One last time.......

**clg82** · 07-25-2007, 03:45 PM

I know that i have asked this question several times but i am yet to find an answer....here is my problem.......I have an a4 trans am and whenever I get on it and get about 5,000-6,000 rpm's my battery gauge immediatley goes into the yellow and my lights flicker. Is this an alternator problem? And does anyone know a good alternator to buy, because I called the pontiac dealer and they wanted $400.00 for a new one!! OUTRAGEOUS!! PLEASE HELP, ~Chris

**SteelmanLS1** · 07-25-2007, 05:00 PM

But if you really want to get one.. Just go to a O'Reilly's there close and buy their NEW one, not the reman.. It will come with a lifetime warranty and probably around 200$

**SStriker** · 07-25-2007, 05:08 PM

Honestly it sounds like your belt is slipping. Try cleaning all of your pulleys with brake clean and replacing the belt.

**clg82** · 07-25-2007, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by SStriker

Honestly it sounds like your belt is slipping. Try cleaning all of your pulleys with brake clean and replacing the belt.

how should I clean all the pulleys with brake cleaner? do i do it while the car is running? I called my mechanic and he said that is sounds like the alternator is going bad. Even when i'm at a stop light sometimes i will be sitting there and the volt meter will bob back and forth. Still sound like a belt is slipping? And how do I clean the pulleys with brake cleaner? with the car on or off? thanks for the help, chris

**SStriker** · 07-25-2007, 07:00 PM

car off, belt off. Just point and shoot.

THis is how i did mine and it works fine. It will remove any grease and dries quick.

Could be the alternator but your best bet is to try the cheaper things first.

**joejenkinsglass** · 07-25-2007, 07:24 PM

take it to the auto parts store hav the check the wholecharging system who knows it could be a bad ground good luck

**clg82** · 07-27-2007, 12:29 PM

well I took it to auto zone and they cheecked it and said everything was god, I guess I will try the belt cleaning wish me luck. any other suggestions before I clean the belts???

**GNICTRY** · 07-27-2007, 01:06 PM

Do you have any aftermarket items that draw power? You can test your altern. by undoing one terminal while car is running, if the car surges it may be going but not bad, if the car idles the same-its fine, if the car cuts off the altn. is bad

**clg82** · 07-27-2007, 01:52 PM

no aftermarket parts but I will try the battery thing. is it hard to take the belt off and put it back on to clean?

**GNICTRY** · 07-27-2007, 03:10 PM

not to bad, do you have access to a lift... You dont have any stereo upgrades, either,right?

**joejenkinsglass** · 07-27-2007, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by joejenkinsglass

take it to the auto parts store hav the check the wholecharging system who knows it could be a bad ground good luck

still could be a bad ground

**clg82** · 07-27-2007, 07:50 PM

no stereo upgrades. I have a jack and jack standsthat should be enough right?

**clg82** · 07-27-2007, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by joejenkinsglass

still could be a bad ground

where are all the ground located and how do I check if it is those or not?

**SStriker** · 07-27-2007, 10:00 PM

Belt comes right off, two seconds with a racket on the tensioner...

Just remove Lid and MAF so theres more room.

**0rion** · 07-28-2007, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by GNICTRY

Do you have any aftermarket items that draw power? You can test your altern. by undoing one terminal while car is running, if the car surges it may be going but not bad, if the car idles the same-its fine, if the car cuts off the altn. is bad

I used to do this also to check alternators until someone pointed out that it's not really a good idea on todays car due to all the electronics that are on the motors these days. Made sense so I stopped doing it.
I now put a volt meter across the terminals of the battery with the car running. It should read 14.4volts.

The description would immediately make me think this is belt related and that's where I would start. Do you ever hear the belt squeal at all when it's doing this? Might not be the belt but that would be the first place I would look. I would then look at the tensioner pulley next.

**joejenkinsglass** · 07-28-2007, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by clg82

where are all the ground located and how do I check if it is those or not?

with an all aluminum engine the ground is very critical I do not know where all of them are do yourself a favor and get a manual you can check them with a volt meter and no offense but if it were me I would take it to the shop if I had not figured it out by now it could cause more damage to the car from killing the battery,or alternater to the car burning and that would really suck good luck