ELECTRICAL ISSUES!!!! NEED MAJOR HELP!!!!

[theboz]

I was driving home from my dads house last night (4 hour drive). As I was leaving my guages had no lights and the tach didnt work. My seatbelts didn't move and my stereo didn't come on. (I have s13 coupe with hud) I gave it some gas and the windshield wipers made two passes, my stereo came on and my guages came on. Now when my guages came on the speedo just ran through numbers from 25 to 125 and my trip meter was spinning. I was not moving. I got out and checked my lights as I was going to be driving part of the trip in the dark. Everything worked ok. I checked all fuses and my alternator to make sure is was plugged in and ok. Electrical grounds looked good. Now as I would drive the brake light would come on in the dash like I had the e-brake pulled even though it wasn't. So whenever I pushed the brakes to slow down or stop the brake light would go away and my stereo would cut off as well as my radar detector. about an hour from home I started losing power. I pulled off the road as my engine would not rev past 2500. I popped the hood to look and after a minute or two the car just died. Somebody stopped and gave me a jump as it would not start on its own and it fired right up. He followed me back to town and it died about 5 miles later. He jumped me again and I made it to town and ended up at Walmart. They tested the battery and found it was good and went ahead and charged it for me. I took the battery back out and cranked my car.....disconnected the battery and it died instantly.......bad alternator.

So I just put a new alternator on it and I still have all the electrical issues. The guages don't work till I blip the throttle. When I do the windshield wipers go off and my stereo works and so does my seatbelts and windows. If I shut the car off and start it again, same thing.

Does anybody have any ideas? I am stumped. Could it be a relay or something? I suck at electrical work but have a basic understanding.

SOMEBODY HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

[InsanityInc]

Well, it's definitely something alternator related. Check the 75A fuse for the alternator.

[theboz]

THANK YOU!!!!! The fuse was not blown but had gotten hot as evidenced by the plastic that looked like it was melted. I replaced it and so far so good. When I turned the key on everything worked just great. Thanks for the insight. I would not have noticed the fuse being bad had I not pulled it out and looked. I owe you one.

BoZ

[InsanityInc]

Hey, where'd you pick up a 75A fuse for the thing anyway? I can't seem to find one.

[theboz]

I am using an 80 amp fuse from O'Reilley's. I couldn't find a 75 amp either. I got the car back in March when I got back from Iraq and the 75 amp was blown. I couldn't find one so I improvised and put in an 80 amp. It worked since March till last night when my alternator went on the fritz. It doesn't have the two female ends to plug into the box, instead it has two male ends that form a "C" and they slide over the other two male ends. If you need a pic just drop me a line and I will post them.

BoZ

[ivanqz]

Hey! I am having simmilar problems on my coupe but not as bad as yours. Where is that 75 amp fuse?

[theboz]

With the hood open looking at the engine bay it will be on the left in a black box that has fuses in it. the outside of the black box should have labels on it to let you know which fuse or relay is which.

BoZ

[ivanqz]

It looks like new. With ignition on the seat belts work fine when I open and close the door. with the ignition off they don't work at all. Also The "door open" light won't go way and the numbers on the clock dissapeard. All of this happened at the same time right after I had my car jumped. I ad to have it jumped because I drained the Battery doing a compression check. Old Battery.Any hints?

[theboz]

Did you check all the fuses and relays? I am not too good with all the electrical stuff. Might try to post something about it. The guys on here are real helpful.

BoZ