Did I get a bad ALT?

[Bmike]

the only thing i had done at the dealer was the computer program. everything elese was pretty simple gonna have them throw a diagnostics on it , and pay out the yang for the dealer to fix .as for your alt , its proly fine.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Bmike

[MaliBOOM]

im having the same issue with a 2002 impala, shuts off randomly, wont start some times, and gauges flip out on me, first though t was the ground , after checking and replaceing grounds , i still have the issue, got a new battery, same issue, new alt still no luck, was told it was my bcm computer, changed and programmed by dealer still no luck, now im going to do the pcm, then the passlock system. ill see what happens then, did alot of research seems that a huge amount of gm cars, chevy gm pontiac, and some other models all suffer from this , and the cure seems to be random. good luck with fixing it, ill be watching for a cure.

damn

I know of the computer issue but the guy I got this from used said he had it on his exact same malibu with zero issues

[carshateme]

Alternators should not be "whining" maybe a bad regulator? Whining results from a loose pulley or the wrong size serpentine belt or a bad bearing.

The flickering can be caused by bad ground, bad connection, bad fuse.

Edited December 5, 2011 by carshateme

[billy101]

im having the same issue with a 2002 impala, shuts off randomly, wont start some times, and gauges flip out on me, first though t was the ground , after checking and replaceing grounds , i still have the issue, got a new battery, same issue, new alt still no luck, was told it was my bcm computer, changed and programmed by dealer still no luck, now im going to do the pcm, then the passlock system. ill see what happens then, did alot of research seems that a huge amount of gm cars, chevy gm pontiac, and some other models all suffer from this , and the cure seems to be random. good luck with fixing it, ill be watching for a cure.

I can almost guarantee you it's your ignition switch. I have a 2001 and a 2002 Impala LS's. Both had this issue. Thought it was BCM, but before we went that route we changed the ignition switch and it cured all the problems we were having.

[Lbox88]

I would contact DC and and see if they can help. Take a video of the alt whine and post it for DC Power Kyle

[MaliBOOM]

Ya I have emailed them just waiting on a reply

[carshateme]

I owned a 95 Lumina back in the days and I had a similar problem. I had to bypass the ground in the alternator, most alternators have them, I re grounded it and it worked like a charm. The are referred as a test hole in the alternator.

But like I said above alternator whining is usually caused by bad bearings, a loose pulley, or the wrong size serpentine belt, normally due to a tight pulling of the pulley.

Edited December 5, 2011 by carshateme

[Lbox88]

I'm kind of surprised you don't have more responses from people here.

@carshateme, Where you at in MI?

[bre2ts]

Like everyone else said check grounds

Don't know what's up with the whining

But for the starting issues check your connections from the battery to the fuse box if you have a loose connection there it can cause starting to be intermittent

[carshateme]

Sorry, that's how you bypass a regulator.

But I'm pretty certain the whining is the results of what I listed above.

I live in Flint/Genesee MI. Not far from you. BTW I love your Henry guy sniffing some coke.

Edited December 5, 2011 by carshateme