Crazystrange problem -- alternator, belts, what?
Posted: December 28th, 2005, 2:10 pm
So yesterday I took my MX to a car wash (it needed it). Afterwards, stopped to get some gas, I noticed a lot of smoke coming out from under the hood. Panicked, I popped the hood to take a peek ... it looked like the radiator had gotten wet in the wash and was just boiling the stuff off. The temperature guage was fine, and the steam soon stopped.
Later on, going home, I noticed an odd noise that matched the revs of the engine. Something rubbing? No squealing or anything like that, but there was a slight burning smell coming through the vent, which stopped as soon as I switched off the fan/heater. At any rate, the car ran fine.
Parked it, went home, tried to start it this morning, the battery was completely dead. Damn! I boosted it, started fine, no CHARGE light came on (I had to replace the alternator and belt a year ago). But as I drove off, power again dropped, the CHARGE light came on. So I headed back to my parking space, but along the way the power came up normally again, briefly, before dropping once more.
I looked again under the hood, thinking the alternator belt had maybe broken, but it seemed fine. When it was running, though, there was a burning smell coming from the belt(s), even though I haven't tightened them lately or done anything unusual.
Any thoughts on what the problem is? I'm hoping it's not the frigging alternator ...
Later on, going home, I noticed an odd noise that matched the revs of the engine. Something rubbing? No squealing or anything like that, but there was a slight burning smell coming through the vent, which stopped as soon as I switched off the fan/heater. At any rate, the car ran fine.
Parked it, went home, tried to start it this morning, the battery was completely dead. Damn! I boosted it, started fine, no CHARGE light came on (I had to replace the alternator and belt a year ago). But as I drove off, power again dropped, the CHARGE light came on. So I headed back to my parking space, but along the way the power came up normally again, briefly, before dropping once more.
I looked again under the hood, thinking the alternator belt had maybe broken, but it seemed fine. When it was running, though, there was a burning smell coming from the belt(s), even though I haven't tightened them lately or done anything unusual.
Any thoughts on what the problem is? I'm hoping it's not the frigging alternator ...