I read a bunch of alternator posts (all that I could find).
Now, every one had a weeeee high pitch noise at iddle, but I have that noise at about 70 MPH. At iddle (parked) I get this sound as if from a small motor that speeds up and slows down and creates a little vibration. I still think it could be that alternator (But my car doesn't qualify for a recall)

Please Correct me if I'm wrong:
when you first start your car, your loose a lot of charge from your battery, after the car is running the alternator regarges it. When your alternator stop working, after turning the car on/off a few times your battery will be dead as well. One good way to test if the alternator is working is by turning on the car, and then with the car on disconnect the possitive side of the battery. Now all the electical components on the car should be running off the alternator. So if you turn you headlights, map lights, radio and maybe even the AC, and the car stays on the alternator its doing its job.

Base on this line of though, I would have to say that my alternator is ok; but I can't think of any other place where that weeeeeee and that cranking sound may be comming from. My car never overheats (yet!) even driving at 100 MPH with the AC on, so I don't think it's the watter pump. Also, for those of you with new alternator, did you see any performance improvement.

97 Max Se Auto with 84,000 miles. JWT Intake, and new KS. 60,000 tunup was done at 70 000. (got the car at 64K miles and didn't know if the previous owner did it, so I did it agan)

Any help on this would be nice.

 

There is a recall on 97-98 Maximas re: alternators
Check out www.nissannews.com or do a search on alternator recall on this site.

I get a bit of a whine at random times, but I expect it kinda because I have a UDP.

 

My car died on me yesterday. I found this thread and did the test like it said. With the car running I disconnected the positive end of my battery and turned on my radio. As soon as I did this the car died. So I went to have the alternator replaced today and when the guys done changing the alternator he tells me my 140A fuse blew. Anyone familiar with this? He told me that this could have been the problem all along. I feel really dumb. But anyway I wanted to post this so that other .org members dont make the same mistake I did. Check your fuses first. I'm still hoping that my alternator was bad too so that I didn't change it for nothing. The guy changed it for $220 by the way which I think is pretty good. I pretty sure he never checked to see if the old alternator was good. I have 182,000 miles also if that matters.

 

Well, that's what I also thought when the autoparts guys did the test and told me my alternator was bad.

Well, they were wrong, as i found out after 10+ hours of labor.

My car used to make whining noise when starting...and that was the starter. I found out last week that the starter coil was being slowly burnt off by every second.

When I opened it...whew, all black. So I'm having it rebuilt.

I had problem starting the car...and beware! Check starter first. It's easier than checking alternator.

Also, check your 2 belts: one for alternator and A/C compressor, the other one for the power steering pump. If the belts fail, you lose those expensive things.

Luck.

 

140 Amp Fuse??? I don't think that's on your fuse box.



Does any one have any pictures of the inside of a skyline.