BOOOOO on my cadi!!!!

mysedan · #1 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 06:49 AM

Shame on it....I am driving home last night and I had to stop off and get a water....2 mins I swear! It was running just fine...come back out...and it wont start. grrrrr. Tinkered all night and looked forever to get a jump....funny how people just dont help no more....its like 5 am before 1 person would even try and help...anyways...battery dead as they come...4 months old!!!!! I had to fight all damn day to get a warrantied one...long story but I eventually got it...go back wiht my opos who was cool enough to come pick me up at like 6 am....I had been up all night at that point and was pretty beat in by then....put the battery in and we get...............SMOKE!!!!(at the NEG batt side...lil weird) Well I get the cables back off before anything explodes...they are BLAZING HOT....start taking the wiring down for the battery....on the neg wire is a bolted on looking thingy....that just fell off....well theres hope right? WRONG. the positive looks like hell all the way to the starter but nothing seems to look like it was touching/shorting out anywheres.....lets keep looking....on a whim I sniff the ALT....sure as hell smells burnt up....remove the wire (and stupid me forgot the batt was still connected...DUH!) and the wire starts arcing against the AC lines.....whoopsy....get the cables back off again....and tape up the wire for the alt....well whadya know...it freaking fires right up...reconnect the ALT....and there we go with ole smoky again. Hmmm....sounds like a ALT, most likely is the ALT....but them cables look like hell also....crap.

I also have decided I am pretty much through with whatever this guy did to this car....Im tired man....I spent a whole damn night stuck 40 miles from home with no way to get there....so I was not in a pleasant mood....then tonight my GF decides we arent getting things fixed to her liking and we are through and split up.....aw crap....oh well....time to move on then I guess.....so that just adds to the day and the week of crap I have had.

So I am selling the car....KBB says 2510 in FAIR shape...thats what I am gonna post it for (and I have had a trade offer already but its for a even OLDER truck....and I dont think I wanna deal with that....could be great but I just cant deal with that stuff right now).....so i gotta get this ALT business taken care of and then its off to whoever.

time for a smaller and more efficient car for awhile.

cadillac_al · #2 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 07:52 AM

Bummer, I would call in sick today and get drunk all day. A smaller more efficient car can still short an alternator and leave you stranded. I was at a garage the other day and a young girl came in with a small efficient car that smelled funny. The battery was smoking like a teapot. I've never seen one smoke like that but I have seen them blow up before so I didn't dare to go near it. It can happen to any car I guess.

codewize · #3 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 08:53 AM

Yup I would say on a 95 most likely with 150,000 miles on it, it's probably time to replace the alternator. I have to say I've never seen one do that and I imagine it's not all that common but you can't be mad at the car because the alternator went bad or someone did something stupid that caused it.

Is there a crazy stereo in the car with 700 amps in the trunk? Adding aftermarket crap is probably the number one alternator killer.

Replace the cables and alternator and enjoy the car. Don't' get crazed over it.

mysedan · #4 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 01:25 PM

all stereo is removed.....there isnt one in there at all right. I have zero need for a big stereo like that any longer.

I know any car can cook a alt, fry up some cables....just gets tiring to deal with one after another...another thing putting off my AC repair and sorry to say...that means a whole lot more to me than the entire car does.

its just one after another it seems like, i have a big job interview coming up and I dont know if I will have the thing fixed by then...and if I get the job, how to get to work everyday....since I cant trust this car right now. I am needing something just more efficient and reiable...not saying I dont have the reliable engine and all.....but I cant take a repair a week right now either.

codewize · #5 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 05:09 PM

I don't blame you and I can true;y relate. Here's how I handled the same situation.

I took the car to my mechanic and said look, go over the car with a fine tooth comb. Tell me what needs to be done now and tell me what can wait.

I need the car to be safe and reliable.

When you get the answer back that will give you a dollar amount to base your decision on. It may be time to let the car go. Unfortunately some of them get to that point.

mysedan · #6 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codewize

I don't blame you and I can true;y relate. Here's how I handled the same situation.

I took the car to my mechanic and said look, go over the car with a fine tooth comb. Tell me what needs to be done now and tell me what can wait.

I need the car to be safe and reliable.

When you get the answer back that will give you a dollar amount to base your decision on. It may be time to let the car go. Unfortunately some of them get to that point.

I feel mine is there for me on that point....besides the pains of seeing it everyday because its reminding me of someone i cared about and i got the car for longer trips for us to be comfy in....have a family with...etc.....now I am back to being single and I just have no need for a car this big really....it just takes up space now. In fact since I got it home...it hasnt moved. I am in between working so money going out is not a good factor at all....just more is stacked against the car really then I wish it was. Time to get a truck or a smaller car, get my work back up online, fix what I can from my past and move on forward.

I will still check in from time to time....really enjoy this site and learned alot