Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.

I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.

Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?

Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles


Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

It is your CD player. If the alternator was at fault the battery would not
charge and the lights would be dim and the heater/ac fan would be slow, etc,
etc.


"Agent Smith" <asmith@matrix.com> wrote in message
news:7ojgnv466dtkclfqg18mm3e74502n51gif@4ax.com...
> My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
> was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
> It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
> and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.
>
> I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
> play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
> quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.
>
> Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
> Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
> and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?
>
> Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles
>
>
> Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

It is your CD player. If the alternator was at fault the battery would not
charge and the lights would be dim and the heater/ac fan would be slow, etc,
etc.


"Agent Smith" <asmith@matrix.com> wrote in message
news:7ojgnv466dtkclfqg18mm3e74502n51gif@4ax.com...
> My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
> was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
> It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
> and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.
>
> I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
> play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
> quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.
>
> Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
> Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
> and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?
>
> Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles
>
>
> Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

It is your CD player. If the alternator was at fault the battery would not
charge and the lights would be dim and the heater/ac fan would be slow, etc,
etc.


"Agent Smith" <asmith@matrix.com> wrote in message
news:7ojgnv466dtkclfqg18mm3e74502n51gif@4ax.com...
> My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
> was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
> It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
> and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.
>
> I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
> play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
> quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.
>
> Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
> Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
> and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?
>
> Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles
>
>
> Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

I'd reflow all the radio solder joints, especially the larger capacitors.

Detailed explanation: Remember in the old days when a kid accidentally
kicked a wire off your tube radios and the audio slowly fades away in ten
seconds. The same capacitor that powers the unit powers the audio.

I believe within the audio stage of your equipment the capacitor looses the
power that
charges it and fades as you turn in on. I believe your pre-amp or amp did
not detect a source (tape, radio, etc) that has been switched on or the
solder joints are bad, and not provide enough continuous current. But
charges itself very slowly and dies under load.

To find this capacitor by intuition, try this. For example, If a capacitor
discharges when you turn it on then that means you can find it by testing
the
voltages on each capacitor before and after near the audio area. The audio
area has lots of capacitors and a large IC. I'd found mine which someone
knocked the capacitor around several times and loosen the joints. I'd glued
it down.
Koji

>My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
>was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
>It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
>and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.
>
>I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
>play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
>quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.
>
>Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
>Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
>and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?
>
>Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles
>
>
>Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

I'd reflow all the radio solder joints, especially the larger capacitors.

Detailed explanation: Remember in the old days when a kid accidentally
kicked a wire off your tube radios and the audio slowly fades away in ten
seconds. The same capacitor that powers the unit powers the audio.

I believe within the audio stage of your equipment the capacitor looses the
power that
charges it and fades as you turn in on. I believe your pre-amp or amp did
not detect a source (tape, radio, etc) that has been switched on or the
solder joints are bad, and not provide enough continuous current. But
charges itself very slowly and dies under load.

To find this capacitor by intuition, try this. For example, If a capacitor
discharges when you turn it on then that means you can find it by testing
the
voltages on each capacitor before and after near the audio area. The audio
area has lots of capacitors and a large IC. I'd found mine which someone
knocked the capacitor around several times and loosen the joints. I'd glued
it down.
Koji

>My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
>was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
>It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
>and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.
>
>I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
>play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
>quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.
>
>Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
>Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
>and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?
>
>Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles
>
>
>Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

I'd reflow all the radio solder joints, especially the larger capacitors.

Detailed explanation: Remember in the old days when a kid accidentally
kicked a wire off your tube radios and the audio slowly fades away in ten
seconds. The same capacitor that powers the unit powers the audio.

I believe within the audio stage of your equipment the capacitor looses the
power that
charges it and fades as you turn in on. I believe your pre-amp or amp did
not detect a source (tape, radio, etc) that has been switched on or the
solder joints are bad, and not provide enough continuous current. But
charges itself very slowly and dies under load.

To find this capacitor by intuition, try this. For example, If a capacitor
discharges when you turn it on then that means you can find it by testing
the
voltages on each capacitor before and after near the audio area. The audio
area has lots of capacitors and a large IC. I'd found mine which someone
knocked the capacitor around several times and loosen the joints. I'd glued
it down.
Koji

>My audio has been acting strange. When I turn on my CD player (which
>was installed by Honda) it starts to "fade away" with a distorsion.
>It's like when you run a tape player or a CD player off of batteries,
>and the batteries discharge then music gets distorted.
>
>I'd turn the CD player off, then back on after a while and it would
>play Ok for like 10 seconds but then distorsion creeps in again and it
>quickly dies to the point that you can't hear anything.
>
>Now, I had the battery checked, and it was ok. Is this the alternator?
>Is it just not charging? If this is the case, what are other symptoms
>and how do I make sure the alternator is at fault here?
>
>Car info: Civi 97, 60K miles
>
>
>Thanks for any insight!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:06:54 GMT, "BillW" <TheDuck@pond.net>
scribbled:

>It is your CD player. If the alternator was at fault the battery would not
>charge and the lights would be dim and the heater/ac fan would be slow, etc,
>etc.

Not to mention that the car wouldn't start.

--
Phillip Weston
Taumarunui, New Zealand

Remove the obvious spamblock to reply via e-mail.

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:06:54 GMT, "BillW" <TheDuck@pond.net>
scribbled:

>It is your CD player. If the alternator was at fault the battery would not
>charge and the lights would be dim and the heater/ac fan would be slow, etc,
>etc.

Not to mention that the car wouldn't start.

--
Phillip Weston
Taumarunui, New Zealand

Remove the obvious spamblock to reply via e-mail.

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:06:54 GMT, "BillW" <TheDuck@pond.net>
scribbled:

>It is your CD player. If the alternator was at fault the battery would not
>charge and the lights would be dim and the heater/ac fan would be slow, etc,
>etc.

Not to mention that the car wouldn't start.

--
Phillip Weston
Taumarunui, New Zealand

Remove the obvious spamblock to reply via e-mail.

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

Looks like I found the answer to this puzzle. I had a repar shop in my
neighborhood load test my battery. It turns out the battery is in perfect
shape. It's the alternator that is not charging all the way. :( I'm glad
it's charging at last partially or I'd be stuck big time by now. If I'm not
mistaken, CD consumes much more power than headlights which is why I didn't
suspect the alternator in the first place. I wonder if it isn't a little too
soon for an alternator to go dead at only 60K on a Honda...

I guess replacing the alternator is the next step. Do you guys know a good
place on the web to buy an alternator?

Thank you all for input!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

Looks like I found the answer to this puzzle. I had a repar shop in my
neighborhood load test my battery. It turns out the battery is in perfect
shape. It's the alternator that is not charging all the way. :( I'm glad
it's charging at last partially or I'd be stuck big time by now. If I'm not
mistaken, CD consumes much more power than headlights which is why I didn't
suspect the alternator in the first place. I wonder if it isn't a little too
soon for an alternator to go dead at only 60K on a Honda...

I guess replacing the alternator is the next step. Do you guys know a good
place on the web to buy an alternator?

Thank you all for input!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

Looks like I found the answer to this puzzle. I had a repar shop in my
neighborhood load test my battery. It turns out the battery is in perfect
shape. It's the alternator that is not charging all the way. :( I'm glad
it's charging at last partially or I'd be stuck big time by now. If I'm not
mistaken, CD consumes much more power than headlights which is why I didn't
suspect the alternator in the first place. I wonder if it isn't a little too
soon for an alternator to go dead at only 60K on a Honda...

I guess replacing the alternator is the next step. Do you guys know a good
place on the web to buy an alternator?

Thank you all for input!

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

Buy the Honda alternator. I'm on my 3rd aftermarket alternator in four
years. Kept telling myself I may not have the car that much longer, etc.
etc. etc. It's been between 75k miles for those alternators. Needless to
say, I'm kicking myself in the ass for not getting the oem alternator. If
there is a shop that can replace the brushes in your current alternator that
may be the way to go.

If you want to buy the oem alternator online, I've dealt with both
www.hparts.com and www.hondaautomotiveparts.com . hparts is a bit cheaper
but the other one has an excellent web site with diagrams of the parts.
Hope this helps!

Good luck,
-Dave



"Agent Smith" <asmith@matrix.com> wrote in message
news:mZfeb.16567$Kq4.12819942@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv. net...
> Looks like I found the answer to this puzzle. I had a repar shop in my
> neighborhood load test my battery. It turns out the battery is in perfect
> shape. It's the alternator that is not charging all the way. :( I'm glad
> it's charging at last partially or I'd be stuck big time by now. If I'm
not
> mistaken, CD consumes much more power than headlights which is why I
didn't
> suspect the alternator in the first place. I wonder if it isn't a little
too
> soon for an alternator to go dead at only 60K on a Honda...
>
> I guess replacing the alternator is the next step. Do you guys know a good
> place on the web to buy an alternator?
>
> Thank you all for input!
>
>

Re: Civic alternator problem? --- Need an advice
 

Buy the Honda alternator. I'm on my 3rd aftermarket alternator in four
years. Kept telling myself I may not have the car that much longer, etc.
etc. etc. It's been between 75k miles for those alternators. Needless to
say, I'm kicking myself in the ass for not getting the oem alternator. If
there is a shop that can replace the brushes in your current alternator that
may be the way to go.

If you want to buy the oem alternator online, I've dealt with both
www.hparts.com and www.hondaautomotiveparts.com . hparts is a bit cheaper
but the other one has an excellent web site with diagrams of the parts.
Hope this helps!

Good luck,
-Dave



"Agent Smith" <asmith@matrix.com> wrote in message
news:mZfeb.16567$Kq4.12819942@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv. net...
> Looks like I found the answer to this puzzle. I had a repar shop in my
> neighborhood load test my battery. It turns out the battery is in perfect
> shape. It's the alternator that is not charging all the way. :( I'm glad
> it's charging at last partially or I'd be stuck big time by now. If I'm
not
> mistaken, CD consumes much more power than headlights which is why I
didn't
> suspect the alternator in the first place. I wonder if it isn't a little
too
> soon for an alternator to go dead at only 60K on a Honda...
>
> I guess replacing the alternator is the next step. Do you guys know a good
> place on the web to buy an alternator?
>
> Thank you all for input!
>
>