Forgive the newbie question; but I cant seem to come up with a reasonable answer to this: Will an A4 run without a working alternator.
I pulled my Alternator this spring to have it bench-tested; simply as a precaution and for peace of mind. Last season as I winterized the boat, the engine was running mostly fine.
I've never noticed any real "charge" on the circuit from the alternator; regardless of engine RPM.
When the Alternator was removed and tested today, my Alternator guy told me its completely shot, with no voltage reading whatsoever. He figures the regulator is shot. 89$ to get it fixed...
My understanding of engine mechanics tells me that the batteries provide the initial starting crank via the starter. Once the engine is running, the alternator/battery circuit provides electricity to the coil and spark plugs to ignite the fuel.
Therefore, Id assume, without a working alternator, the engine would be "running" off battery alone. I would also assume that this is a rather significant load, and probably would wear down the batteries rather quickly. (To winterize the boat I have a 10 trip upriver, motor only. I'd be surprised that the batteries could handle that requirement).
While it is possible that the alternator died in the final few minutes of running last season, Im curious to know your thoughts!
I pulled my Alternator this spring to have it bench-tested; simply as a precaution and for peace of mind. Last season as I winterized the boat, the engine was running mostly fine.
I've never noticed any real "charge" on the circuit from the alternator; regardless of engine RPM.
When the Alternator was removed and tested today, my Alternator guy told me its completely shot, with no voltage reading whatsoever. He figures the regulator is shot. 89$ to get it fixed...
My understanding of engine mechanics tells me that the batteries provide the initial starting crank via the starter. Once the engine is running, the alternator/battery circuit provides electricity to the coil and spark plugs to ignite the fuel.
Therefore, Id assume, without a working alternator, the engine would be "running" off battery alone. I would also assume that this is a rather significant load, and probably would wear down the batteries rather quickly. (To winterize the boat I have a 10 trip upriver, motor only. I'd be surprised that the batteries could handle that requirement).
While it is possible that the alternator died in the final few minutes of running last season, Im curious to know your thoughts!
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