What's wrong with my car?!??!???
 

Hey guys once again I'm hear to seek the wise counsel of HS board monkeys. I tried to crank up my car today and it wouldn't crank. I thought it was out of batteries so I went and got an new one, an auto zone battery. And now the car would crank, but it dies on me every time I stop giving it gas-like when I shift gears or step on the breaks.:crazy: Any thoughts on what might be wrong? and would I be able to fix it with basic tools? Thanks.

what you described is typical of a dead alternator.. but if that were the case, a light would have come on on your dash..

using a multimeter, check your electrical system to see if the volatge is right and charging properly.

You do have an electrical problem.

Do you think it might be just a bad fuse? I don't see any lights on the dash board or anything like that. It cranks fine and sounds great. it just keeps on dying on me.

not likely..

you said before you changed the battery in wasnt starting, but was it cranking?
And if it wasnt cranking was it because you cranked so much that the battery died?

It was cranking very slowly and the lights on the dashboard were flashing. and then the cranking sound and the lights would fade and eventually phase out. all this would happen in about 1-5 sec. but when I changed the battery everything cranked fine, but the car just kept dying. I've never had any problems like this before. Could it be the battery? maybe it doesn't have enough amps?

sounds like the alternator

Yeah like he said Its your alternator. It seems like it does not want to keep a charge. Ya dont happen to have a big stereo hooked up do ya?? Im kind of going through the same thing. The rpms just kep dropping on me and it dies. Get your alternator checked out.

get a multimeter and check the alt!!!

Alright, thanks guys. are there any quick fixes?

a new alternator

alternator is poo poo, or your pressure in the fuel system is less than 36 psi

Is there anyway I can check the fuel pressure by myself? and on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it to replace an alternator. I'm a college student....kind of broke.

Um anyone?

new alternator time. i would not screw w/ anything else until you rule it out.

Take a multi-meter and get to the alternator and check it out. it is not hard to replace but to get one can be expensive. i would check it out first though :yes: :yes: :yes:

Alternator...trust me