# Alternator gets smoking hot!

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/alternator-gets-smoking-hot/19813>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [September 20, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alternator-gets-smoking-hot/19813 "2008-09-20T21:25:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MacAttack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ed655f/32.png) [@MacAttack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MacAttack)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alternator-gets-smoking-hot/19813/1 "2008-09-20T21:25:29Z")

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I have an '88 Toyota Camry that sat for 2 yrs. Had to jump it of course to get going.Later I found that the alternator was Very hot as well as the batt. terminals. I ended up changing the alt. the batt.and terminals. The alt was still hot 250-300 deg.measured with an IR thermometer. I changed the ground cable end but I’m apprehensive about starting it back up. I’m wondering if I covered all the possibilities. I don’t want to have to buy another alt. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alternator-gets-smoking-hot/19813/2 "2008-09-20T22:54:27Z")

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Your battery went dead and sat dead for probably a year or longer, which is severe neglect. It’s sucking in the amps trying to take a charge. That’s why the alternator is hot, it’s trying to do its job: charge the battery. Get a new battery.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alternator-gets-smoking-hot/19813/3 "2008-09-20T22:58:59Z")

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I think he said he already did.

It probably is a problem with the connections somewhere. The ground wire’s a good start-- go ahead and fire it up and see what happens. If the ground didn’t fix it, try the red wire.