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Charging Systems/Electrical
Your vehical is runs on a 12 volt system which powers everything from lights to your fuel pump
3 basic components in your electrical system
a. Battery: Your battery is the heart of the car without it nothing will power up. Makes alot of sense when you have low battery voltage and you car tends to do wierd things. Most batterys generally last 3- 5 yrs. You can have it checked at the parts store or repair shop to see if its good or not. Most no starts I see is a failed battery.
A simple way to avoid this is have you electrical system checked if you dont know how old your battery is.
Nothing ruins your day more than a car not starting, Extreme heat and cold weather can kill the lifespan of a typical battery. Sure signs of not starting is dim headlights or electric window wont roll down. Make sure there is no loose connection at battery terminal ends and no corrosion which can affect battery performance.
b. Alternator: While your battery keeps the your car powered up the battery needs to keep charged this is the only purpose of the alternator. When you have a battery light on the dash usually means the voltage out of alternator is non existant. A worn belt can slip and cause charging system problems too. A bad battery can actually damage a alternator because its not charging right. Use repair manual for proper installation and repair of alternator. As with your battery you can have you alternator checked at parts store or repair shop to see performance of alternator. Your typical alternator should put out at least 13.5-14.5 volts minimal.
c. Starter: This is the component that actually cranks up the engine when power is applied.
Starters are known to burn out the solenoids which engage it. Simple test but kinda crude is if you have good power to your headlights and your starter is clicking when you try to start it. Have someone tap on the starter with a hammer while you are starting it. Usually a sticking starter solenoid will actuate if tapped on. Also you can have that starter integrity checked out by your local parts store or repair shop. Prolong starting can burn up starter too meaning something else is wrong. "Cranking with no start" |
