Taking Bets.

[Gunther1000]

I have a gremlin with the 2000 V-8 LS.

It seems that somehow a little monster has jumped onboard.

Yesterday just before shutting the car down I noticed a slight power drop, you know lights seemed dim, dash lights also, then boom the radio goes out.

Went into store, came out to a non cranking car (dead batt symptoms)
Hit up a stranger for a jump and boom in action.

Off to the auto parts store and the battery was load tested fine.

Car was fine for several starts and runs after.

Then this morning it looses power while attempting to drive and it only allowed about 1/10 throttle for the motor to make any forward progress.

Dash lights, headlamps, radio all off while this happened.

On shoulder and the traction and ABS lights are on as well as most of the dash backlighting with the key OUT.

DOT worker attempted to jump and it started once, then stalled now just clicks.

It was towed to my local shop and we shall see what they say.

It's electrical so its out of my hands. To cold for that stuff!

Any guesses?

 

[FASTLLS]

Battery cables have too high resistance or damaged..

And a possible current draw somewhere..

 

[Gunther1000]

Battery cables have too high resistance or damaged..

And a possible current draw somewhere..

Hmm, I was thinking current draw myself.

Car has been pretty much untouched and trouble free untill this came out of no where. Fingers crossed its a relay and they find it fast.

 

[FASTLLS]

Hopefully..

 

[Gunther1000]

shop just called, they swear its the alternator.

Claims to have placed it on a machine that told him its def bad.

$660 to replace.

 

[scjmc]

DO OH! Those alternators are a pain to change. I have done mine twice.

 

[Gunther1000]

DO OH! Those alternators are a pain to change. I have done mine twice.

$300 to just do the swap sound about right to you or should I beat them up a little over it?

 

[FASTLLS]

Maybe a bit high imo

 

[Willow9238]

Yes, changing the alternator is pain in the ass, but well worth doing it yourself. You could even get good at it, like some of us have, and get it out less than half an hour. It isn't worth spending $300 for an alternator swap IMO.

 

[BlackLS06]

Go to a different shop.

 

[FASTLLS]

Agreed

 

[Gunther1000]

We worked it out for $380. Fair enough for me
At this moment, but still a kick to the nuts kinda
Day when you throw $120 for the tow in but again
Fair IMO. They both did their jobs to perfection and
On very short notice.

 

[jetstang]

We worked it out for $380. Fair enough for me
At this moment, but still a kick to the nuts kinda
Day when you throw $120 for the tow in but again
Fair IMO. They both did their jobs to perfection and
On very short notice.

Exactly, sucks, but you should have driven straight to a shop/autozone after you got the first jump. I get the cars towed to my house using insurance, not to a shop if I get a breakdown which hasn't happened for years. Once you give the shop your car you are obliged to let them do there thing, especially if you want it back quick and tell them that. If they do the diagnostic work which is 99% of the work, they already earned money, but don't get paid if they don't do the repair.
I'm a service tech, sucks when you tell people what is wrong and they go else where for the fix, and you are left out and did all the work.. But, my customers pay for diagnostics..
Isn't the alternator right up top?

 

[oddball]

jetstang, alternator is on the bottom, hard to get at the bolts, hard to maneuver past the lower control arm.
Certainly can be done at home. Note that the front suspension MUST be loaded to get the alternator out. Hanging the wheel leaves you with just a coupe of mm's short, at least on my 2002.
The stock replacement alternator runs for about $100 IIRC. As usual, it's a special part. Small case 6G with special mounting provisions.