Buick Regal Run's Dead, Batter?

My buick has just died on me. seems to be a battery or alternator problem.
If i give the battery a quick charge it will run for about 20 mins but
voltage always drops. I have 14.2 volts witht he motor running then I flick
on the light and heater and the volts drop to 13.6, I leave it running and
check the volts every 5 mins and they always lower. It seems the alternator
aint chargeing the battery.

I put to gether another alternator that I beleave to be good (not sure
though) and it does the same thing.


Is there a way to check to see if the alternotor is chargeing the system,
could it be a crack in the wireing.

Do not use a new alternator on a dead battery. It could fry your
alternator . Mke sure youe battery is fully charged.
On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 0131 GMT, "Waylon" <edgaredwards@nf.aibn.com>
wrote:

>My buick has just died on me. seems to be a battery or alternator problem.
>If i give the battery a quick charge it will run for about 20 mins but
>voltage always drops. I have 14.2 volts witht he motor running then I flick
>on the light and heater and the volts drop to 13.6, I leave it running and
>check the volts every 5 mins and they always lower. It seems the alternator
>aint chargeing the battery.
>
>I put to gether another alternator that I beleave to be good (not sure
>though) and it does the same thing.
>
>
>Is there a way to check to see if the alternotor is chargeing the system,
>could it be a crack in the wireing.
>
>

I don't know why people insist on damaging their vehicles by trying to
make a dead battery last ten minutes longer. The easiest thing to check
is the battery and you keep trying to burn up alternators!
Charge the battery to what you think is OK with a separate charger.
Put it in the car and turn on all the lights and heater fan. Then
check the battery voltage. I bet it won't be much.
Better yet, if the battery is old just replace it to start with.