Auguest 26, 2002 I got a new battery it was DURALAST since the last one diead, and today October 02, 2002 (that's only a 35 day difference) I tryed starting the car and it didn't start so I jumped it and let it run for like 30min and thinking that the battery is charged and tryed starting the car and it didn't start so I went today and got a new battery but I don't want to buy a new battery every 35 days,
I don't understand why it did die that quick, I only drove my car to school and that's it.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be.
thanks for the help

I'd go and have the battery load tested first. Then if it were good then I'd look for a parasitic draw. Simple things like leaving the mirror ligths on or glove box light that isn't going off. Make sure that your Altenator is working too.

maybe alternator, how would I know if it is or not

Get your alternator tested. If it is not holding a load, then your battery may not be getting fully charged when your car is running. It may be putting out enough for you to drive it and not get a low battery volt idiot light in the car. If you had a battery votage meter, you would probably see a dip below 12 volts when the car is running.

Any shop including some autoparts stores can test/put a load on your alternator and see if it puts out the proper volts/amps for charging. Call around......should cost you nothing to maybe $15 for it to be tested.

Changing your alternator is easy if you have your car on a lift. Replace your belts while your are at it.

The alternator could also have a short and be sending too much voltage to the battery, wiping it out slowly. Check the voltage across the terminals with the car running. If it's over ~14.8, you may have found your problem.

it's easy to change it, cool
I got a major tune up about 3,000 miles so right now I don't need any belts.
do you think autozone could test my alternator?

if it is sending too much voltage to the battery, how do I stop it and how would I test the voltage I don't have a gauge or anything just ask a shop to check the voltage?

erik, I can't get the battery load tested since I give the battery back to the store and today and I got a new one. I didn't even think of that. when I started up the car and charging the battery for 30min, and turned off the car and tryed turning it back on and it didn't even click over or anything the battery was just diead.

Autozone does FREE checks on your alternator, they hook up this neat little machine and will test it for current draw etc...

I went to autozone today and asked them to test my alternator and the guy said it was at 10.8 amp peak, so should I buy a new alternator for 250 or get one at a junkyard for like 60?

I don't know right off hand what our "loaded" amp rating is supposed to be. I wouldn't get one from a junkyard for the simple reason that it could be just junk. I know that in Kansas City that we have a local starter/armature rebuilder and the parts to rebuild an alternator are like 25 bucks at the most. If you can find somebody like that to rebuild your alt, it should be very affordable.

Call Dan at http://www.allmitsubishi.com and see what he can do for you. He should have one in stock with low miles if you cannot find anything local. Tell him Deano sent ya and to give you a good deal or I will make him my beyotch.

I do like the rebuilding idea though. Might take more than a few days, but worth checking into.

so everyone thinks it is the alternator

http://www.4alterstart.com/

Try this site some guy in this forum recomended it after he said he got his at about $150.

ECLIPSE 5 SPEED

ENGINE:
COLD AIR INTAKE/ AIR FILTER
INTERIOR:
KENWOOD SOUND SYSTEM
1400 WATT AMP
12" Pioneer sub
INDIGLO GAUGES
WHEELS:
16" CHROME RIMS

COMING SOON:
CATBACK EXHAUST
HEADERS
SPRINGS/SHOCKS & STRUTS

>I went to autozone today and asked them to test my
>alternator and the guy said it was at 10.8 amp peak, so
>should I buy a new alternator for 250 or get one at a
>junkyard for like 60?

does anyone know if 10.8 amp peak is right, what should it be?

We have a 90(maybe 75) amp alternator I believe. If he load tested it and it could only produce 10.8 amps peak, then the damn thing is shot to hell. I had mine tested a few years ago and it load tested over the rated output(cannot remember exact number).

I would assume you checked your power cable from the alternator to the battery for massive corrosion. This could cause the low readings. Good idea would be to clip the end off and reattach it to a new battery connector. I just put new stinger connectors on and called it good.

I really think your alternator is shot though......sorry.

Here is a link to the above high output one for our car.

http://www.4alterstart.com/pages/store/skudetail.nhtml?profile=highoutputalternators&uid=10662&catuid=10013&returnURL=http%3A//www.4alterstart.com/highoutputalternators

We have 90 amp alternators. 10.8 peak amps does sound kind of low :) A dead alternator would explain why the battery was gone after only 35 minutes, since you were using the battery to power the ignition system and everything else.

I'd defenitely look at getting a used/rebuilt one in good shape. It should work fine for quite some time. Fortunately we don't have 4g63s, if you buy a rebuilt alternator for a 4g63 you have a 50/50 shot of it failing completly in a month (I didn't say that, one of the 4g63 gurus I know did).