Honda Car Forum

OK...here's a good one:
My trusty 98 Accord ExV6...115k miles. Transmission at 75K. Timing
belt/water pump at 98K, ball joints at 112k, battery last year.
After a normal uneventful drive home from work, stopped for a short time to
pick up take out. Started the car and BINGO, the alternator light, brake
warning light, and all of the "door open/trunk, and brake light out" lights
came on spontaneously. Car ran fine, accelerated fine. After about a mile or
so the lights went off as spontaneously as they went on. I breathed a sight
of relief, BUT, not I am hearing an ever so slight "whine" from the engine
compartment in gear as well as in park. Maybe it was there before and I did
not notice it, but I don't think so.

Bizarre set of circumstances?? Alternator??
Confused.

Matt

"Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:Nd3Gh.22$i%5.5@newsfe12.lga:

> OK...here's a good one:
> My trusty 98 Accord ExV6...115k miles. Transmission at 75K. Timing
> belt/water pump at 98K, ball joints at 112k, battery last year.
> After a normal uneventful drive home from work, stopped for a short
> time to pick up take out. Started the car and BINGO, the alternator
> light, brake warning light, and all of the "door open/trunk, and brake
> light out" lights came on spontaneously. Car ran fine, accelerated
> fine. After about a mile or so the lights went off as spontaneously as
> they went on. I breathed a sight of relief, BUT, not I am hearing an
> ever so slight "whine" from the engine compartment in gear as well as
> in park. Maybe it was there before and I did not notice it, but I
> don't think so.
>
> Bizarre set of circumstances?? Alternator??



Alternator brushes worn out, most likely. Easy fix.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Easy Fix?? Can the brushes be replaced without replacing the entire
alternator? Only asking because the alternator alone is ~$275 + I'll assume
3 hous labor putting the cost at close to $600.


"Tegger" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns98E7C8E8D73B3tegger@207.14.116.130...
> "Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:Nd3Gh.22$i%5.5@newsfe12.lga:
>
> > OK...here's a good one:
> > My trusty 98 Accord ExV6...115k miles. Transmission at 75K. Timing
> > belt/water pump at 98K, ball joints at 112k, battery last year.
> > After a normal uneventful drive home from work, stopped for a short
> > time to pick up take out. Started the car and BINGO, the alternator
> > light, brake warning light, and all of the "door open/trunk, and brake
> > light out" lights came on spontaneously. Car ran fine, accelerated
> > fine. After about a mile or so the lights went off as spontaneously as
> > they went on. I breathed a sight of relief, BUT, not I am hearing an
> > ever so slight "whine" from the engine compartment in gear as well as
> > in park. Maybe it was there before and I did not notice it, but I
> > don't think so.
> >
> > Bizarre set of circumstances?? Alternator??
>
>
>
> Alternator brushes worn out, most likely. Easy fix.
>
> --
> Tegger
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I just referred to my "Haynes" repair Manual. Apparently the Nippon Denso
alternators in 4 cyl Accord do have replacable brushes but the lousy
Mitsubishi/Delphi units in the 6 cyl models (ie: mine) have to be replaced
as a whole.

"Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:CW3Gh.26$i%5.23@newsfe12.lga...
> Easy Fix?? Can the brushes be replaced without replacing the entire
> alternator? Only asking because the alternator alone is ~$275 + I'll
assume
> 3 hous labor putting the cost at close to $600.
>
>
> "Tegger" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
> news:Xns98E7C8E8D73B3tegger@207.14.116.130...
> > "Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in
> > news:Nd3Gh.22$i%5.5@newsfe12.lga:
> >
> > > OK...here's a good one:
> > > My trusty 98 Accord ExV6...115k miles. Transmission at 75K. Timing
> > > belt/water pump at 98K, ball joints at 112k, battery last year.
> > > After a normal uneventful drive home from work, stopped for a short
> > > time to pick up take out. Started the car and BINGO, the alternator
> > > light, brake warning light, and all of the "door open/trunk, and brake
> > > light out" lights came on spontaneously. Car ran fine, accelerated
> > > fine. After about a mile or so the lights went off as spontaneously as
> > > they went on. I breathed a sight of relief, BUT, not I am hearing an
> > > ever so slight "whine" from the engine compartment in gear as well as
> > > in park. Maybe it was there before and I did not notice it, but I
> > > don't think so.
> > >
> > > Bizarre set of circumstances?? Alternator??
> >
> >
> >
> > Alternator brushes worn out, most likely. Easy fix.
> >
> > --
> > Tegger
> >
> > The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> > www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>
>

"Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:iq4Gh.1620$it6.23@newsfe12.lga:

> I just referred to my "Haynes" repair Manual. Apparently the Nippon
> Denso alternators in 4 cyl Accord do have replacable brushes but the
> lousy Mitsubishi/Delphi units in the 6 cyl models (ie: mine) have to
> be replaced as a whole.



You trust Haynes? Idiot.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I have come to this group now as in the past to look for answers and while
the answers and opinions are greatly appreciated, the verbal abuse is NOT
thank you very much.....



"Tegger" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns98E7D5DBF6BBCtegger@207.14.116.130...
> "Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:iq4Gh.1620$it6.23@newsfe12.lga:
>
> > I just referred to my "Haynes" repair Manual. Apparently the Nippon
> > Denso alternators in 4 cyl Accord do have replacable brushes but the
> > lousy Mitsubishi/Delphi units in the 6 cyl models (ie: mine) have to
> > be replaced as a whole.
>
>
>
> You trust Haynes? Idiot.
>
>
> --
> Tegger
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:10:09 -0500, Matthew wrote:

> I have come to this group now as in the past to look for answers and while
> the answers and opinions are greatly appreciated, the verbal abuse is NOT
> thank you very much.....

The most useful piece of advice you can be given is to set your Haynes
manual on fire, and go buy the Helms manual...

Said that way...thank you for the useful advice!!


"Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
news:54si1cF22qepoU1@mid.individual.net...
> On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:10:09 -0500, Matthew wrote:
>
> > I have come to this group now as in the past to look for answers and
while
> > the answers and opinions are greatly appreciated, the verbal abuse is
NOT
> > thank you very much.....
>
> The most useful piece of advice you can be given is to set your Haynes
> manual on fire, and go buy the Helms manual...

Matthew wrote:
> I have come to this group now as in the past to look for answers and while
> the answers and opinions are greatly appreciated, the verbal abuse is NOT
> thank you very much.....

dude, you can take that comment personally, [in which case i'd ask why
you're posting on an unmoderated forum in the first place] /or/ you can
consider the reasoning for it. haynes manuals are frequently either
sparse on crucial information, or worse, just plain wrong. on that
basis, referring to a haynes and then using it as "defense" against
sound advice from a guy with /way/ more experience than you, well, let's
just say it's not going to be the smart thing to do.

best thing you can do for your honda [and yourself] - buy the factory
manual from helm. i believe you may have received this advice before
with one of your previous questions. it looks expensive, but it pays
for itself the first time you use it. and you won't find yourself in
the above position.

>
>
>
> "Tegger" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
> news:Xns98E7D5DBF6BBCtegger@207.14.116.130...
>> "Matthew" <thew60NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote in
>> news:iq4Gh.1620$it6.23@newsfe12.lga:
>>
>>> I just referred to my "Haynes" repair Manual. Apparently the Nippon
>>> Denso alternators in 4 cyl Accord do have replacable brushes but the
>>> lousy Mitsubishi/Delphi units in the 6 cyl models (ie: mine) have to
>>> be replaced as a whole.
>>
>>
>> You trust Haynes? Idiot.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Tegger
>>
>> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
>> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>
>

jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
news:W8CdnZhvAZpz4nTYnZ2dnUVZ_ompnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:

> Matthew wrote:
>> I have come to this group now as in the past to look for answers and
>> while the answers and opinions are greatly appreciated, the verbal
>> abuse is NOT thank you very much.....
>
> dude, you can take that comment personally, [in which case i'd ask why
> you're posting on an unmoderated forum in the first place] /or/ you
> can consider the reasoning for it. haynes manuals are frequently
> either sparse on crucial information, or worse, just plain wrong. on
> that basis, referring to a haynes and then using it as "defense"
> against sound advice from a guy with /way/ more experience than you,
> well, let's just say it's not going to be the smart thing to do.
>
> best thing you can do for your honda [and yourself] - buy the factory
> manual from helm. i believe you may have received this advice before
> with one of your previous questions. it looks expensive, but it pays
> for itself the first time you use it. and you won't find yourself in
> the above position.



Perhaps "idiot" was a bit of a strong word. I therefore substitute for it,
"poor misguided soul about to damage more than he fixes by using a Haynes".

Is that better?


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/