'96 Maxima charging issue
12-23-2017, 08:12 PM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
'96 Maxima charging issue
Hi all,
I'm hoping you can help me out with a charging problem on my daughter's '96 Maxima that I've been scratching my head over. I've read several of the threads here on the forum about charging problems, and have tried various things, but would like some advice before proceeding further. The car has ~230k miles on it now, and has been a good car for her.
Recently, the car has died on her a couple times now from the battery being depleted. Both times we've been able to jump it off and drive it long enough to get it where we need to. After the first time, I did a very cursory inspection, and could see that the battery was leaking around the battery post. Since the battery was still under full replacement warranty (just under 3 years), I had her get a new battery, and then take the car by an auto parts place to have the alternator tested. She did, and it tested good. Once she had the car home for a few days, I fully charged the battery, then also took some readings at the battery with the car running. It never seemed to get above 12.8V. I thought this was weak, so i had her take it to another auto parts store to have the alternator tested, and it once again tested good.
She drove it for a couple days, when it once again died on her. Jumped it off again, drove it home, and have been trying to figure out the problem since. Both times when it died, she said she never had any indication from the battery lamp before it died. She said the clock and radio lights went out, and the car began surging before it died. Then all the indicator lights (she thinks including the battery light) came on as they do when you first turn on the ignition.
So what have I tried so far? My first bet was the alternator, since the battery was new, and given the voltage I had previously read at the battery terminals. I ordered a new alternator, but as I began removing the old one, I noted that it was covered in quite a bit of oil/grime, and there was a noticeable amount of oil pooled in the bottom of the electrical plug connector on the alternator. I decided to clean out the connector and receptacle, and check again the voltage at the battery terminals with the car running. I did so, and the voltage was really fluctuating, sometimes reading as low as 4V! I'm sure I gave the connector sufficient time to dry from the cleaning, but I will admit that I noticed the next day that my multimeter battery low indicator light was flashing. I don't think that was affecting the readings, but I can't say for absolute certain.
I was convinced at this point I had a bad alternator, and began the job of replacing it. I dropped the old alternator out (which appeared to be the original Nissan alternator), but before putting the new one in, I decided to take the old one and have it tested to confirm my suspicions. To my surprise, the old aternator tested good. I decided I'd take it home and clean it up real good, and then have it tested again. I did so, and took it to a different auto parts shop, where it again tested good. At this point, I'm really questioning putting in a new alternator vs. the old one, worrying that my problem might be elsewhere and i'm just throwing money at the problem.
I have checked the 140A fusible link under the hood, along with the 7.5a fuse in the same area. I have also checked the 10a fuse (#13) in the driver's side cabin fusebox. All of these looked good and tested good. Through this forum, I was able to access the FSM troubleshooting on the charging system, and I noticed that the battery warning lamp was never coming on. Keep in mind that I have the alternator removed at this point, and have not replaced it yet, since I'm unsure whether I should use the old one, which has tested good on multiple occasions now, or if I should put the new one in. But according to the FSM, I should be able to unplug the alternator and still expect to have the battery warning light come on when the ignition is turned on. This does not happen. This had me worried since according to some posters, this lamp needs to work in order to enable the alternator charging. However, I have also read on this forum that this indicator light has nothing to do with the functionality of the alternator, and is nothing more than an indicator of the alternator charge voltage being low. Specifically, DennisMik in this thread seems unequivocal on this topic: https://maxima.org/forums/4th-genera...wire-help.html
I did verify that the lamp is functional by jumpering the alternator connector pin corresponding to the red/white wire (disconnected since the alternator is still removed) to ground. The lamp lights up with the ignition on in this case, and extinguishes if I remove the jumper to ground. According to the FSM, with the alternator connector unplugged, the battery indicator light should illuminate, and if it doesn't, there's a problem with either the fuse for the warning lamp, or the warning lamp itself. This is definitely not the case for me, and I'm unconvinced why this should be the case, since with the connector unplugged, one side of the indicator lamp would be hooked to positive (+12v) through the ignition (which I verified), while the other side would be floating. Based on some other posts in this forum, even though I was dubious given my symptoms, I tried swapping around the blue relays beside the driver side fuse box, to no avail.
I would appreciate any insight/thoughts you all could share regarding the battery indicator light, and as to how I should proceed from here. At this point, I don't find the battery indicator light acting unusual based on my understanding (despite what's in the FSM), and I still favor a bad alternator as the likely culprit to the problem. I do think the oil that leaked down on the alternator/connector could have caused the alternator to act intermittently, and cleaning this up could have solved my problem. I have been loathe to place either the old or new alternator back in, as there are pros and cons to each scenario, and I don't really want to have to perform the labor again. For the old unit, I hear the quality is better than the aftermarket units, and I save the money of a new unit. However, I don't see what else would make the battery voltage drop to 4V, and given the intermittent nature of the problem, I fear putting the old unit back in again only to have to replace it later.
Given the above, are there any thoughts (or other tests/info) you would recommend before I commit on replacing the alternator? Thanks in advance for your help!
I'm hoping you can help me out with a charging problem on my daughter's '96 Maxima that I've been scratching my head over. I've read several of the threads here on the forum about charging problems, and have tried various things, but would like some advice before proceeding further. The car has ~230k miles on it now, and has been a good car for her.
Recently, the car has died on her a couple times now from the battery being depleted. Both times we've been able to jump it off and drive it long enough to get it where we need to. After the first time, I did a very cursory inspection, and could see that the battery was leaking around the battery post. Since the battery was still under full replacement warranty (just under 3 years), I had her get a new battery, and then take the car by an auto parts place to have the alternator tested. She did, and it tested good. Once she had the car home for a few days, I fully charged the battery, then also took some readings at the battery with the car running. It never seemed to get above 12.8V. I thought this was weak, so i had her take it to another auto parts store to have the alternator tested, and it once again tested good.
She drove it for a couple days, when it once again died on her. Jumped it off again, drove it home, and have been trying to figure out the problem since. Both times when it died, she said she never had any indication from the battery lamp before it died. She said the clock and radio lights went out, and the car began surging before it died. Then all the indicator lights (she thinks including the battery light) came on as they do when you first turn on the ignition.
So what have I tried so far? My first bet was the alternator, since the battery was new, and given the voltage I had previously read at the battery terminals. I ordered a new alternator, but as I began removing the old one, I noted that it was covered in quite a bit of oil/grime, and there was a noticeable amount of oil pooled in the bottom of the electrical plug connector on the alternator. I decided to clean out the connector and receptacle, and check again the voltage at the battery terminals with the car running. I did so, and the voltage was really fluctuating, sometimes reading as low as 4V! I'm sure I gave the connector sufficient time to dry from the cleaning, but I will admit that I noticed the next day that my multimeter battery low indicator light was flashing. I don't think that was affecting the readings, but I can't say for absolute certain.
I was convinced at this point I had a bad alternator, and began the job of replacing it. I dropped the old alternator out (which appeared to be the original Nissan alternator), but before putting the new one in, I decided to take the old one and have it tested to confirm my suspicions. To my surprise, the old aternator tested good. I decided I'd take it home and clean it up real good, and then have it tested again. I did so, and took it to a different auto parts shop, where it again tested good. At this point, I'm really questioning putting in a new alternator vs. the old one, worrying that my problem might be elsewhere and i'm just throwing money at the problem.
I have checked the 140A fusible link under the hood, along with the 7.5a fuse in the same area. I have also checked the 10a fuse (#13) in the driver's side cabin fusebox. All of these looked good and tested good. Through this forum, I was able to access the FSM troubleshooting on the charging system, and I noticed that the battery warning lamp was never coming on. Keep in mind that I have the alternator removed at this point, and have not replaced it yet, since I'm unsure whether I should use the old one, which has tested good on multiple occasions now, or if I should put the new one in. But according to the FSM, I should be able to unplug the alternator and still expect to have the battery warning light come on when the ignition is turned on. This does not happen. This had me worried since according to some posters, this lamp needs to work in order to enable the alternator charging. However, I have also read on this forum that this indicator light has nothing to do with the functionality of the alternator, and is nothing more than an indicator of the alternator charge voltage being low. Specifically, DennisMik in this thread seems unequivocal on this topic: https://maxima.org/forums/4th-genera...wire-help.html
I did verify that the lamp is functional by jumpering the alternator connector pin corresponding to the red/white wire (disconnected since the alternator is still removed) to ground. The lamp lights up with the ignition on in this case, and extinguishes if I remove the jumper to ground. According to the FSM, with the alternator connector unplugged, the battery indicator light should illuminate, and if it doesn't, there's a problem with either the fuse for the warning lamp, or the warning lamp itself. This is definitely not the case for me, and I'm unconvinced why this should be the case, since with the connector unplugged, one side of the indicator lamp would be hooked to positive (+12v) through the ignition (which I verified), while the other side would be floating. Based on some other posts in this forum, even though I was dubious given my symptoms, I tried swapping around the blue relays beside the driver side fuse box, to no avail.
I would appreciate any insight/thoughts you all could share regarding the battery indicator light, and as to how I should proceed from here. At this point, I don't find the battery indicator light acting unusual based on my understanding (despite what's in the FSM), and I still favor a bad alternator as the likely culprit to the problem. I do think the oil that leaked down on the alternator/connector could have caused the alternator to act intermittently, and cleaning this up could have solved my problem. I have been loathe to place either the old or new alternator back in, as there are pros and cons to each scenario, and I don't really want to have to perform the labor again. For the old unit, I hear the quality is better than the aftermarket units, and I save the money of a new unit. However, I don't see what else would make the battery voltage drop to 4V, and given the intermittent nature of the problem, I fear putting the old unit back in again only to have to replace it later.
Given the above, are there any thoughts (or other tests/info) you would recommend before I commit on replacing the alternator? Thanks in advance for your help!
Last edited by fredbanks; 12-23-2017 at 08:37 PM.
12-23-2017, 09:06 PM
#2
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
P.S.- I forgot to add a bit of information that I think is unrelated, but just in case.... For some time now, the car will sometimes not turnover immediately when turning the ignition. The indicator lights and instrument panel are all on, but the car just doesn't turn over. If the key is turned back and then on again, the car always cranks. This has never really been a problem, just a curiousity, and it has been going on for a year or 2, long before these charging issues became a problem. I thought I'd mention it just in case anyone could draw a relation, or if you've experienced this yourself and know what the cause of this is.
Thx again, and Merry Christmas everyone!
Thx again, and Merry Christmas everyone!
12-24-2017, 11:09 AM
#3
I had an issue with my alternator where it would sometimes charge at a good voltage (mid 13s to low 14s) and later drop down to the 12's and a little below. This reading was from my cigarette lighter volt meter. A warning light would also trigger on my instrument cluster when it went down far enough. One thing to note is when i did have my alternator replaced, we also replaced the harness. The dealer still stocked those luckily. Having one of those cigarette lighter volt meters is useful if you have chance to look into one. Also, have you checked the battery cables (and grounds) to make sure there is no corrosion or wear along them?
The starting issue could be the ignition switch (that while plastic piece in the steering column. I hear it's a semi-common issue and a cheap/easy fix. If it isn't that, it may just be the low battery not supplying enough juice to trigger starter, or at the worse end, a slowly failing starter.
I would just resolve the charging issue first and it may resolve your intermittent cranking issue.
The starting issue could be the ignition switch (that while plastic piece in the steering column. I hear it's a semi-common issue and a cheap/easy fix. If it isn't that, it may just be the low battery not supplying enough juice to trigger starter, or at the worse end, a slowly failing starter.
I would just resolve the charging issue first and it may resolve your intermittent cranking issue.
12-24-2017, 12:29 PM
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
Thanks, I appreciate the suggestions. Yes, I made sure to clean up the battery terminals when the battery was replaced. After removing the alternator, I did also check the charging lead from the alternator to the battery, which ohmed out to only like 0.3 ohms, and the black/yellow lead from the alternator connector to positive read similarly low.
Regarding the ignition, yes, that was my plan as well- address this first, and see if anything changes. I'm not really expecting these to be related, and I'm not too terribly worried about that problem, since it's never been difficult to get it started.
For the charging problem, I'm leaning towards an intermittent alternator/alternator connection. Whether this was a byproduct of the oil on the alternator and connector, or if the alternator is just worn out and needs to be replaced, is the question. At this point, I think I'll go ahead and bite the bullet and reinstall the old alternator and see how it goes. If it fails again then I'd probably just replace it with a new one, unless someone here suggests another possibility or some new symptoms arise that lead me to suspect something else. I hate to have to go through that twice, but I don't have a better idea right now.
Regarding the ignition, yes, that was my plan as well- address this first, and see if anything changes. I'm not really expecting these to be related, and I'm not too terribly worried about that problem, since it's never been difficult to get it started.
For the charging problem, I'm leaning towards an intermittent alternator/alternator connection. Whether this was a byproduct of the oil on the alternator and connector, or if the alternator is just worn out and needs to be replaced, is the question. At this point, I think I'll go ahead and bite the bullet and reinstall the old alternator and see how it goes. If it fails again then I'd probably just replace it with a new one, unless someone here suggests another possibility or some new symptoms arise that lead me to suspect something else. I hate to have to go through that twice, but I don't have a better idea right now.
I had an issue with my alternator where it would sometimes charge at a good voltage (mid 13s to low 14s) and later drop down to the 12's and a little below. This reading was from my cigarette lighter volt meter. A warning light would also trigger on my instrument cluster when it went down far enough. One thing to note is when i did have my alternator replaced, we also replaced the harness. The dealer still stocked those luckily. Having one of those cigarette lighter volt meters is useful if you have chance to look into one. Also, have you checked the battery cables (and grounds) to make sure there is no corrosion or wear along them?
The starting issue could be the ignition switch (that while plastic piece in the steering column. I hear it's a semi-common issue and a cheap/easy fix. If it isn't that, it may just be the low battery not supplying enough juice to trigger starter, or at the worse end, a slowly failing starter.
I would just resolve the charging issue first and it may resolve your intermittent cranking issue.
The starting issue could be the ignition switch (that while plastic piece in the steering column. I hear it's a semi-common issue and a cheap/easy fix. If it isn't that, it may just be the low battery not supplying enough juice to trigger starter, or at the worse end, a slowly failing starter.
I would just resolve the charging issue first and it may resolve your intermittent cranking issue.
12-24-2017, 12:42 PM
#5
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The battery it self should be standing at 12.4 V. The battery with the car running should be at 13.7-14.7 V this is with the alternator running. This is a healthy alternator and battery with this readings. If the car is getting less than 13-1 v with the car running. Than the alternator is going south. The battery is ok if it's below 12.4 v it's self but weak 12.4 v where it should be. The car can as you described that it would not turn over but chug and turn half way over and the lights and all are on good condition. The battery is slightly weak it needs a slight jump to help the car start. This has happened to me many times, especially in the cold. I would try to turn the car over and experience the same problem,I have had to turn the car over and the engine chugs i would hear it. I would try not to turn over after i crank and another that would instantly kill and drain the battery. I would turn it and wait and give the car gas not flood the engine but enough where the compression builds up and i get the car started. I didn't like doing this because it can drain the battery and flood the engine. I would rather jump the car to be easy on the battery.
12-25-2017, 05:52 AM
#6
Hey Fred...you are a good Dad to do all of this work and troubleshooting on your daughter's car. She's lucky to have the help.
My experience: Our 98 SE had over 230k when we sold it earlier this year. Original alternator. They are pretty well designed unless they get a lot of crap on them (oil, dirt, road salt, etc.) or the connectors/cables get dirty. Sounds like you've cleaned it up pretty well. If multiple places have told you that the alternator is good, I'd go with it. I have more faith in an original OEM alternator than a lot of the replacements available at local auto parts stores.
Couple questions:
1) Any additional electrical equipment (non OEM) added to the car (ie. add on's...sub-woofer, different lights, etc?) that might cause some of the fluctuations?
2) How's the alternator belt and tension? I run only Nissan belts and make sure they are set to the correct tension...don't want it slipping.
3) Have you checked all major electrical grounds for tightness or corrosion?
Based on your work to date, I'd agree that you have an intermittent alternator/alternator connection. As with all electrical problems, it takes time, and trial and error to pinpoint the root cause.
I may not have been much help, but you seem to be systematically chasing it down. I'd focus on cables and grounding. If you want peace of mind and want to eliminate the alternator as the possible problem, install your new one. If that doesn't fix it, you know you have more troubleshooting to do.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.
My experience: Our 98 SE had over 230k when we sold it earlier this year. Original alternator. They are pretty well designed unless they get a lot of crap on them (oil, dirt, road salt, etc.) or the connectors/cables get dirty. Sounds like you've cleaned it up pretty well. If multiple places have told you that the alternator is good, I'd go with it. I have more faith in an original OEM alternator than a lot of the replacements available at local auto parts stores.
Couple questions:
1) Any additional electrical equipment (non OEM) added to the car (ie. add on's...sub-woofer, different lights, etc?) that might cause some of the fluctuations?
2) How's the alternator belt and tension? I run only Nissan belts and make sure they are set to the correct tension...don't want it slipping.
3) Have you checked all major electrical grounds for tightness or corrosion?
Based on your work to date, I'd agree that you have an intermittent alternator/alternator connection. As with all electrical problems, it takes time, and trial and error to pinpoint the root cause.
I may not have been much help, but you seem to be systematically chasing it down. I'd focus on cables and grounding. If you want peace of mind and want to eliminate the alternator as the possible problem, install your new one. If that doesn't fix it, you know you have more troubleshooting to do.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.
12-25-2017, 06:26 PM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
Hi 93SCMax,
Merry Christmas to you! Thx for the input. Let me try to address your questions:
1) All original, so far as I'm aware, and certainly no add-ons. I actually picked this car out for my mom to buy in a private sale all the way back around 2000. I picked it because a) I knew it had the same engine as my '87 pathfinder, which had some 250k miles on it at the time, and had been completely trouble-free, and b) I could tell the first and only previous owner had taken meticulous care of it. I think the car had maybe 80-100k miles or something on it at the time. It was a great car for her, and she eventually sold it to my daughter. It's also been a great car for my daughter, but getting up there in miles, so I've had to do a little work on it, mainly suspension-related (replaced inner & outer tie rods due to torn boots & excess play, replaced front & back struts due to creaking/knocking & bouncy ride, re-soldered MAF connectors due to intermittent stalling problem-that one took a little while to find!). Outside of this most recent issue, the car still runs great, and we're hoping it'll get her thru all her college. It does leak some oil around various parts of the engine, but never enough that she has to add any between changes, so I haven't bothered to deal with that. BTW, I still have my '87 pathfinder with ~280k miles on it now, and it's still virtually trouble-free. Amazing to me that it still has mostly all original hoses, etc, and that those haven't been causing me problems. It's no longer a daily driver for me now due to gas mileage and ease of handling in traffic, but I still use it for hunting & fishing & work-around-the-house purposes. I would still trust it if I needed to.
2) I , was prepared to find an old, dry-rotted belt, but to my surprise, the belt looked great. I think my mom must have had it replaced shortly before she passed the car on. I remember checking the tension before I took it off so I could try to target this same tension- it followed my general rule of thumbs for belts, and that is to be able to twist the belt ~ 1/4 turn. The belt wasn't making any noise either, so I don't think that was an issue.
3) I did not check all the major grounds, mainly because I wasn't sure where to find them and didn't take the time to look them up. However, I did check the resistance between the negative battery terminal cable and several points on the engine, especially in the spots near where the alternator would bolt into. I read very little resistance, so was satisfied with that.
Yes, I'm afraid it's down to trial and error here. I'm going to replace the original alternator back in, and give it a try for a while. Worst case, I'll have to redo the job with a new one, but I'll be much faster at it this time.
Thx for your thoughts!
Merry Christmas to you! Thx for the input. Let me try to address your questions:
1) All original, so far as I'm aware, and certainly no add-ons. I actually picked this car out for my mom to buy in a private sale all the way back around 2000. I picked it because a) I knew it had the same engine as my '87 pathfinder, which had some 250k miles on it at the time, and had been completely trouble-free, and b) I could tell the first and only previous owner had taken meticulous care of it. I think the car had maybe 80-100k miles or something on it at the time. It was a great car for her, and she eventually sold it to my daughter. It's also been a great car for my daughter, but getting up there in miles, so I've had to do a little work on it, mainly suspension-related (replaced inner & outer tie rods due to torn boots & excess play, replaced front & back struts due to creaking/knocking & bouncy ride, re-soldered MAF connectors due to intermittent stalling problem-that one took a little while to find!). Outside of this most recent issue, the car still runs great, and we're hoping it'll get her thru all her college. It does leak some oil around various parts of the engine, but never enough that she has to add any between changes, so I haven't bothered to deal with that. BTW, I still have my '87 pathfinder with ~280k miles on it now, and it's still virtually trouble-free. Amazing to me that it still has mostly all original hoses, etc, and that those haven't been causing me problems. It's no longer a daily driver for me now due to gas mileage and ease of handling in traffic, but I still use it for hunting & fishing & work-around-the-house purposes. I would still trust it if I needed to.
2) I , was prepared to find an old, dry-rotted belt, but to my surprise, the belt looked great. I think my mom must have had it replaced shortly before she passed the car on. I remember checking the tension before I took it off so I could try to target this same tension- it followed my general rule of thumbs for belts, and that is to be able to twist the belt ~ 1/4 turn. The belt wasn't making any noise either, so I don't think that was an issue.
3) I did not check all the major grounds, mainly because I wasn't sure where to find them and didn't take the time to look them up. However, I did check the resistance between the negative battery terminal cable and several points on the engine, especially in the spots near where the alternator would bolt into. I read very little resistance, so was satisfied with that.
Yes, I'm afraid it's down to trial and error here. I'm going to replace the original alternator back in, and give it a try for a while. Worst case, I'll have to redo the job with a new one, but I'll be much faster at it this time.
Thx for your thoughts!
Hey Fred...you are a good Dad to do all of this work and troubleshooting on your daughter's car. She's lucky to have the help.
My experience: Our 98 SE had over 230k when we sold it earlier this year. Original alternator. They are pretty well designed unless they get a lot of crap on them (oil, dirt, road salt, etc.) or the connectors/cables get dirty. Sounds like you've cleaned it up pretty well. If multiple places have told you that the alternator is good, I'd go with it. I have more faith in an original OEM alternator than a lot of the replacements available at local auto parts stores.
Couple questions:
1) Any additional electrical equipment (non OEM) added to the car (ie. add on's...sub-woofer, different lights, etc?) that might cause some of the fluctuations?
2) How's the alternator belt and tension? I run only Nissan belts and make sure they are set to the correct tension...don't want it slipping.
3) Have you checked all major electrical grounds for tightness or corrosion?
Based on your work to date, I'd agree that you have an intermittent alternator/alternator connection. As with all electrical problems, it takes time, and trial and error to pinpoint the root cause.
I may not have been much help, but you seem to be systematically chasing it down. I'd focus on cables and grounding. If you want peace of mind and want to eliminate the alternator as the possible problem, install your new one. If that doesn't fix it, you know you have more troubleshooting to do.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.
My experience: Our 98 SE had over 230k when we sold it earlier this year. Original alternator. They are pretty well designed unless they get a lot of crap on them (oil, dirt, road salt, etc.) or the connectors/cables get dirty. Sounds like you've cleaned it up pretty well. If multiple places have told you that the alternator is good, I'd go with it. I have more faith in an original OEM alternator than a lot of the replacements available at local auto parts stores.
Couple questions:
1) Any additional electrical equipment (non OEM) added to the car (ie. add on's...sub-woofer, different lights, etc?) that might cause some of the fluctuations?
2) How's the alternator belt and tension? I run only Nissan belts and make sure they are set to the correct tension...don't want it slipping.
3) Have you checked all major electrical grounds for tightness or corrosion?
Based on your work to date, I'd agree that you have an intermittent alternator/alternator connection. As with all electrical problems, it takes time, and trial and error to pinpoint the root cause.
I may not have been much help, but you seem to be systematically chasing it down. I'd focus on cables and grounding. If you want peace of mind and want to eliminate the alternator as the possible problem, install your new one. If that doesn't fix it, you know you have more troubleshooting to do.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.
12-27-2017, 07:52 PM
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
Update
Ok, so I put the old alternator back in today (quite a task getting it lined up!) and re-tensioned the belt. Made sure to put some dielectric grease around the connector, and connected everything back up. Turned the key, and was disheartened to see that the battery light didn't come on when the key was turned. Then I remembered that although I had plugged in the connector, I had forgotten to connect the positive cable. Took care of this, and the battery light came on. Then went ahead and cranked the car and checked the voltage at the battery, which showed 14.3V. Success!
Well, at least for now anyway. Will continue to monitor and report back if there's any further problems. I'm remembering the story from someone about their dad spraying water on their alternator as the son yelled at him to stop. It fixed the son's charging problem, which never reoccurred-lol! My daughter's was covered in filthy oil & grime, and it's conceivable that was causing intermittent issues. Let's see!
Well, at least for now anyway. Will continue to monitor and report back if there's any further problems. I'm remembering the story from someone about their dad spraying water on their alternator as the son yelled at him to stop. It fixed the son's charging problem, which never reoccurred-lol! My daughter's was covered in filthy oil & grime, and it's conceivable that was causing intermittent issues. Let's see!
12-30-2017, 04:36 PM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
Update- original altnernator failed!
Ok guys, so all seemed well for a few days after replacing the original alternator back. However, I decided to check the voltage this morning (colder morning), and it was showing <12V. This obviously concerned me, so I decided we should take it and have it tested at the local auto parts store. In the meantime, it did read >14V at times, but only briefly. Got it to the auto parts store, the same one that had previously tested it and shown good, but this time it definitely read bad, showing a faulty voltage regulator. Finally, this made sense to me and although it meant replacing the alternator, I was relieved to have a definite diagnosis.
Went about the job of replacing the alternator, which went pretty smooth and took 2 hours. Only problem was I had my daughter helping me (I believe in sweat equity!), and I had her tighten the top bolt on the alternator. Well, she cross-threaded it. Good lesson for her, and hopefully not one that I'll have to pay for in the near future with another replacement. I tightened it to what I felt was snug, and added some Loctite on the backside of the stripped bolt. Not sure that will do any good, but it was worth a shot. We'll see how long it holds. I'm a little worried it'll break loose with the stress of the belt, but let's see. The only good news is the threads are on the alternator itself, which is lifetime warranty, so this can be managed if need be (assuming I can get the stripped bolt out!).
I haven't started the car up and checked the voltage yet, because I wanted to give the Loctite plenty of time to cure. Will check it tomorrow. Forgot to mention before removing the old alternator, I hooked up an alternate ground just to make sure there wasn't an issue there. The voltage was still reading low with the alternate ground, so I feel pretty confident the alternator/voltage regulator itself was bad. Will report back once I've had time to test the new altnernator.
Went about the job of replacing the alternator, which went pretty smooth and took 2 hours. Only problem was I had my daughter helping me (I believe in sweat equity!), and I had her tighten the top bolt on the alternator. Well, she cross-threaded it. Good lesson for her, and hopefully not one that I'll have to pay for in the near future with another replacement. I tightened it to what I felt was snug, and added some Loctite on the backside of the stripped bolt. Not sure that will do any good, but it was worth a shot. We'll see how long it holds. I'm a little worried it'll break loose with the stress of the belt, but let's see. The only good news is the threads are on the alternator itself, which is lifetime warranty, so this can be managed if need be (assuming I can get the stripped bolt out!).
I haven't started the car up and checked the voltage yet, because I wanted to give the Loctite plenty of time to cure. Will check it tomorrow. Forgot to mention before removing the old alternator, I hooked up an alternate ground just to make sure there wasn't an issue there. The voltage was still reading low with the alternate ground, so I feel pretty confident the alternator/voltage regulator itself was bad. Will report back once I've had time to test the new altnernator.
01-01-2018, 07:14 AM
#11
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 55
Looks fine so far
Briefly started the car up yesterday and checked the voltage coming from the new alternator, which was at 14.5V. Looks good so far, and hopefully that's the end of this problem. Will keep monitoring this for a couple weeks to be sure, and to see how the stripped mounting bolt holds up. I would expect if the bolt starts to come loose I'd hear some noise from the alternator or belt. Fingers crossed on that!
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nissanMAX2NV
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