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new alternator or starter???

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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 09:10 PM
  #1  
racleon's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 15
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From: Trenton NJ
Car: 89 Camaro RS
Engine: Caprice 305 tbi
Transmission: 5 speed manual
new alternator or starter???

Fellas help me put here. I had a new interstate battery in my camaro for a while and it worked evrytime i turned it on. a week later i tried to turn it on and all i kept hearing was this fast clicking sound and the car didnt start up so i charged the battery(even though it was new) and it started up. a few days later the same clicking sound came beck and it didnt sound like the starter was doing anything. I got one guy telling me i need a new starter and another guy telling me i need an alternator. Ive put in alot of money in this car so i dont have much to spare so if some one could tell me which one i need that would be great.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 09:24 PM
  #2  
rlrepitman's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Carson City, NV
Car: 1987 Camaro SC
Engine: LG4 305
Transmission: TH700R4
Using my best judgement I say it's the alternator. Your battery appears to not be receiving a charge from the alternator and is being drained when you use the vehicle. The starter solenoid will make a clicking sound upon attempting to start when the battery is discharged.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 09:53 PM
  #3  
sellmanb's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,840
Likes: 1
From: Tigard, Oregon
Car: '86 Berlinetta
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4
another vote for alternator. I doubt that it is charging your battery while the engine is going.

Instead of replacing it, I'd try to clean up the connections from your battery to your alternator.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 11:03 PM
  #4  
Stekman's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,803
Likes: 2
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Car: Z28
Engine: Sb2.2 406
Transmission: Jerico 4 speed
Axle/Gears: Ford 9" 3.60
I vote neither. Remove and clean all the connections and terminals between the battery and the starter solenoid. That means the positive post on the battery, both ends of the battery cable, and make sure the cable to solenoid connections are good.

if that fails, it's time for a new battery. But, since you say the battery is fairly new, I say clean things up.
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Old Sep 10, 2004 | 11:37 PM
  #5  
ME Leigh's Avatar
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,852
Likes: 1
From: Valley of the Sun
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: Al LT1 headed LG4 305
Transmission: TH350
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi with spacer
Along with that make sure you have a good ground directly to the engine block.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 01:25 AM
  #6  
Air_Adam's Avatar
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 9,067
Likes: 1
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Car: '83 Z28, '07 Charger SRT8
Engine: 454ci, 6.1 Hemi
Transmission: TH350, A5
Axle/Gears: 2.73 posi, 3.06 posi
Put the battery on a battery charger for a night, and see if anything changes. If it gets better, its your alternator for sure.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 04:14 PM
  #7  
littlebagz's Avatar
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 92
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From: Massachusetts
Car: 89 Z28
Engine: 350 with ads
Transmission: 700r4
Voltage drop

Also make sure that you do not have a draw on the battery when the key is off etc.

Yoou might have a short in a circut that is causing problems. With the car off disconnect the negative cable, and place a test light or multimeter between the neg poston battery and cable end, if the light comes on you have a draw.

While the light is on you can then pull fuses until light goes out to tell you what circuit is causing trouble....

best of luck
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