I have a 1990 240SX and a few days ago the battery died on me. I checked the alternator and found the belt was loose so I tightened it. I only have a cheap trickle charger but I used it to get my battery alive again and found it wouldn't charge below about 5 amps... So I went to Sears and got a new battery (diehard on warranty). Put the new one in and this time used a DC ammeter and found that with no key in the ignition and the doors all closed I'm drawing 4 amps anyway. I finally pulled a lot of fuses and found that pulling the ALT fuse in the block next to the battery caused the current drain to stop.
Question: Is there a basic way to test the alternator without removing it from the car? I already know it charges when the car is running, but I have no idea why it would draw when the car is turned off.
Any ideas will be appreciated.
-JT
alternator/battery problem
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jett90_240
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 1:33 pm
- Car: Fixing my car :) music women and beer!
first of all inspect the fusiable link. On the back of your alternator you should have termals s, l, b, and e. With the engine is idling, does ithe light flickers or not, if it does its most likely the alternator is bad possble just worn bushings. If it doesn't flickers then take a volt meter and ground one end and measure it across terminal B at 1500 rpm you should get between 13-15V, if more than 15.5 Volts your internal IC regulator is bad, which is built in the alternator. Hopes that help
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jett90_240
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 1:33 pm
- Car: Fixing my car :) music women and beer!
Thanks for the test tips. Like I said, I know it charges, but I need to find out why it discharges when the car is shut off. I'm gonna start with a few quick tests and then bring it to Pepboys for a test.
Is there a rebuild kit available for these? The list price to replace it is around $150 - ouch!
Is there a rebuild kit available for these? The list price to replace it is around $150 - ouch!
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jett90_240
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 1:33 pm
- Car: Fixing my car :) music women and beer!
Whoa, this is freaky.
Like I said my battery problems just started a few days ago. A day or so before this I had been noticing a smell like diesel every time I started the engine and sat idle. Turns out the bottom bolt that holds the alternator in had spun out. I don't know what it threrads into because I haven't gotten that far into it but it seems that the alternator swung way down and either cracked or knocked the hose off of the PCV valve.
Egad, what a nightmare!
:help
Like I said my battery problems just started a few days ago. A day or so before this I had been noticing a smell like diesel every time I started the engine and sat idle. Turns out the bottom bolt that holds the alternator in had spun out. I don't know what it threrads into because I haven't gotten that far into it but it seems that the alternator swung way down and either cracked or knocked the hose off of the PCV valve.
Egad, what a nightmare!
:help