armin922 Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 How do i test the alternator on a 97 mustang using the multi meter? What should it read if its good? My friends car starts then dies and then has to be jumped in order for it to start again. But the lights still come on when the car is off. Is that the alternator? If it is how should i go about testing the alternator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trouble Maker Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 With the car off the batter should read ~12V if good and charged. Obviously it won't read this right now because it doesn't have a good charge on it, but could still be a good batter, just needs charged. Then you should see the voltage of the alternator across the batter when the car is on ~14.xV. I'd take the battery off and take it into Auto Zone or the like, have it checked. If it's good but not charged, I think they will charge it. Should have enough of a charge to get you to the Auto Zone and back. They can hook up a machine with a voltmeter and ammeter to car and it will tell them whether your alternator is good or not. Even if the battery is bad and you replace it, don't assume that was the only problem. Sometimes when alternators go bad, they take out the battery with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 dude, just got to Autozone and have them test it... it's free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trouble Maker Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 dude, just got to Autozone and have them test it... it's free. It would be a lot easier to do what I said and not have to remove and put back on a possibly perfectly good alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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