I am pretty sure that it did. I put a brand new battery in it on Monday because it died over the weekend...I couldnt figure out why seeing as I hadn't touched the car over the weekend....but then, I later found that the light on the bottom of the mirror was on (I didn't find this until Monday night...long after the new battery was put in, and my good old Die Hard had long been traded for an O'Reilly battery). Ok, fine, like a dumbass, I killed my battery, so I bought a new one.

Yesterday, I notice while starting it, it would chug a little before the car would fire, and I was noticing that the guage on the dash wasn't reading worth a crap. Well, I figured that I would go out a drive the car for a half hour to an hour to put some charge back in the battery...This of course was at night when I was running headlights, and all the power sucked itself out and the car died. I had a buddy come jump me, and while trying to limp home the juice was just pulling itself out....I had to drive home with no headlights on and people yelling at me and flashing me (no *****, dammit). I also had to run a red light with cameras on it(hope they didnt see me)...and of course, as soon as I got it to my girlfriends house, it died. When I turn the key on, my electronics work, and the guage reads that there is juice, but it won't turn over at all. Without the car on, the dome light comes on and all that too, soooo......

So, my question is, is this the alternator...I figure it is seeing that the car has about 117xxx on it and as far as I know, this is the original one.

If that is the case, are these a bitch to do, because I am about to find out this evening after school. I would imagine it'll be easy with my Haynes Manual. I just wish it would have died at my house....where all my f-ing tools are!

 

its very easy. couple of bolts. and a large screwdriver to put in slot and tighten belt.

if you can take it to autozone they will test and very its bad. and helps to buy new one so they can make sure its the same type.

 

A quick and easy way to check if your alternator is putting out, start the car and remove the negative battery terminal. If it dies, then you got a charging system problem. Doesn't hurt to take it in to get it checked either.

 

If you can drive it take it to autozone, they will do a all kinda of test for free that a garage charges for. Just note they don't check stuff after dark. Or walk the stuff in.

 

Or take it to O' Reilly Auto Parts, where I work , and we'll go to your car and check the alternator, but the car has to be running. If not, take the alternator out and bring it in, and they'll run the test. Chances are its caput and you need a new one lol. The regulator in it is probably going bad and barely putting anything out. Does is make noise? Could be a bearing as well.

 

Yeah...it made a noise alright. O'Reilly put it on the tester and it honked like an air horn. $123.00 and a half an hour after I started pulling it off the car was running again. I bought a new one...I figure it was worth it over the reman....I plan to have to change it again in another 115xxx. That was, by far the easiest fix ever...I wish they all went that smooth.