Possible Alternator Problem?

[ChipD3B22]

Hello,
For the past couple of months, my jeep has been on and off, having problems starting up fully - it will sputter and I have to keep pressing the gas until it "catches" - it typically happens after I have been driving around all day (it never happens when I start it in the morning). I figured maybe fuel injection or something but today I got in to start it and the battery was dead. I jumped it and after a couple of stops it went dead again, and again... btw there was a clicking sound I could here kind of behind the steering wheel when I turned it off on one of the stops that the battery died...
So, now that the battery will not recharge, I am guessing the problems I have been having come from the alternator not correctly charging the battery (hence the sputtering until I got the jeep moving) and now the alternator is fried...
Does that make sense or is there something else that could be causing all of this?
Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Tell us more about the year and model of your jeep.

Sounds like you need a new battery for starters, if it will no longer hold a charge.

 

[Mutt]

It would help to know what vehicle you have. First though fully charge the battery up and then start it up and chevk and see if it is charging. and also do a load test on the battery. If the battery fails the load test replace it if the charging system is not charging then we would need to know what year and model vehicle you have.

 

[ChipD3B22]

Thanks guys, sorry about the missing info
2000 Jeep Grande cherokee laredo 4x4 6 cylinder
The reason I dont suspect the battery is a) it is less than a year old and b) the sputtering problems I mentioned
could a battery problem cause the intermitent sputtering (please read the post for the details of how/when it was happening)

thanks in advance for your continued assistance

 

[SteelHeadz]

A bad battery can cause a multitude of driveability and starting issues including sputtering, clicking relays etc. You may also have a failed alternator if you suspect it not charging. Either way, you will need to get it tested to eliminate it from the possible cause of the issue. A depleted battery can easily kill an alternator and likewise with a bad alternator with a bad diode.

 

[ChipD3B22]

thanks, I just took it to walmart because I had the battery tested and it only had 5 volts but when I took it walmart to exchange it they said that the battery just needed recharging and showed me something that said it now had over 12 volts - well i drove it and the next time I tried to start it it was dead again... so, since the battery is not the issue (does that make sense what walmart told me - about the battery just needing to be recharged? If that is true, then it has to be something with the alternator not properly charging it correct?

Damnit, I only wanted a few more weeks with this thing before I got a new one... alternators are expensive as hell right?

 

[pkucan]

... so, since the battery is not the issue (does that make sense what walmart told me - about the battery just needing to be recharged?

If all they did was recharge to 12 volts that means it had 12 volts when finished and that is all.

You have to take it to a place where they load test it, i.e. like Autozone or Advance, etc.etc.

The same goes for the alternator.

Once both are tested to be good, you can go further in the diagnosis if need be.

Good Luck

 

[FloridaCherokee1988]

Ya autozone or advanced auto should be able to do a load test and test your alternator as well, definitely sounds like a bad alternator but the test will tell you for sure man.

 

[Mutt]

First mistake is going to walmart.
Do as I said and others here have said take it and get it load tested and check the charging system.

 

[ChipD3B22]

well, I had taken it to my mechanic who hooked a couple of machines up to it and said the battery was bad... does a load test use equpment similar to the units that hook up to the battery with clamps? Anyway, the machanic said it was bad so I took it to wal mart because that is where I got the battery and they exchange it for free if it doesnt last three years but they hook some machine up to it and run a diagnostic test that took about 45 minutes and they said te battery was fine it just wasnt getting properly recharged by my jeep...
I made some calls and I am getting a new one soon anyway so i am not spending any money on this... thanks for the advice guys