Help diagnosing my Tacoma

Earlier tonight I was driving around and heard my truck was making a winning noise. At first it seemed like it was only when I had my air conditioner on, so I turned it off then a few minutes later I heard it start again. I decided it was likely a belt and figured I would get it checked out tomorrow.

As I was dropping off my fiancee I had my truck in park and the radio completely lost power and shut off. Thinking something weird just happened with the radio I turned off the truck and it would no longer crank, just click. Pulled out the jumper cables and it fired right up.

As long as I am giving the truck gas the radio still stays on, if I am coasting to a traffic light or braking the radio still lose power and turn off (one time the battery light came on while the truck was just idling). Currently the truck is sitting in my driveway dead again.

Any thoughts? My initial thought is it's a belt issue seeing that I only lose power when I am not accelerating. That being said I don't know as much about fixing vehicles as I would like , I only know how to break them.

 

Autoparts stores all do it as far as I know. Is it just the radio shutting off or are your headlights dimming/other electrical components as well? I can't say I've ever heard of an alternator slowly dying, usually they just go and you limp on battery power til it's drained but it could happen I suppose. If your A/C is working I doubt you have an electrical issue in that system.

 

When my truck was turned off the headlights were flickering and getting dim. I can't say that was the case when my truck was running and I was stopped as I was always at a traffic light and there were too many street lights to notice any flickering or dimming.

 

Your alternator just took a shit..

 

I had similar symptoms when my battery completely died

 

I've seen a corroded Terminal on the negative side of the battery do that also.

 

It's your alternator.

 

While it could be a failing alternator, it sounds far more likely to be a battery or connection problem. Unless you want to chase your tail and replace parts until the problem goes away, start with a load test of the battery and check all connections. Then test the alternator output, or take it somewhere that can. A battery with a shorted cell could certainly cause your symptoms.

 

This

 

My alternator was slowly dying, from my pulling too much from it with my stereo. The symtoms you describe sound like a seized bearing in the alternator, so it's not powering the truck anymore. Do you have a DMM, or something, that will tell you voltages with and without the truck running? Would help in diagnosis.

 

From what you described, my vote is for the alternator.

 

Sounds to me it's the alternator..

 

So we took it to the local auto parts store, they hooked it up and concluded it was the alternator. My belt is getting pretty warn so we may replace that while we are at it

 

I'll check them out, thanks. Alternator is fixed and truck up and running again. Alternator cost was $150 and labor was $60 for the alternator and belt to be installed.

 

It was a family friend that took care of me. What would normal labor be for a job similar to this?