down the battery enough to where I couldn't even turn it over.

    I'm no expert, but perhaps it's time for the "italian tune-up" =) High revs, spirited driving, drive it like you stole it.

    BTW, if you don't mind whats the serial # of your 80'? mines early at 31311.

    Best of luck
     
  8. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
    4,866
    Atlantic Beach Fl
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    #8 climb, Dec 10, 2007
    #32175 May 1980.

    Been good so far.

    Fixed an exhaust leak earlier and put test pipes on due to clogged cats. 1400 miles in 8 months.
     

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