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Bad Alternator/High Idle? |
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Matt 
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Joined: 09 February 2008 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 448 |
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 Topic: Bad Alternator/High Idle?Posted: 10 November 2009 at 3:48pm |
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My "other other" car is a 1986 Honda Accord S. It's got a 1995cc engine, carburated and it's an auto.
The other day the alt dummy light started dimmly flashing on and off, and then she went solid and stayed solid. Around this time I noticed that the car started to idle high (2500-3000) in N and P, and would not kick down. In D is also stays high and makes it that much more difficult to stop. The battery has been draining slowly but then seems to charge as the lights will go dim one day and it will be hard to start and then all the next day it will start fine, however high idle is consistent. Sourced an Alt at Lordco for $250! I'm just wondering if anyone can think of a correlation between a bad alternator and high idle. *Noticed that the choke is a combo vacuum and electric. Everything else "electrical" in the car works fine. Also, is there anyway I can test the alternator? |
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I wanna go fast.
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Dr.Fiero
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Joined: 12 February 2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1726 |
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Posted: 10 November 2009 at 3:57pm |
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Pull it out, take it to NAPA - they have a tester.
Refurb one is: NEU 138341- about $160. |
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Patrick
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Joined: 19 April 2008 Location: Vancouver Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Posted: 10 November 2009 at 7:17pm |
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I have no idea if the alternator in a Honda is in any manner similar to the Delco unit in a GM product, but sometimes all that's needed to get an alternator running 100% is a set of brushes and maybe a diode trio. Total cost... about five bucks. There are any number of online sites that cover alternator testing. You can start with This one and That one.
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Matt
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Joined: 09 February 2008 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 448 |
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Posted: 13 November 2009 at 11:24pm |
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Figured it out, although it's not done.
The alternator is on it's way out. This poor alternator is producing less amps (or volts, not sure of the correct term) than what's it's supposed to. The choke is a vacuum based system that works on electricity heating the appropriate parts of the choke system. With the poor alternator it wasn't heating it properly which lead to the choke not functioning properly, which lead to it idling at 3000rpm instead of it's regular 1000rpm. All I have to do now is get the alternator out of the engine bay. The book says I have to remove the drivers side axel. (stupid honda's)  |
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I wanna go fast.
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Dr.Fiero
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Joined: 12 February 2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1726 |
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Posted: 14 November 2009 at 6:56am |
Along with pulling the CV shaft, you also sometimes have to rock the engine over to squeak them out. Stupid setup, for sure.... |
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Matt wrote: