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First, I'm not a mechanic, my information is accurate so far as I know but I could be wrong.
I will assume you realize that these two devices (alternator & starter) are not dependent on each other. I do not think the alternator needs to be good for the starter to work. If your battery has sufficient charge, then a starter motor in working order will function even with a bad alternator.
To see if the starter is working, I believe, at least on older cars, you can hard wire the battery directly to the starter motor to see if it will crank over the engine (make sure the car is not already running).
To see if the alternator is working, with the car running, check the voltage. Then run the car for a while with electrical components on (Lights, Radio, Fan, etc.) Then turn the electrical components off and check the battery voltage again. If the voltage has not gone down, your alternator should be working well enough to keep your battery charged. If the voltage has gone down, it should start going up as the alternator charges the battery up to it's designated voltage. (usually about 12v for most cars).
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Would putting a new starter in make the alternator bad?
No
Can a bad starter keep your alternator and battery from charging?
YesFirst if the starter is bad the car will not start, if it will not start it can not charge the battery.If the starter will not work it can mean there is an electrical problem that will also prevent the alternator from charging the batteryThe starter itself CAN NOT CAUSE CHARGING PROBLEMS!The extra load on the battery can ruin the battery and that can ruin the alternator. But before that NO.
What can cause a 1990 Lexus LS400 not to start?
Bad starter... Bad Alternator... Bad battery... maybe a fuse.
How do you tell if it's the alternator or the starter that is bad?
Test the battery with a digital voltmeter. You should get a reading of 12.6 V if the battery is fully charged. If the battery is fully charged then you know the alternator is functioning properly and your problem is more than likely a defective starter.
What are the reasons for the car battery light to go on?
its either the alternator the battery is bad or a loose or bad wire on the starter
What causes a lazy starter on a 1992 Nissan pickup?
weak battery or bad alternator.
How do you tell if the starter is bad on 1981 El Camino?
Take the car to a repair shop and have them do an electrical systems test. It should include testing the starter for the amount of current dtraw it has. Also the alternator for amperage and voltage output and the state of the alternator. If the battery is low then you will get a bad starter reading.
Is a bad motor starter on your car that draws a lot of amperage going to wear out your alternator more quickly?
a Bad starter will 1. Cause your battery to run faster to dieing. 2. yes, it will wear your alternator out faster and could result to ruining it.
How do you know when the starter is bad on a Nissan Maxima?
You know when the starter on your nissan maxima is going bad when your car doesnt start/ even when someone gives you a boost, all your fuses are fine, and none of them are NOT blown. You know its your starter and NOT alernator when you take another battery from a car thats been driven and their battery is ok and you put it into your car and the car will not start. If its the alternator, then the car would start in that case.
Will car turn over if bad alternator?
Yes, as long as you have a fully charged battery and good starter the engine will start even if the alternator is defective. The engine will run until the battery looses it's charge, which it will. if the alternator is bad.
How do you tell if the starter or the alternator or both is bad on a 1994 Dodge Spirit?
While it is running disconnect the battery cable, if the engine dies your alternator is bad, the battery must be tested to see if it is bad but if it wont hold a charge then its a pretty good chance. Your local auto parts store can test them both. Starter: If starter wont engage, wont run or anything then it could be a bad starter or bad Starter Solenoid. Alternator: If your battery guage in the car isn't showing that the battery isn't getting a full charge then that is bad and will need replaced... but I wouldn't just replace em on the fly... have them tested before replacing to make sure that you just don't have a bad or corroded wire.
Why won't a 95 Pontiac transport won't start?
There are many reasons why a car won't start. Some of these reasons could be the lack of fuel, drained battery, bad starter, bad alternator or bad starter solenoid.
