Hello guys. I've been having problems with my car getting power. Wher to start... Well I don't know what could be wrong the alternator or the battery. The lowbeams go dim and more dim, the odometer flickers and then it stops moving. My first guess was the alternator because it isn't charging up my battery and I charged my battery with a charger until it fully charged. I got another alternator and installed and it didn't fix anything. The battery is working but it slows dies out. My last guess is the voltage regulator. Maybe it isn't regulating the alternator therfore not starting up the alternator to charge the batter. Any ides luders?
I need my car function 100% so I can get to work and party! lol It's annoying having to charge it everyday manually.

- is the battery light (charging system light) on?
- is there voltage between the various terminals and such?
- there are also some fuses somewhere about charging system. Have you checked them?

does the engine die when the lights get really dim? a way to check the alternator is to start the car and disconnect either the positive or negative cable i cant remember which one at the moment. if its not the alternator or battery you most definitely have a short somewhere. kinda what it sounds like to me.

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current setup

93 prelude h22a4 swap
AEM short ram air intake
fidanza 2.1 performance clutch
dcsports 2 to 1 header
skunk2 mega power muffler
flowmaster high flow cat
skunk2 cams and cam gears
NGK iridium plugs.
Nology hotwire plug wires
fidanza 8lb flywheel
eibach coilovers
eagle alloys 17s

No the light isn't on. Yes thier is. Hmmm let me check that out. It wants to but it hasn;t died out on me. Possible :/ Do youguys know wher the fvoltage regulator is located?

did u have ur battery tested to see if its still good cuz it sounds like its just not holding a charge. if its still good then one thing you can do is get a voltmeter and check the voltage of ur battery when the car is running to see if the altenator is working properly, if it is the voltage should be around 14.2-14.6. if it is working correctly then u you have a parasitic draw (something thats constantly drawing power from the battery) somewhere which is causing the battery to drain when the cars not running.

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Cars are like women, they are sexy and demand/deserve a lot of upkeep

dont unplug the battrey when the car is on ur gonna fry the computer

tjsh22a4 knows what he is talking about.
a battery is there to help absorb any spikes in voltage as not to fry the computer.

The voltage regulator is part of your alternator.

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'89 Honda Prelude SI --- Project car and DD
'89 Chevy Celebrity --- Field Car
'89 Chevy Beretta --- POS
'94 Chevy c1500 --- Sleeper Mud Truck!

really now??? ive worked in a mechanic shop for two years now. my head mechanic has been licensed for 36 years we have never had a computer get fried because of this... yes if you put the terminals on backwards it could happen but never have i heard of it happening from just unhooking the battery... ive been ASE certified for over a year now...

__________________
current setup

93 prelude h22a4 swap
AEM short ram air intake
fidanza 2.1 performance clutch
dcsports 2 to 1 header
skunk2 mega power muffler
flowmaster high flow cat
skunk2 cams and cam gears
NGK iridium plugs.
Nology hotwire plug wires
fidanza 8lb flywheel
eibach coilovers
eagle alloys 17s

93vtechlude

you are right. but so wrong.
you are safe if you are careful and have nothing that will increase the RPMs. you increase the RPMS you increase the alternator output. you should be fine unhooking it to see, but don't have it off for an extended period of time.

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'89 Honda Prelude SI --- Project car and DD
'89 Chevy Celebrity --- Field Car
'89 Chevy Beretta --- POS
'94 Chevy c1500 --- Sleeper Mud Truck!

and make sure the terminal DOES NOT touch any part of the car while off. because that could possible fry your computer worst case scenario but it will more than likely short out.

__________________
current setup

93 prelude h22a4 swap
AEM short ram air intake
fidanza 2.1 performance clutch
dcsports 2 to 1 header
skunk2 mega power muffler
flowmaster high flow cat
skunk2 cams and cam gears
NGK iridium plugs.
Nology hotwire plug wires
fidanza 8lb flywheel
eibach coilovers
eagle alloys 17s

I was actually going to check my battery today. Yeah I figured out that the voltage regulator is on the alternator itself! haha Noob mistake. I disconnected my battery while my car was running and it wstill worked but I connected it back after like 3 sec.

All you guys on PRELUDEZONE rock man! Great tips and knowledge from all of you. Thanks. :)

I might be wrong but I know many times we have checked to see if the alternator or the battery was the problem by unhooking the negative lead and have never heard of anyone frying their computer. I'm not saying that it hasn't happened but this is the first time I have ever heard of it..

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I got my battery checked at autozone and it came out good... but I bought a new battery and my car is fine. 50 bucks to the drain lol

My car is theing the same s**t! I bought a new battery! A mechanic checked my car paid 10 bucks for him to tell me it was the battery bought a new battery and it's doing this **** again! It died out on me on the freeway but made it to a gas station and my brakes got hard but I made it.

make sure the cables on the alternator are tight and not corroded. if its dying it really sounds more like a bad alternator.

__________________
current setup

93 prelude h22a4 swap
AEM short ram air intake
fidanza 2.1 performance clutch
dcsports 2 to 1 header
skunk2 mega power muffler
flowmaster high flow cat
skunk2 cams and cam gears
NGK iridium plugs.
Nology hotwire plug wires
fidanza 8lb flywheel
eibach coilovers
eagle alloys 17s

Alright thanks man.