Quote:
Originally Posted by scfw0x0f
That's likely what the shop did, but they also said they tested the alternator as well.
I would have sworn that the 5th Gen still had a fixed voltage alternator, not a Euro 5/6 "smart" alternator. Is that not correct? My recollection is that the alternator was steady at ~13.8V until recently.
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The alternator output voltage can vary depending on temperature. All your voltage measurements are OK. (Keep in mind that the temperature in the engine compartment will be much higher than the outside air).
Yes, draining a battery down can damage it and shorten it's life. Your measurement of 10 volts indicates one bad cell (2 volts/cell), and 6 volts indicates three bad cells.
A battery load test (measures CCA -- cold cranking amps) will quickly show a bad battery. What is the measured CCA of your battery?
Since the alternator test shows it putting out 130 amps, that is not the problem/issue. When alternators go bad, it is usually the diodes and you will loose one or two phases of current (alternators are three phase). When you loose a phase due to bad diodes, you will get a sound on the AM radio that varies in frequency depending on engine RPM.
Two suggestions:
1. All batteries go bad eventually. You could be preemptive and get a new battery now.
2. Buy a quality jump box and keep it around so you don't get stranded when the battery does eventually go bad.
I did #2. My OEM battery is now six years old, and still going strong, but just to be ready when it does go bad, I got this:
Amazon.com
