If the alternator had given out and the car was only running on the battery alone...and the battery meter read "0"....you wouldn't get very far at all, The car would stall. If the battery had any type of short (internally/externally) You would definitely smell the battery fumes from the short. 90% of battery failures in automobiles are due to the fact that the plates in the cells "disintegrate" over time. As they come apart the particles settle to the bottom of the battery. As this builds up it soon comes in contact with the good portion of the plates causing an internal short. When this happens, if your lucky to start the car the first time, I doubt you will be able to start the car next time. Some battery "Refurb" places take old batteries and flush them out to remove these deposits to eliminate the shorting problem. The fact remains here that the Idea of removing the battery wire to test the alternators output was wrong. Every alternator has a voltage regulator. Some with them built internally some that have them externally. If the battery load is not present at all the alternator will begin to output it's maximum amount of voltage that it can. The reason for this is to charge the battery and to supply the car with enough power while doing so until the battery begins to hold a charge and levels off. If it continues to output this Max voltage, you can seriously harm the sensitive electronics in any car and fry the alternator. Next time you go and change an alternator, read that little red sticker that comes on every alternator that states "Failure to have a fully charged battery before installing can cause damage to the alternator and/or vehicle electrical system" (those may not be the EXACT words...but similar). Everyone jumped in like that after your post because that was a dangerous diagnostic and if that owner had tried it...they would have risked damaging something on their car. To properly test the alternator on a car you need a load tester. Harborfreight.com has one they sell for less than $30. Here's the link to the unit, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/taf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=6317 If for some reason that link doesn't work just go to their website and do a search on item number 6317-2VGA. Steve --- In dmcnews@xxxx, "sk1pper" <sk1pper@xxxx> wrote: > First I'd like to say to all that have slammed me over the alternator post I gave, know what you are saying and to whom you are saying it before you open your mouth as it were. I will give you credit that you probably know more about Deloreans than I, but you probably do not know more about electricity or low voltage systems. > > Second. As a new member of this board, it is not very comforting to see such hostility toward a post. If a post is wrong, incorrect, or misleading then kindly respond to the message. The slamming is not indicative of a friendly chat room. I will continue to read the messages posted, but this will more than likely be my last post. > > Now, lets clear the air here and state the facts and allow me to respond to your comments. > > The problem, as I understood it was that the battery meter was not reading any voltage. Four things come to mind at this point. > a.. One, the installation of the Tankzilla was not performed correctly. > b.. Two, the battery has a damaged cell(s) causing a direct short. > c.. Three, the alternator is not producing a charge and the car is running off the battery only. <Snip>