got a 98 chrysler 3.3, it keeps dying on me last night i had to have it jumped off with leads 5 times to get home dont know if battery is not holding a charge or alternator isnt charging battery, everything was fine
untill i went to start car after it had been stood for 24 hrs and it was dead, i jumped it off and it run for a few miles ok. and then it started to die on me every few hundred yards . any ideas please

 

DO you have access to a volt meter? You can measure the voltage before you start the car. Lets say it reads 11.9 volts. Then after you start the car (or have it jumped) check the voltage on the battery again. If is is higher, like 13 or 14 volts, the alternator is probably ok. If it reads the same (in my example) 11.9 or less, then the alternator is not working. Also.. how old is the battery? Is it maintence free or can you check the water level?

 

if it is not starting, and once jump-started, itstill dies after a very short while, I would be inclined to think it is the alternator. If the battery was not holding a charge, you would need to jump start it, but once started, it should run fine, as the alternator would supply power whilst the engine is running.

 

I agree my first port of call would be to check the alternator is working, as when the car is running the alternator provides power to the engine, (so long as the belts aren't too loose... are there any squeaking fanbelt noises?)

if the car is running for a while after you jump start it then it's taking a brief charge from the other car, once that brief charge is exhuasted then you will stop again, batt can't be that bad if it's getting you somewhere, but if its not a maintenace free batt then check your cell levels as jump starting can be quite vigorous.

you will need access to a voltmeter as mentioned in a thread above,

if it isn't putting out nearly 14v dc then you will need to check the tension of the belt, and if that is nice and tight then check the state of the brushes in the alternator, they are pennies to replace, or £'ss to get get a recon alternator!

hope you get to the bottom of it

how long have you had the vehicle was the battery reliable before?