QuestionI have a 94 Subaru Legacy which kept dying due to loss of battery power. I kept charging the battery and it would run for a day and a half then die. I figured it was the alternator and I switched that yesterday. Today it rained and I was using the windshield wipers/lights and driving. After one stop the car then wouldn't start.
I'm wondering if there is another problem besides the alt/voltage regulator, as this is a new one. OR, it just takes a while to have the new alternator recharge the battery (I do a lot of city driving).
How would I tell if either:
a: the batter is compromised too.
b: there is a connection problem
AnswerFirst I would make sure you got all of the wires on the back of the alternator back on. Check you wires at the battery, make sure the ends are clean and not broken. I would have the battery checked, or just go ahead and replace it with a good quality battery, I can't stress this enough, a WalMart or Advance Auto battery won't cut it. I would use an Interstate, or factory battery. Never overlook a bad alternator, I have seen a lot of new parts be bad or go bad after a short while, again use quality parts, we use Napa premium parts. Since the alternator is easy to replace, you may want to take it to a parts store and have it tested. Lastly I would look into the factory wiring not telling the alternator to operate. I would not keep on charging the battery and driving until it dies, this could cause the most damage, it is hard on parts to operate on low voltage, most of them run above 12 volts. Hope I could help you out!
