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bad alternator?

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Old Dec 14, 2013 | 03:11 PM
  #1  
kliped's Avatar
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bad alternator?

hey guys, i have an 05 evo and am having weird alternator problems, maybe one of you guys has experienced it before.
started yesterday, while driving my voltage kept dropping to 11.5 then back up to high 13s 14s. it was sporadic. there were sometime long intervals of when it would drop into the 11s and stay there. today when i go to leave work, my voltage was in the 11s and never went up to 14s. luckily i only live about 10 miles from my work and was able to get home before draining the battery completely. sitting in my driveway, i decided to put it on the factory 2 step and bam, the alternator kicks back in and starts charging again at 14 volts. now last thing, when the car is idling in the low rpms, the voltage out put is in the 12s, but giving it a little gas brings it back up to the 14s. i monitored all the voltage from my hks turbo timer, i confirmed idle voltage at the alternator. is it safe to assume that the alternator or at least the voltage regulator inside the alternator is done for and is just playing mind games with me at this point? btw the alternator is an NSA alternator.
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Old Dec 14, 2013 | 03:33 PM
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I suggest getting it tested and replaced if need be.
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Old Dec 14, 2013 | 04:17 PM
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Alternator is on its way out. Make sure you get an OEM one the aftermarket ones go faster then the OEM one.
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Old Dec 15, 2013 | 11:30 PM
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Thats EXACTLY what mines was doing before I changed it out. So replace it before you get stuck. FYI it took me 4 hours to replace it and I went thru the top of the car. Per manual tells you to go thru the bottom. Also removing the axle. If you go thru the top, I suggest that you remove the bolt holding down the ABS and removing the FPR. If you don't you're going to have a hard time. Lmk
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Old Dec 16, 2013 | 02:20 PM
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Originally Posted by sadc
Thats EXACTLY what mines was doing before I changed it out. So replace it before you get stuck. FYI it took me 4 hours to replace it and I went thru the top of the car. Per manual tells you to go thru the bottom. Also removing the axle. If you go thru the top, I suggest that you remove the bolt holding down the ABS and removing the FPR. If you don't you're going to have a hard time. Lmk
thank you for chiming in, i guess ill order an alternator
when you went out the top, did you lift the engine up a little?
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Old Dec 17, 2013 | 10:22 AM
  #6  
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Lifting the engine up on the passenger side would allow for more room, just remove the bolt holding the mount in the frame.
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Old Dec 18, 2013 | 06:21 AM
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Originally Posted by mithrandir7533
Lifting the engine up on the passenger side would allow for more room, just remove the bolt holding the mount in the frame.
ok thanks, should i remove the center front motor mount to?
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Old Dec 18, 2013 | 06:45 AM
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Well on my 03' Evo I had to take center engine mount passenger side mount took passenger axel out and lowered engine down and pulled forward *** close to radiator and took off little board off fire wall cause I have Magnus intake and when you get altnator off came over to middle of engine and out the top. I have done this three times in a 1 1/2 years so can do it fast but first time took all day cause spent hours reading threads on here. Some come out passenger fender well if you have right frame I guess. And question ask away.
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Old Dec 18, 2013 | 06:53 AM
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PS DON'T BUY FROM AUTOZONE unless you want to change out often this is what I did to save money but have an OEM on my shelf for next to. The only thing about autozone is that I don't have to buy them just swap them cause I did buy warranty. Here is for 05' Evo on Mitsubishi part http://www.oemmitsubishiparts.com/pa...ent=ALTERNATOR
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Old Dec 18, 2013 | 07:30 AM
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Sounds like alt in on the way out. When mine died, the battery light on the dash came on. Sounds like yours is working intermittently.

FYI, it is possible to remove it from the top.
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Old Jan 10, 2014 | 01:42 PM
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well i finally got around to putting the new alternator in and i think my problem is fixed, first start showed 14.3-14.5v. i find out for sure tomorrow when i drive the car to work.

btw i did take it out the top
took the bolt out of the motor mount
removed fpr
unplugged fpr sensor
after unbolting the alternator, i let it down all the way and then pushed the alternator bracket all the way down under the water pump
disconnected abs wiring harness
removed a couple bolts on the abs bracket and the two 10mm bolts that hold down the abs
placed jack with a piece of wood under the oil pan and jacked the engine up as far as it would go
then with a lot of patience and wiggling, i finally got it out

thanks again for your guys' help

Last edited by kliped; Jan 11, 2014 at 01:11 PM.
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Old Jan 10, 2014 | 04:46 PM
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Should be good to go man. It does take a little finesse to get her out lol. What did ya find wrong with old one?
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Old Jan 11, 2014 | 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Dirty Dave
Should be good to go man. It does take a little finesse to get her out lol. What did ya find wrong with old one?
not really sure whats wrong with the old one, its an aftermarket alternator, nsa brand.

but drove the car to work and had no problems, so im happy to say the alternator did solve my problem
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Old Jan 11, 2014 | 04:03 PM
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maybe a loose connection somewhere? if not then yeah alternator is done.
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