Grdinding and smoke for the alternator?

12166 Views 30 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Ridgedave, Aug 27, 2014

tootalltrucker

Discussion Starter · Apr 11, 2014

I will try to make this short. 2009 Ridgeline, 60K miles
1. Get in car and it is DEAD. No clicks or anything.
2. Jump starts in 2 secs. Surprising seeing as it was DEAD.
3. Starts to make a grinding noise, almost like metal on metal, but with some smoke and electrical type smell. Looks like it is coming from the alternator area.
4. Have it towed to local garage, not a Honda dealer. He says it was a shorted battery. I explain about grinding noise and smoke and he says he had it running for 30 min and no issues.
5. Drive it for a week and no issues. Then yesterday the noise starts again so park it and take wife's car on our trip instead.

So,
A. Anybody experience this before?
B. Any suggestions on what I can check myself?
C. Think it might be best to take it to the dealer this time?

The local garage is reasonable and has always been good to me, but I need to get this fixed and be sure it won't fail me when on a trip.

1 - 20 of 31 Posts

cccbock

· #2 · Apr 11, 2014

This is pure guesswork on my part.

Sounds like an intermittent problem and it is likely the alternator. I assume they replaced the battery.

If the smell is "electrical" as opposed to "rubber", I would go ahead and have the shop you trust change the alternator and check all the mounting bolts for alignment. And ask them to check the wire harness to the battery. Inspect the serpentine belt for excessive wear and/or burning and replace if needed.

Hopefully that is it. Avoid the dealer unless you want to pay $600-700 for this service with a new OEM unit. Should be able to locate an aftermarket or rebuilt unit for less.

henni

· #3 · Apr 11, 2014

replace battery and report back

you should have already replaced it at 3 or 4 year interval since date of manufacture

tootalltrucker

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 12, 2014

Thanks for the feedback. Yes I had the battery replaced when this happened, but it was 5 years old, not 3 or 4.

I will take it back to the shop I trust and see if I can stand there with them while it happens.

jimfrancis

· #5 · Apr 13, 2014

cccbock, in my experience, even the dealers use remanufactured units nowadays. The cost would be a LOT higher if you demanded a brand new unit.

cccbock

· #6 · Apr 13, 2014

jimfrancis said:
cccbock, in my experience, even the dealers use remanufactured units nowadays. The cost would be a LOT higher if you demanded a brand new unit.

True Jim. I think the OEM part alone lists for over $400 new. Then they will try to sell a new belt and of course a dugle flugel adapter for the whichamacallit. $700 easy..... Do you want us to change the oil? :act018:

speedlever

· #7 · Apr 13, 2014

My dealer experience with having an alternator go out just as we pull out of the garage to leave on a vacation trip is that it's a one hour job to replace the alternator and the Sbelt. They will put on a reman unit. They will charge you nearly $600. But they will rescue you. You will pay for it.

If you elect to DIY, you can buy a reman alternator for around $205-$215 plus core charge (new is about $100 more). A new Sbelt is about $25-$30.

jimfrancis

· #8 · Apr 13, 2014

Don't forget replacing the thermostat, which, of course, caused the problem in the first place.

speedlever

· #9 · Apr 13, 2014

jim, I confess to being lost regarding your comment about the tstat. Did I miss something?

Ian Brantford

· #10 · Apr 13, 2014

Jim was joking about the thermostat.

However, if it's the alternator that needs fixing, it should be done ASAP. It could be doing electrical damage to other components, including to the new battery.

jimfrancis

· #11 · Apr 13, 2014

Sarcasm, Rick, sarcasm, sarcasm, sarcasm. Dealers will always find SOMETHING that can be fixed, even it doesn't need it. And to the uninitiated, unholy relationships between thermostats and alternators can be made to sound very logical.

speedlever

· #12 · Apr 13, 2014

Ah well. Seeing as how I'm having trouble right now with my flux capacitor, my sarcasm detector is on the blink.

See my new trouble thread in the problems and issues forum. :act002:

DumbJarhead

· #13 · Apr 14, 2014

Any update on this? I have an almost identical problem.

DumbJarhead

· #14 · Apr 15, 2014

Ok, so after doing some reading, here's what I've found.

The smoke was probably being caused by your AC compressor clutch, which is probably stuck, because of a bad AC relay. The relay is probably faulty, which is causing a battery drain, and killing your battery over night.

This evening I got out a multimeter and used this video to check to see if I had a battery drain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYUoXApI89Q

Then, I started pulling the fuses and found that it was the fuse that manages the AC compressor clutch. Futher reading found here, (http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-33743.html) told me that it's probably the relay. My plan is to keep the battery disconnected until the morning, and then go change the relay before I go into work. I'm going to let it sit in the parking lot all day long and see if this has fixed my problem.

Here is another post that's got pictures:
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59305&page=2

Good luck.

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eromeo56

· #15 · Apr 15, 2014

Auto part Engine Technology Vehicle Fuel line

New part number is 39794-SDA-A05, which is the updated relay, and it cost me $26.71.

Sent from AutoGuide.com App

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speedlever

· #16 · Apr 15, 2014

DumbJarhead said:
Ok, so after doing some reading, here's what I've found.

The smoke was probably being caused by your AC compressor clutch, which is probably stuck, because of a bad AC relay. The relay is probably faulty, which is causing a battery drain, and killing your battery over night.

This evening I got out a multimeter and used this video to check to see if I had a battery drain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYUoXApI89Q

Then, I started pulling the fuses and found that it was the fuse that manages the AC compressor clutch. Futher reading found here, (http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-33743.html) told me that it's probably the relay. My plan is to keep the battery disconnected until the morning, and then go change the relay before I go into work. I'm going to let it sit in the parking lot all day long and see if this has fixed my problem.

Here is another post that's got pictures:
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59305&page=2

Good luck.

If it's a stuck AC relay, I don't understand why he would have that grinding sound.

IAC, since he has an RTL, if it is the AC relay, I believe he can use the seat heater relay for the AC relay and find out if that fixes the problem.

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IanRTL

· #17 · Apr 15, 2014

Here's a link for a reman'd Denso alternator for $184 after core charge is refunded. Buy it, have your shop put it on and give you the old alternator back so you can get your core charge back. The grinding noise means something has been knocked loose in the alternator itself. The smoke means that something has created enough friction to create a lot of heat. I'd replace the alternator asap. The Denso model is the OEM part, but I don't think there's any harm in going with the Pure Energy or USA Industries model if you want to save $40-50 or so. Personally, I'd just go with the Denso. Apparently the alternator was changed for the 09+ models because the 06-08 Denso alt is only $126. It's also got a different part number.

tootalltrucker

Discussion Starter · #18 · Apr 15, 2014

Re: Grinding and smoke for the alternator?

Thanks everyone. We have a winner and it is DumbJarhead. I knew I could count on a Marine. The AC relay was indeed bad but it was intermittent, locking on (or failing) apparently after it heated up or something. We could sit there with the keys in our pocket and listen to it click on. Replaced the relay and it stopped. Put the old one back in and problem would start again.

My mechanic was pretty decent about it. $35 + tax including labor. He had to replace the battery he just put in because it was DEAD, but it was under warranty, heck only a week old. I did have to pay for towing but it was only $50. Yea, I could have told him it would not have needed towing a second time if it was diagnosed correctly the first time, but his prices are so reasonable and I know how hard he works for his money.

Moo

· #19 · Apr 15, 2014

DumbJarHead, that was an amazing diagnosis! Imagine all the money that could have been spent on this problem by ruling out the next failed idea. How on earth did you even THINK of this solution? Kind of like knowing about the Flux-Capacitor in the DeLoreon. I want your opinion when I get my next mystery problem.
Somebody give that guy a case of beer!

IanRTL

· #20 · Apr 16, 2014

I'm glad the problem seems to have been found and fixed. Any indication of what the grinding noise could have been?

1 - 20 of 31 Posts

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