GetFRESH is a moron: Battery light on during acceleration? wtf?

[GetFRESH!]

Ok... yes as stated in my dash clock/cd player thread, I am a confirmed dumbass, but that's besides the point.

I recently got my car out of paint... during which it sat for over a month. Maybe it was cranked up every once in a while, maybe not. I'm not sure. Anyhoo, the next day after getting it back my battery light flickered a little before going home for the night. I was like "wtf? fuck it I'm tired" and went to sleep. Next morning my shit won't crank. Jump start it and get to work. Few hours later tried to crank and no go. Pulled the battery and hooked it up to a charger at work for ~4 hours. Put it in and shit's all good. Later that day, flossin down Veterans Parkway the battery light starts flickering AGAIN, only with moderate accelaration. Make a few stops, flickering the whole time, yet always cranks up even after it sits parked for an hour or so. Could this mean the alternator is bad? Battery is only a few months old and is holding a charge, and I heard if you crank the car and disconnect the positive terminal, if it still runs then it's not the alternator because it's putting out enough amps to run the car. Well I did this and it kept running so I dunno what the F. Could it be a bad ground somewhere? I checked around and didn't see anything out of place. This alternator has given me problems in the past, but I just wanted to make sure before I buy something I don't need. Again... apologies for the discombobluated mess of a description.

Any takers?


Also maybe another important tid bit of information that I'm not very proud to admit :

I changed a headlight bulb when I got the car back from paint, during which I slid the powersteering pump reservoir out of its bracket to provide me with more room to change said blub... and my dumbass forgot to put it back in place. SO... I drove for about a day or so with the bottom of the PS reservoir scraping against the PS pulley... which runs to the alternator. Maybe this could have put a strain on the alternator? And yes... I know, I'm a dumbass.

[AnthonyF]

I would prob replace the alternator first. If it doesn't solve the problem, return it.

Next could be a loose ground somewhere. Check ALL GROUNDS.

-Ant.


edit- did they paint your engine bay?

[GetFRESH!]

^He sprayed the radiator support and strut towers, but nothing was stripped or disconnected as far as i know.

I checked all the grounds that I could see/get to and everything looked to be in place.

I'll probably just stick a new alternator in there tomorrow. I work at an autoparts distribution warehouse so I can get one for ... just don't wana spend the cash if I don't have to ya know?

Like I said before, I think at one point some moisture got into this alternator for one reason or another and it's given me this same problem with draining the battery and all. Perhaps this is it's way of telling me it's ready to walk into the white light and get burried in a core bank somewhere. lol.

[six7teen]

so.... how does the car look andrew?? i might be swingin by on veterans tomorrow, lol...

[dc 4eva guy]

/bad relay

[AnthonyF]

Also, make sure your belt is tight. If you rev and the belt slips causing it to not turn the alternator it could throw a battery light.

-Ant.

[Barefoot]

check your belt make sure its not old and cracked.
pull the alt. take an have it tested.

come back with results.