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Alternator / Battery Headache.

6K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  fastwrx4me 
#1 ·
I've got an 03 WRX that won't keep a charge on the battery.

I've spent the last two weeks installing 3 (soon to be 4) alternators because as soon as the alternator is installed it's dead. Today, I had the battery completely charged before I installed Alternator #3. Had it checked for a bad cell as well...

As the alternator test is conducted: At Idle I'm putting out just over 12.8V, which would be great, but as soon as I hit the gas and bring it up to 2k rpm, my Volts drop to 10-something and then level out in the mid 11's. All the while the Alternator is putting out a pathetic 2.2-5 Amps!

Both the Battery & Alternator are from Advanced Auto Parts, but with swapping 3 Alternators, and having to recharge my battery every other day.... something else has to be going on. I've 2x and 3x checked for loose wires, cleaned the terminals on my battery, everything short of replacing the entire fuse box & wire cluster.

At this point I'm open to any suggestions.
 
#2 ·
Do you have anything done to the car at all? Sound system, or been in or around any electrical things as of late? Im not much for electronics, but when I had a system in my Cougar I had replaced 3 alternators before finding a damaged ground and that was the problem with it.
 
#3 ·
Mods Include : Turbo back exhaust, clutch & Flywheel.

Nothing as far as electrical. However -

Back on Coil Pack #3 (back left when looking @ the engine from the front of the car) there's some type of ground (I'm assuming) that makes contact w/ the bolt that holds the coil pack in place. That "ground" if that's what it is, wasn't secured, probably from when I did my spark plugs a few 100 miles ago, and so I fixed that last night. But, it doesn't appear to have solved the problem.
 
#4 ·
Can you test the relay? You did say that the fuses are good right? It sounds like an electrical issue to me. Check for any chaffing in the wires from the alternator and the battery. Check to see if the battery is grounded as well. Check all your grounds. Have you checked the tension on your belts?

Im just throwing some ideas out there.

Engine Breakup - NASIOC
 
#6 ·
This was happening to a friend of mine after we did his clutch and flywheel. Check the ground that should be bolted to a bracket on the starter. We left it disconnected because we got in a hurry.

The cable attached to the coilpack is NOT a ground, it is the front 02 sensor cable.
 
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