Streamline

Ok. So I swapped out the battery. I did this on Friday (the 22nd) , as I was leaving for a plane flight that very night. Things were fine from what I noticed. Immediate startup.

But late that night, driving to my friend's house (who was going to watch my car for me)...the battery light came on again. Ugh.

So needless to say, it isn't the battery. Not w/ a fresh battery anyway.

I came back on the Weds, 27th. The battery didn't have enough juice to really start. A very slow crank and that was it. I called my parents to pick me up and when they showed up, I jump started my car. As we idled for about 5 minutes, power was good. But once the cables were removed, my car on it's own power started to die.

So yeah, it is the alternator. Didn't have to time to deal w/ it, so the next day, came back and had to tow the car to Premier Auto Collision. Ugh.

Here is something a bit scary. So when the tow truck driver showed up. He had to jump start the car so I could drive the car into the street as the car couldn't be towed in it's current spot. Well...the tow truck driver had connected the jumper cables THE WRONG WAY. He REVERSED the cables!!! He said....there is something wrong. I glanced at his wires from 5 feet away and told him he reversed his wires. Sure enough,...he did. Good thing our cars are able to withstand this and will not blow a fuse from situations like this. Ugh.

Will post an update once a complete diagnosis is done.

And to answer questions above...yes...for the SC300 the power steering reservoir is on the driver's side. The alternator on the passenger side.

Streamline

Diagnosis from Kennedy w/ Premier Auto Collision...it was the alternator.
Replaced that, and now we're good to go.

twizted

iTrader: (2)

Like duh! lol j/p. good to hear you are good to go.... I often wonder why they didnt put a more beefed up alt in the car... Oh well

mikeloc24

Cody, yeah man...the p/s pump is not above the alt on the 300's like it is on the 400's, they're on opposite sides of the engine bay on the 300's.

Yes, on the 300's the typical "p/s leak" is either from the base of the reservoir or from the p/s hi-pressure line itself.

I always said that if I had a 400 I'd machine some sort of aluminum shield to protect the alt from drippage.

surrealSC

iTrader: (1)

ok im heading home from work and suddenly my battery light going on, shorting after that my radio turns off. as im 2 blocks to my house my lights turn off and the car starts to struggle going up my driveway. im thinking it might be my alternator because i just change my battery to optimum redtop half a year ago? do these symptoms sound like a bad ALT? i let it sit for 5 minz and tried to start it up and it would struggle a bit and start but after a 2 minz or so it would start to slowly die out again loosing interior and exterior lights slowly....... also idled rough on the first seconds of the startup. any ideas? thanks!

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

unfortunately, those symptoms can be caused by an alternator or a battery... get them both checked...

just because its new doesn't mean its good...