?? Tried a search but too much to go through. I need to get about four miles from my garage so I can park my car and the alternator is dead. How far can I get on a new battery and no accessories being used, like lights etc..?

I drove my car all the way home from the WCC on battery juice. About 140 miles with no problem.

4 miles not a problem... I drove my 84 911 for about 1.5 hours with fresh charge. Swapped batteries with another 911 and my battery still had enough juice to start the other 911.

From Tucson, AZ with a stop in Phoenix to 12 miles outside of Blythe, CA....call it about 250 miles (no lights on).

If you've got carbs, pretty darn far. If you've got FI, not quite so far. And if you've got some fancy shmancy FI and ignition setup, not too far at all.

That's assuming it's in the middle of the day and you're not using the heater fan or defrost either...

Anectode: I was driving my '87 VW GTi from SF to P-Land, and lost the alternator clamp somewhere just north of Lake Powell... Made it to Weed before the gauges started freaking out, and I knew I had maybe a minute left. Fortunately, there was a hotel nearby to the parts shop where I could order a new alternator clamp...

That car probably had a bit more amperage overhead than a 914, but a good battery will take you pretty far without an alternator. However, no alternator will take you very far if the battery terminal comes loose...

-Josh2

I have gone a full weekend at the track (8 x 20 min) with no alternator.

Looks like you got all the info you need here Chris, sorry for not getting back to you sooner.

From Hood River, Or to Kelowna, BC on battery. Don't try it with the lights on....

I know a guy (or did...he died many moons ago) who drove from Vancouver BC to Oshawa ON. He drove only in the daytime and he did cheat, as he plugged in a battery charger each night.

This was in a bug and he had no FI to power.

But he was a bit