Autozone saved my A$$

[TsherryUSA]

Just a short little story about last weekend. Sunday AM my friend and I climbed Mt. Adams in Washington. We got up at 11:30pm (saturday) and began our hike from the trailhead at 12:30am (sunday). Round trip it was ~12mi with near 7000' elevation gain. Conditions on the mountain were beautiful and we got a fantastic sunrise from the false summit.

For me the real adventure began while driving the extremely washboarded road out from the trailhead. Somewhere along all those bumps the battery light came on. I immediately shut off everything I could: no AC, no radio, no lights, no ham radio. The battery light indicates that the battery isn't charging correctly. The odd thing was that at idle and in neutral the battery light would go off and a tiny charge would take. Regardless, the voltage meter was dropping fast as I drove and coasted down the mountain. I somehow was able to milk it enough to reach the Autozone in Hood River, OR. The battery died right as I pulled into the parking spot out front.

So now I had to figure out what was wrong and how I was gonna get home to Beaverton, OR. I pulled up this forum on my phone and everything points towards a bad alternator and/or battery. Again, there's a tiny charge on idle, but if I rev it the battery light comes on.

The AZ guy gets their battery/alternator tester out and it shows a bad battery. Well duh the thing is dead, I just drove it with no recharge. It's a 4 year old battery and I was planning on replacing it soon anyway, so upgraded from a 750 CCA to an 850 CCA because why the hell not. I fired up the car and give it a rev. Still getting the battery light. AZ guy thinks maybe the belt is slipping.

He rings me up a new belt and hands me the tools to install it. Boy howdy, I don't mind working on my car, I just wasn't planning on doing it after being up since 11:30 the previous night. Using autozone's tools I get the belt replaced (much easier with my home tools!). I fire up the engine and still get the battery light when reving. Oh well, old belt was starting to squeak anyway.

Well the only final thing to look at is the alternator. I catch my breath and take a moment to watch this wonderful how to video on alternator removal/ replacement: .

Tired, but feeling confident that I could get it done, I remove the alternator and take it into the autozone. They match me up with a 130amp replacement. I get it installed, fire up the truck, rev it... NO BATTERY LIGHT! I cheer with joy as I slam the hood down. I go in to return the tools and the AZ employees are all smiles: "We heard the hood close!" They even let me wash up in their bathroom. With the truck running, and me being tired and happy, I hit the road for home.

If you're ever in Hood River and need something, the Autozone there has great customer service

Now time to buy an extendable ratchet to keep in my truck...

 

[DemonMudder]

Glad ya figured it out and got her going! Glad it didn't cut out any sooner too, that was perfectly done! At least now ya ain't worried about either of those for a while

 

[XLTrunner]

Beautiful photo! Had to read that first sentence twice to grasp that you actually hiked 6 miles in the dark to get it. Glad to hear all worked out fine so as not to ruin what must have otherwise been a fabulous day!

 

[TsherryUSA]

Glad ya figured it out and got her going! Glad it didn't cut out any sooner too, that was perfectly done! At least now ya ain't worried about either of those for a while

Check there. They were coming up on the list anyway, so can't be too angry about the bill. Just wasn't planning on doing the repair in a hot parking lot on no sleep with someone else's tools!

And I'm REALLY glad it didn't die when I was driving across the Hood River bridge! When turning into the shopping center the car in front of me was going SO SLOW. I was screaming. LET'S GOOOOOOO! Barely made it!

Only bummer thing was I'd been contemplating doing the optima dual battery mod. No time for that when needing to get home!

 

[DemonMudder]

Check there. They were coming up on the list anyway, so can't be too angry about the bill. Just wasn't planning on doing the repair in a hot parking lot on no sleep with someone else's tools!

Only bummer thing was I'd been contemplating doing the optima dual battery mod. No time for that when needing to get home!

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, coming time anyway, but now it's done, ain't got to worry about it later on. Not the way ya wanted, but it's done and over with

Yeah, I'm looking into doing a dual battery setup on my Rado, the diesels had a secondary battery tray and it just so happens that the lower models like my 1500 still have the empty spot for it, so I'm trying to find the dad gum tray. Let me know how that goes whenever ya get to it, seen a couple do it. Doing them both under the hood, or doing like a few I've seen in the subwoofer location?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Just a short little story about last weekend. Sunday AM my friend and I climbed Mt. Adams in Washington. We got up at 11:30pm (saturday) and began our hike from the trailhead at 12:30am (sunday). Round trip it was ~12mi with near 7000' elevation gain. Conditions on the mountain were beautiful and we got a fantastic sunrise from the false summit.

For me the real adventure began while driving the extremely washboarded road out from the trailhead. Somewhere along all those bumps the battery light came on. I immediately shut off everything I could: no AC, no radio, no lights, no ham radio. The battery light indicates that the battery isn't charging correctly. The odd thing was that at idle and in neutral the battery light would go off and a tiny charge would take. Regardless, the voltage meter was dropping fast as I drove and coasted down the mountain. I somehow was able to milk it enough to reach the Autozone in Hood River, OR. The battery died right as I pulled into the parking spot out front.

So now I had to figure out what was wrong and how I was gonna get home to Beaverton, OR. I pulled up this forum on my phone and everything points towards a bad alternator and/or battery. Again, there's a tiny charge on idle, but if I rev it the battery light comes on.

The AZ guy gets their battery/alternator tester out and it shows a bad battery. Well duh the thing is dead, I just drove it with no recharge. It's a 4 year old battery and I was planning on replacing it soon anyway, so upgraded from a 750 CCA to an 850 CCA because why the hell not. I fired up the car and give it a rev. Still getting the battery light. AZ guy thinks maybe the belt is slipping.

He rings me up a new belt and hands me the tools to install it. Boy howdy, I don't mind working on my car, I just wasn't planning on doing it after being up since 11:30 the previous night. Using autozone's tools I get the belt replaced (much easier with my home tools!). I fire up the engine and still get the battery light when reving. Oh well, old belt was starting to squeak anyway.

Well the only final thing to look at is the alternator. I catch my breath and take a moment to watch this wonderful how to video on alternator removal/ replacement: .

Tired, but feeling confident that I could get it done, I remove the alternator and take it into the autozone. They match me up with a 130amp replacement. I get it installed, fire up the truck, rev it... NO BATTERY LIGHT! I cheer with joy as I slam the hood down. I go in to return the tools and the AZ employees are all smiles: "We heard the hood close!" They even let me wash up in their bathroom. With the truck running, and me being tired and happy, I hit the road for home.

If you're ever in Hood River and need something, the Autozone there has great customer service

Now time to buy an extendable ratchet to keep in my truck...

View attachment 432345

woah great photo!

 

[94Eddie]

Good to see all turned out well. Your story reminded me of a time in my college years in the early 1980s when a friend and I made a trip to Florida in my 1975 Triumph Spitefire. The alternator died on a Sunday evening just outside of Nashville. We spent the night in a hotel and the next day went on a quest to find an alternator. Keep in mind this was before the internet and cell phones were a thought. We called and/or visited every parts store we could find with none having not even a single part for a Spitfire.

At the end of the day we were totally depressed and thought the trip wasn't going to happen. I was parking on hills so I could start the car without using the starter and draining the battery. At about 4:00 pm we went down a street on the way to getting to a hotel, then like a beam of light from heaven, we I saw a sign on a somewhat rundown building at the end of a "T" intersection that read "Todd's Alternator Repair." I went in and told the old guy at the counter my dilemma and he stated that they only remanufactured alternators to sell to parts stores. Then he took pity on us and said if we would pull the alternator he would rebuild it right away. He even supplied the tools. Anyone that has owned a Spitfire knows that wrenching on them is a weekly occurrence. I had the alternator off in ten minutes (probably less) and in the hands of of our saving grace. He went in the back and rebuilt it in about 30 minutes. He handed it to me and I asked what I owed him and he said $20. Heck, he even let us use his battery charger while he did the rebuild. I still remember him, his shop and his kindness vividly to this day.

 

[TsherryUSA]

Good to see all turned out well. Your story reminded me of a time in my college years in the early 1980s when a friend and I made a trip to Florida in my 1975 Triumph Spitefire. The alternator died on a Sunday evening just outside of Nashville. We spent the night in a hotel and the next day went on a quest to find an alternator. Keep in mind this was before the internet and cell phones were a thought. We called and/or visited every parts store we could find with none having not even a single part for a Spitfire.

At the end of the day we were totally depressed and thought the trip wasn't going to happen. I was parking on hills so I could start the car without using the starter and draining the battery. At about 4:00 pm we went down a street on the way to getting to a hotel, then like a beam of light from heaven, we I saw a sign on a somewhat rundown building at the end of a "T" intersection that read "Todd's Alternator Repair." I went in and told the old guy at the counter my dilemma and he stated that they only remanufactured alternators to sell to parts stores. Then he took pity on us and said if we would pull the alternator he would rebuild it right away. He even supplied the tools. Anyone that has owned a Spitfire knows that wrenching on them is a weekly occurrence. I had the alternator off in ten minutes (probably less) and in the hands of of our saving grace. He went in the back and rebuilt it in about 30 minutes. He handed it to me and I asked what I owed him and he said $20. Heck, he even let us use his battery charger while he did the rebuild. I still remember him, his shop and his kindness vividly to this day.

Great story!

 

[410Fortune]

don't forget to check the alternator or generator fuse when this happens, Some years actually have a fuse in the power junction box for the power circuit that feeds the alternator voltage regulator

Nice pic and story!

 

[TsherryUSA]

don't forget to check the alternator or generator fuse when this happens, Some years actually have a fuse in the power junction box for the power circuit that feeds the alternator voltage regulator

Nice pic and story!

Yeah that was the first thing I checked. Was hoping it would be the cheapest part

 

[C420sailor]

Field circuit?