# Alternator **URL:** \ **Category:** Canada Nissan Automotive\ **Created:** [May 17, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055 "2005-05-17T07:14:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LeRenard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@LeRenard](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LeRenard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/1 "2005-05-17T07:14:57Z")
What kind of symptoms does an alternator show when it’s going? ---
**Author:** ![Z3NK1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e480ec/32.png) [@Z3NK1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Z3NK1)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/2 "2005-05-17T07:50:58Z")
My guess us it might cause voltage spikes, or you’d be able to see the voltage gauge drop while you’re driving, meaning the alternator isn’t charging like it’s supposed to. Every time you start it it would get a bit worse. I’ve never experienced such a thing though, for me they either work or don’t work lol. ---
**Author:** ![LeRenard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@LeRenard](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LeRenard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 9:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/3 "2005-05-17T09:42:50Z")
91 240sx does not have a voltage guage, only a low battery light. Reason I’m asking is because my battery keeps dying when my car is parked at night. Would it be my battery or my alternator. Once the car is started it doesn’t die. But the battery dies after being parked for like 8 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Z3NK1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e480ec/32.png) [@Z3NK1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Z3NK1)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/4 "2005-05-17T09:46:07Z")
Either the battery is toast or you have an electrical drain somewhere, installed any stereo stuff lately? Is there an alarm on the car? ---
**Author:** ![LeRenard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@LeRenard](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LeRenard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/5 "2005-05-17T09:50:59Z")
So that definitely wouldn’t be the alternator. I just don’t want to buy a battery and find out it’s the alternator. ---
**Author:** ![Z3NK1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e480ec/32.png) [@Z3NK1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Z3NK1)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 10:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/6 "2005-05-17T10:20:23Z")
Take the battery to canadian tire, and they’ll test it right there for you to see if it’s good or not. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RS13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RS13](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RS13)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/7 "2005-05-17T11:20:10Z")
Drive the car to Partsource and they should be able to do a whole charging system test for free. Saves taking the battery out and sests the whole system. Alternator, starter, battery the whole kaboodle ---
**Author:** ![LeRenard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@LeRenard](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LeRenard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 12:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/8 "2005-05-17T12:02:38Z")
Thanks guys, I took the battery to crappy tire and they tested it. It was pooched. Bought a new battery and installed it. We’ll see how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![geniusevil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e36b37/32.png) [@geniusevil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/geniusevil)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/9 "2005-05-17T19:02:32Z")
disconnect the battery while the car is running,if it keeps running its the battery,if it dies its the alternator ---
**Author:** ![Apexi240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Apexi240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Apexi240)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/alternator/139055/10 "2005-05-18T20:26:57Z")
If you have a voltmeter, with the car running, hook the volt meter up. If you have lower then 14.0V it’s getting weak. Before you do that though, make sure your belt is in good condition and tight FIRST.