I Need Of Help

You need to describe each symptom and leave out the part that "it's like".

When you say that it's like a dead battery, does EVERYTHING go dark? Does the solenoid click?

If it drives until you shut it off then it's not an alternator. Is the battery charging? What is the voltage at the battery when you shut it down?

When the starter does turn over, is it healthy or is it struggling?

Does it crank but not start or does it not even crank when this happens?

Ok.... First... Never disconnect your car battery with the engine running. Without the battery to function as a buffer you can spike and destroy your EEC in a millisecond.

By your description, it appears that your alternator is working (at least while the motor is running) and the battery is charging (even if slowly).

You should remove, clean, and reinstall all of your motor and chassis ground wires and cable. It's probably worth your time to add a couple more but strategically. Do go tossing wire all over the place without a plan.

Where are you getting these alternators from? Have they been tested? More specifically, has the one that is currently installed been tested?

A bad diode (common with El Cheapo replacement parts) will cause the symptoms that you describe.

This is why I say to answer with just the specific symptoms and not the descriptions.

Stravus said:

Could it be and ecu problem

Click to expand...

Have you pulled codes? What are they? No codes? No EEC problem.

An alternator will charge with a bad diode in the regulator. It will work as advertized in every way an alternator should except for one.

With the motor off and an alternator with a bad diode, the battery tries to run the alternator like a motor. This causes battery drain. What this generally DOES NOT cause is a slow,warm starter. Generally those issues are:

A tired starter
Bad ground wires
Weak battery

What causes a weak battery? Age, environment, damage, and/or inadequate charging.

So.... Let's start eliminating possibilities.

Your battery you say is new.
Your alternator is new and has RECENTLY been checked on machine SPECIFICALLY designed to check alternators and by a qualified technician. In other words: Don't tell me you went to Pep Boys and watched the fat kid with the chili dog stains on his shirt, hook some wires to your car and shake his head while pressing buttons. I don't consider him technically qualified because he's Pep Boys employee.

In the meantime, you can begin removing those pesky 20+ year old ground wires to clean them up, inspect them, and replace as necessary.

Stravus said:

It was checked at a local mech shop and actually what is where it is atm. I figured it was a ground short but was told by the mechanic that it could not be that. Basically this whole post was really about helping me decide whether to pull it from that shop and take it to another.

Luckily I put the alt, battery, and starter on it. They just double checked them to eliminate them.

Click to expand...

Ok... I kind of get what's going on now.


Yes.... If the mechanic is stumped, then you need to go get your car. He's an idiot if he's had it for more than 24 hours and hasn't found the problem. They are just not that complicated. Your mechanic doesn't know how to troubleshoot. Maybe he's Pre-fuel injection, I don't know.