Alternator Charging Battery Not Working. G35x

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DAC Engineering
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 8:33 am
Car: (2006 G35x) (1994 Nissan D21 4x4) (1983 Datsun 720 4x4) (2005 Pathfinder pile of garbage)

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2006 G35x 122K Car died on the hi-way, all lights blinking, slowed to <20mph and could not rev above 2400rpm.

Put on hazards and after 15 minutes battery dead. Cannot even open trunk.
:poke:
Towed it home, battery around 10VDC. Checked connections, and cleaned. Charged battery for 30 minutes and it reads 12.7vdc. I have a battery load tester and the battery tests fine. Started car, checked charging voltage 12.0 11.6, 10.5 then the car shut down.

Charged over night,checked battery in the morning at 12.7vdc, started and alternator charging voltage 14.5vdc. All seemed well.

Bought new Alternator anyway, decided before tackling this to check once more, battery at 12.6vdc, then started car and charging at 12.0vdc. Shut off car battery back to 12.4vdc.

Let sit a few hours, same result, battery at 12.6, but once started alternator sourcing it down to 12.0.

I am going with bad regulator in the alternator. HOWEVER searching the forums I see possible ECM issues.

What is everyone's thought? Bad Alternator, Bad Battery, Bad ECM? Fuses? I cannot see how it is a fuse with it working intermittently. A fuse is a go/no-go control.


User avatar
DAC Engineering
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 8:33 am
Car: (2006 G35x) (1994 Nissan D21 4x4) (1983 Datsun 720 4x4) (2005 Pathfinder pile of garbage)

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Well, 8 hours later, that was the problem, alternator. The rotor was binding and either bearings or stator. Nothing about this job was easy, the worse being the electrical connector and wire harness bracket on the back. I had to rebuild the connector. Remove tensioner pulley, air-shroud and fans. New belts too. Original alternator. Charge is rock solid at 14.5vdc.

Alternator was covered in oil. Oil from a leaking valve cover gasket. I had the Infinity dealer replace and it leaked within 10 miles, they replaced again, and it leaked again within a 100 miles. I brought to my HONDA mechanic and he explained there is a place in hell for Nissan engineers in how they pack everything together and you need to take it all apart. It reminded him of Audi. The Infiniti dealer used make-a-gasket to hold the valve cover gasket while putting it on and put the bolts back in the wrong place. Once cleaned and correctly installed, no leak. However, dead alternator.

Infiniti cost was $450 labor $545 alternator plus a $75 core charge. Ridiculous. The cost for the valve covers was $580. I bought the life time warrantied alternator from the parts store for $163.


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