How Do I Troubleshoot an Alternator for an HHR Turbo?
- 1). Raise the Chevy's hood and find the alternator (a round, belt-driven engine mechanism). Click one of the links in the "Reference" section for a picture of an alternator.
- 2). Inspect the alternator for damage. Corrosion, rust and broken pieces are all signs of trouble. Check the connections of the battery cables on the battery posts for poor fit or corrosive material. Clean the cable connectors and tighten the connections if they are loose.
- 3). Crank the engine and listen for noises coming from the alternator. The alternator should be silent. Noise may be a sign of broken internal mechanisms, shorted diodes or a bent pulley. Have the alternator looked at by a mechanic or a technician at an auto parts retailer.
- 4). Connect a voltmeter to the battery posts while the engine is running. Attach the positive test lead to the positive battery post, and then attach the negative lead to the negative battery post. The positive lead and post are red, and the negative lead and post are black.
- 5). Look at the reading on the voltmeter. A good, strong alternator will show a voltage measurement between 13.6 and 14.3 volts. Anything less means the alternator is not strong enough to charge the battery while the engine is running.
Source...