Out of the blue the other day my car started "clicking" from under the dash (possibly arching??) while trying to start the car. After starting i noticed that the voltage meter in myt turbo timer was only reading 12.3 volts or so even when the car was on, and it would be running horribly. It would have the same voltage reading when the car was off, and just today my battery died. Also when getting out of the vehicle after driving it like this (although killing my battery i had to drive it) i would be shocked by the door while closing it, and my key would lightly spark when locking the car. Any ideas? im out in my driveway right now testing things, what should i check?

 

Are you sure that clicking wasnt the bac? N/M im an idiot. I just read the rest of it and im pretty sure my bac never arc welded me to the door =)

 

I don’t think the shocks are related to your charging problems (Unless there is something weird going on with your alternator belt which is making it generate an unusual amount of static electricity… but that is a long shot).

Simply jump start the car and measure the voltage across the alternator (while running). If there is voltage on the small red wire but not 13 or more volts on the big red wire, then your alternator is bad.

Otherwise it is a wiring problem, but tests the alternator first.

 

DEFINETLY sounds like your alternator (or related wiring) took a s#it on you. check plug on back of alternator, & wiring at the top terminal, if it looks O.K., replace the alt... if you were only reading 12v for the past couple days, no sense in even push starting it to check the voltage (which you can do on the battery posts while running, that way you're checking the alt output AND the wiring in one shot)