750 at the shop later, I have a new alternator and starter

Steph · 12-02-2004, 07:35 PM

Some of you might remember about 2 weeks ago my posting about my alternator.

I ended up taking it to the shop, where I told them that I needed a new alternator.

I called the back that night around 5 and they told me that it was looking like it wasn't the alternator after all, but the starter. They said they would know more in the morning.

I called them back around 10 (remember, i'm doing all the calling, no one is calling me.) and the guy I talked to said now that it was BOTH the alternator and the starter, and listed about 10 other things that was wrong with my car. I THINK he said something about a gasket needing to be replaced, but I can't remember. He mentioned my spark plugs, the liscense plate light, and a bunch of other stuff.

I'm pissed at this point. All that was wrong was my alternator. 2 hours later, after talking to a very angry father, I tell them they replace my alternator only, for the quote I had been given earlier in the week, 273, otherwise I'm towing my car out of the shop. The guy at the shop wants to talk to my dad.

After they talk, my dad agrees to have them replace the alternator and starter for 717.00.

I go to pick up my car later and the guy tells me that there were only 2 starters in all of Humboldt County and that one of them was defective and that I have the other one now.

I pay, go out to my car, and try and start it. It starts alright, nothing like it used to before. We go home, load up the car for the drive down, and it won't start.

It takes about 4 tries before it will start. I'll hear a click sometimes, and then nothing. Other times, it sounds like it's trying to start up, but dies.

700 dollars later, we're stuck in the middle of nowhere at a gas station where my car won't start for 20 minutes.

It seems to have an easier time starting after longer drives, but not always.

We called the shop up and they told us to bring it in, and that they'd look at it free of charge. This is finals week and I have absolutely NO time to take it in until tomorrow. So today, I'm driving my boyfriend to class (less than a mile away) and on the way back, my coolant light comes on, both of them, right over my coolant temp gauge. They're blinking together, and then as I'm turning into the apartment complex, they turn off. My temp was at about 1/4, which is normal for my car.

After all this, I have a strange inclining to think that when they were looking at all this other crap on my car, some things were messed up. No idea why they were looking at my spark plugs when I told them I didn't need a tune-up and it was only my alternator that was going.

Any ideas? I don't want to take it back to this shop and have them charge me an arm and a leg for something they possibly could have caused. I never had this problem until this morning, and I have never seen those lights come on (even on the 5+ trips down to the Bay Area) til now.

Thanks guys. Remember, it's a '95 SL2 Automatic.

nyce · 12-02-2004, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph

Some of you might remember about 2 weeks ago my posting about my alternator.

I ended up taking it to the shop, where I told them that I needed a new alternator.

I called the back that night around 5 and they told me that it was looking like it wasn't the alternator after all, but the starter. They said they would know more in the morning.

I called them back around 10 (remember, i'm doing all the calling, no one is calling me.) and the guy I talked to said now that it was BOTH the alternator and the starter, and listed about 10 other things that was wrong with my car. I THINK he said something about a gasket needing to be replaced, but I can't remember. He mentioned my spark plugs, the liscense plate light, and a bunch of other stuff.

I'm pissed at this point. All that was wrong was my alternator. 2 hours later, after talking to a very angry father, I tell them they replace my alternator only, for the quote I had been given earlier in the week, 273, otherwise I'm towing my car out of the shop. The guy at the shop wants to talk to my dad.

After they talk, my dad agrees to have them replace the alternator and starter for 717.00.

I go to pick up my car later and the guy tells me that there were only 2 starters in all of Humboldt County and that one of them was defective and that I have the other one now.

I pay, go out to my car, and try and start it. It starts alright, nothing like it used to before. We go home, load up the car for the drive down, and it won't start.

It takes about 4 tries before it will start. I'll hear a click sometimes, and then nothing. Other times, it sounds like it's trying to start up, but dies.

700 dollars later, we're stuck in the middle of nowhere at a gas station where my car won't start for 20 minutes.

It seems to have an easier time starting after longer drives, but not always.

We called the shop up and they told us to bring it in, and that they'd look at it free of charge. This is finals week and I have absolutely NO time to take it in until tomorrow. So today, I'm driving my boyfriend to class (less than a mile away) and on the way back, my coolant light comes on, both of them, right over my coolant temp gauge. They're blinking together, and then as I'm turning into the apartment complex, they turn off. My temp was at about 1/4, which is normal for my car.

After all this, I have a strange inclining to think that when they were looking at all this other crap on my car, some things were messed up. No idea why they were looking at my spark plugs when I told them I didn't need a tune-up and it was only my alternator that was going.

Any ideas? I don't want to take it back to this shop and have them charge me an arm and a leg for something they possibly could have caused. I never had this problem until this morning, and I have never seen those lights come on (even on the 5+ trips down to the Bay Area) til now.

Thanks guys. Remember, it's a '95 SL2 Automatic.

Man I wish I lived close to you I could of changed your stuff and you could just bought the parts $200 for both anyways....

Check your coolant tank make sure it's full....Sounds also like they gave you a bad starter or tried to rebuild yours and they didn't succeed. Take it back when you can AND DON'T PAY NO MORE MONEY!.....

scottyr94 · 12-02-2004, 07:57 PM

Sounds like the starter is bad or else the forgot to hook up some electical connection like the battery cable to the starter. I forgot to tighten mine down when I did my swap and had the same exact problem, would start when it wanted to(guess the wire was touching just right). But of course I also would get a battery light blinking sometimes. If you dont have a light, it's most likely they gave you a faulty starter or the solenoid is bad.

blackeagle · 12-02-2004, 07:58 PM

For the dash lights coming on, it could just be that they didn't plug the coolant tank sensor connector back on. I recently had my car in for service and as I was driving away I noticed the lights above the temp gauge flashing. I turned right around and asked them if they knew what it could be. They checked the coolant level and it was fine. After a few dumb looks from them, I asked them if they had removed the coolant tank during the service and they said no. Since I didn't have time to wait on them to find the problem, I took it home. Lo and behold, when I removed the coolant tank, the connector was unplugged. So, I would first check the fluid level. If that is OK, check the coolant level sensor connector which located under the tank. You don't have to drain the system. Just remove a couple of bolts and lift the tank to look on the underside.

Satyllac · 12-02-2004, 08:48 PM

I too am victim to the flashing coolant temperature/level lights! Coolant temperature/level lights flashing...

Sorry to hear about your starter and alternator... I must say, they charged quite a bit for the repairs, but if you don't have the time to DIY... There's really not much else you can do.

Steph · 12-02-2004, 08:57 PM

Thanks for all your fast replies.

Should I buy coolant and take a peek? I guess what I'm asking, is there anything I can do to try and solve the coolant light problem myself?

Step by Step instructions would be nice..LOL

As for my starter, yeah, I think it's a faulty starter. Could my spark plugs have anything to do with my problem? They said I needed new ones, and i can only assume that they removed them and then ended up putting them back on (and everything else they had touched) when I said I didn't want anything else done on my car except what it had come in there for.

CAmos · 12-03-2004, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Could my spark plugs have anything to do with my problem? They said I needed new ones, and i can only assume that they removed them and then ended up putting them back on (and everything else they had touched) when I said I didn't want anything else done on my car except what it had come in there for.

Absolutely not.

After you finish with the starter (make them make it right for the overpriced repairs they have done) Do not EVER do business with that place again.

Granted, the plugs may well be bad, the alternator and the starter both being bad are the result of sloppy troubleshooting. These guys are taking advantage of you and do not deserve any more of your money.

Where do you live? Maybe there is someone close by that could help you or at least refer you to a mech that they have had better luck with.

I am sorry to hear what you have been through.

blackeagle · 12-03-2004, 03:19 AM

Definitely check the coolant level. Maybe they removed the tank and didn't refill it when they replaced the alternator. Make sure the engine is cool first and remove the cap to check the level. I know my tank is too gunked up to see the level without removing the cap. You should be able to see coolant within 2 - 3 inches from the top of the tank.

CAmos · 12-03-2004, 03:28 AM

Oh, and also. The battery cables are know for getting loose, or getting slight corrosion and can make the starter appear bad, this might also affet the charge rate.

I doubt the mechanic you are using has even cleaned them (although he probably disconnected one side when he changed the alt) You might try to simply loosen the small bolts on the battery terminals, and move them back and forth and re-tighten them (or better yet, take them off and clean them).

Be careful when you do this, remove the negitive terminal first, so that if you touch the wrench to the body while you remove the positive terminal.

After you try this, you can go to most auto parts places and they can tell you if the alternator is charging correctly (for free, very simple to do).

Again, make the mech you have paid make this right, you should not have to pay them another dime.

If they give you any crap, print out and show them this thread.

CAmos · 12-03-2004, 03:32 AM

Just read the other thread, disreguard what I said about the battery terminals (unless they might have been left loosely installed on the new battery).