What the hell is wrong with my car?

[saj21187 10+ year member]

Do you know why the battery died? Unless you left the music on or lights on a Dead battery is usually an indicator that the Alt is not working right. Putting a new battery might not solve your problem, but just prolong it.

Yep, I got it home with the new battery and later tonight im going back to autozone for em to test the alt. Prob have to replace that too but well see. Thanks for the help

 

[blackbonnie 5,000+ posts]

thats what we are here for

 

[Bloodstalker999 10+ year member]

Yep, I got it home with the new battery and later tonight im going back to autozone for em to test the alt. Prob have to replace that too but well see. Thanks for the help

Your welcome, Glad to help //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[saj21187 10+ year member]

Update, had the alternator checked and its fine. So it looks like it was just the batteries. I accidently left my lights on a month or so ago for like a whole day so it was completely drained and i had to charge em for a half hour to get it started, so i think a combo of that, and the fact that they are going on 4 years old killed em. Im gonna do the big 3, then put my SVR 100-12 in for the audio system. I REALLY dont want to drop 400 on a HO alt when I probly wont have the car for much longer, but i might have to and then just part with it when i do sell the car. Thanks again for the help!

 

[bball09124 10+ year member]

well if it keeps happening and its not the alt or batts, then it could be your starter. just had mine replaced not long ago. wouldn't expect that on an 03 though, but you never know.

 

[saj21187 10+ year member]

well if it keeps happening and its not the alt or batts, then it could be your starter. just had mine replaced not long ago. wouldn't expect that on an 03 though, but you never know.

Yea I thought of the starter, but I dont think so now that everythign seems fine since I changed the battery. We will see what happens in the next few days. I know cavaliers, aside from all the other crappy stuff about em, have been known to have electrical problems, but hopefully switching the battery out will fix it.

Funny story though, when the guy at autozone started testing the alt, he looked at my 1/0 that was taped up and ziptied down and he goes, oh i bet i know what your problem is, let me guess you dont have a cap?? I said no, but i had two deep cycle batteries and he cuts me off and starts going on this long rant about how if im going to have a system, i better put a cap in or else i will be in there weekly changing batteries out lol. So i said thanks for the advice and was on my way lol. Added a little humor to my crappy day

 

[saj21187 10+ year member]

250 for my alt for my 96 cavalier. 200A

What liter engine. For some reason I dont think it will work on the newer cavaliers, but i might be wrong. Not sure if i want to drop that kind of money on an alt when im not gonna have this car all that longer.