Electrical problem

Dear Tom and Ray or anyone who may have a clue,

Over the past year I have replaced two batteries and four alternators and a couple of alternator belts. I use to be able to predict when I would need to replace the alternator because the belt would start squealing. If I tightened the belt too much it would snap. Now the belt squeals off and on. When I press in the clutch the squealing gets quieter and if I hold in the clutch for a while, while I am driving the squealing sometimes goes away. I have gone to different garages and all they can say is that it’s an electrical problem and that it would cost quite a bit just to track down what exactly is the problem. My car is a 1996 Kia Sephia. A little over a year ago I had the engine replaced with a used one.

I agree with the other garages. You have a module or device somewhere in the car pulling a lot of electrical power for some reason. The alternator for this car is rated for 80 Amps. But, it can only produce those 80 Amps for a short time. That much power requires a lot more power transmitted from the engine to the alternator through the belt, which is why it is squealing, and causes a lot of heat to build inside the alternator, which burns out the components.

Talk to a shop, and see if you can make a deal to where if the car starts behaving like this, you can take it straight in and have the system checked to find the drain. Only when the car is acting up can they find out what is burning up your alternators. At $150-$200 apiece, these alternators ain’t cheap.

Over the past year I have replaced two batteries and four alternators and a couple of alternator belts.

[i] A little over a year ago I had the engine replaced with a used one.[/i]

Does anyone other than me see a likely connection?