1991 240SX runs rough; dies

[Owen]

This should be an easy fix - I hope. Came home from work the other day and just before I got all the way home the car started to run rough. It felt like it wanted to just shutdown - quit. I limped home by gunning the engine. When I got home the car wouldn't start. No lights, starter, radio, nothing. I did notice that my lights were a little bit dimmer than usual while the car was running okay. So anyway I pulled the battery and trickle charged (2A setting) it for about a day. A couple of days later I installed better and heavier duty battery cable ends. Installed battery and it started and ran fine. Got up for work the next morning - started fine. But, just before getting to work I hit my blinker and BAM, the car started trying to cut out again. Limped to work and car wouldn't start after work. I'm not a mechanic but I think I have an alternator problem. Seems like the car, when the battery is fully charged, runs okay. Without a working alternator, the car runs strictly on battery power UNTIL the battery runs down. That's when the engine starts trying to cutout. And of course, it won't start afterwards because the battery is all but depleted. Not sure if the alternator has ever been changed. The car has over 200k miles on it.

Owen

[The Mic]

Check your fuse box.

[benemorius]

You are correct. It is most likely a bad alternator. Pull it and run down to your favorite parts store. Have them test it to be sure, then get a new one.

Has your electrical system warning light not come on through all this?

[s13sr20chris]

whats the voltage at the batt with engine running?