I need a little domestic diagnostic help.

[Canadian 2.5RS]

So my wife drives a 96 dodge stratus and we are having a few problems with it. Now i fairly sure it is a charging system problem.

Here is the crucial info:
right now the batt is dead. but if i boost it it will start right up.
the belt has been slipping for awhile (i know i should have gotten it taken care of right away but i have been busy). So i need that fixed too and it may be the cause of the problem.
The problem is that when you drive the car for a little the electrical system starts to die out. ie the the radio goes dead then the headlights get dim then the car dies and needs to be boosted again.

my diagnosis is that the belt is slipping so much that the alt isnt charging the batt enough to keep it going or the belt and alt are screwed.

I am by no means a mechanic so I wrote this thread to see if anyone has any extra suggestions as to what the problem might be. I just want to be as knowledgeable as possible when i take it in to the mechanic (so you dont have to point out the obvious. I am taking it in to be looked at).

[Cavey]

Start the vehicle, while it's running remove the negative cable from the battery. If it dies right away it's the alternater. Otherwise it's the battery.

[VetteRacin]

Well if the belt is slipping then it will not be turning the alternator enough and that would make the battery die

[shadow_driftR93]

Both of these guys are right. Even after you start a car technically you should be able to disconnect the battery and drive it anywhere (as long as you keep it running) for the alternator recieves and holds the charge from the battery. So if it dies right after you disconnect the battery, either get a new alternator or have it rebuilt. If it still runs it could very well be that the belt is slipping and needs to be tightened and/or replaced. Check to make sure there's no major cracks/scratches and that it hasn't been stretched out either. If you replace the belt and it still does that, then you know it's the battery. But I'd say it'll be either the battery, belt, or alternator. Good luck with fixing it though, once you figure it out let me know what it was.

[Canadian 2.5RS]

I jsut got a call from the mechanic and he said the belt was very loose and something was wrong with my crank pully (it was slipping) <--- im not too sure about this one.

oh well it is getting fixed

[barbarian]

Originally posted by Cavey
Start the vehicle, while it's running remove the negative cable from the battery. If it dies right away it's the alternater. Otherwise it's the battery.

I've heard that this is a bad idea with any vehicle from since the early 80's, as the sudden voltage change can fry the computer.

[Accord_tunerx]

yes! that is true disconnecting the battery on new cars like that while engine is running is bad.you can spike the electrical components of your car and you will be totally FUBAR.if you can get to your alternator and remove it bring it canadian tire and they can test it for free 4 u, but it does sound like it is your alternator because the samething happened to me.

[barbarian]

Originally posted by Accord_tunerx
yes! that is true disconnecting the battery on new cars like that while engine is running is bad.you can spike the electrical components of your car and you will be totally FUBAR.if you can get to your alternator and remove it bring it canadian tire and they can test it for free 4 u, but it does sound like it is your alternator because the samething happened to me.
Have the battery tested too, there is a good chance that a bad alternator ruined it. For example, if an alternator diode is broken, the battery can get AC for part of the cycle.

[Canadian 2.5RS]

Originally posted by Canadian 2.5RS
I jsut got a call from the mechanic and he said the belt was very loose and something was wrong with my crank pully (it was slipping) &lt;--- im not too sure about this one.

oh well it is getting fixed

Yeah so my belt was loose and one of the side guards of my crank pully (you know the ones that keep the belt in place) was sheard off.

On a side note, Blaskin and Lane in falconridge (I went there because my car only went for a few minutes after a boost so i had to go somewhere very close) did a great job. They were very curteous and professional. They also kept us in the loop on every step. :thumbsup: