Good evening all,

First time poster, long time reader. Actually, for those of you who frequent the Ars Technica forums, you might recognise me.

At any rate, I have a problem with my 98 Maxima SE. Yesterday, the ABS light came on while I was struggling to make it up an ice-covered hill. It was the first time it happend and it caught me by surprise. Today, on the way to the store, I noticed my interior lights were dim. In addition, I noticed the headlights were dim. Then the ABS light came on again. Finally, I stop after only a mile and I can here a noise coming from the engine. I cut off the car and wait a couple minutes. I start it again, and the ABS light is off and the lights are bright again. The noise is still there. So, I went home.

At home, I discover the noise is coming from near the alternator. It is high pitch, but not quite a squeel. It also sender very fast, but small vibrations through the engine and body. Finally, during the winter and wet weather, it would always whine when started. After a few minutes it would go away. Also, I have had not major work done. Last winter a bad battery was replaced and I just got new tires. I also had a tune-up this summer. Other than that, just oil changes and plenty of loving care. For a car with 70,000 miles, any ideas? I am thinking bad alternator, but that is what I always think. I hope it isn't.

I know this is not a mechanics forum per se, but I could use the help. I just don't want to get ripped off tomorrow at the mechanics. Any help would be useful.

peptidbond

 

You keep saying ABS light, but I think you mean the battery light. The sound you hear could just be a worn alternator belt slipping, or a bad bearing in the alternator. The belt normally lasts a little over 60,000 miles. They are cheap to buy and pretty easy to install.

 

Nope, it is the ABS light. Little yellow light on the left hand side. I am thinking that if the electrical system is experiencing a drain, then the brake system, which use considerable power, would experience problems. I did not notice any lack of braking power though.

The belts may need to be replaced, but the noise is of a different sort. It is not squeeling and it is constant. It could be bad barrings though. That would not explain the lack of electrical power and the ABS light though.

I do plan to test it by starting the car and then disconnecting the battery. That should give me more clues. I will post more info when I can. Thanks for any help you guys can give.

peptidbond

 

Sounds like your alt. is on it's last legs. Could be a tight bearing and combine that with old belts, you get a slippage. That will cause little or no charging at times and YES that will sometimes throw the ABS system into fail safe mode causing the light to come on.

Take the belts off, inspect them, better yet change them but the big issue here is making sure the alt. is in good shape.

A good way to track down the noise is the rubber hose or long screwdriver test. Using a small vacuum hose, place one end on the alt. and listen in the other. Same with a long screwdirver. Place the blade on the alt. and put your ear on the plastic handle. You will hear the bearing right throught the screwdriver if it's bad.

If your at all handy, just buy new bearings and a brush kit from Nissan, take that puppy apart, install the 2 new bearings, clean it up and solder in new Brushes.

Total cost will be under 100 bucks for the rebuild. And you can say you did it yourself!

 

Well, just got back from Goodyear. They put in the new battery last year, so I thought I would start there (if the battery were dead, they would have to replace it under warranty). It turns out the alternator is toast. Goodyear wants $405 for the alternator and another $95 for the labor. Yea, and I am a pink sealion with a purple horn.

Thanks for the suggestion on diagosing a bearing problem. I would normally go that route, but I am short on time. I have found an alternator for $230 and I plan to put it in myself.

However, I am really wishing that I bought a Chilton's manual. I did for my girl, but she drives a piece of **** Oldsmobile. At any rate, please offer up suggestions regarding replacement of the alternator. I will read whatever threads I can find. Thanks again guys.

peptidbond

 

Damn, I thought $230 was the new price of the Alt from the dealership. There are two ways to replace it. One, I think involves removing the radiator to squeaze it out. The other, involves going in from underneath, and removing the AC compressor. Wasn't it nice of Nissan to shoe horn it into a tiny hole? I have an OG on my car, which has already gone bad once. So I have taken the alt out I think four times. Possibly will again because of a lowsey batch of soldier that OG had when mine was rebuilt.

 

Remove the radiator? I don't think that is the way it is done. I thought that you loosen the tensioner pulley from above, remove the passenger side wheel, and then the cover for the wheel well. At that point you should have access to the belts and accessories from the side.

Any other suggestions? In particular, what should I do with the tensioner pulley. Loosen it from the top using a ratchet? I think I tried that before and it did nothing. At any rate, I am starting now and I plan to experiment a little (but just a little).

peptidbond

 

"Remove the radiator? I don't think that is the way it is done. I thought that you loosen the tensioner pulley from above, remove the passenger side wheel, and then the cover for the wheel well. At that point you should have access to the belts and accessories from the side."
After loosening tensioner pulley you will have access to the accessories and belt. But not to the alternator. You do have a 4th gen, correct?