Electrickery

[WillSSS]

Hey guys I'm a new member here,I've got an 88 JDM SSS Bluebird 5M with the CA18DE, recently it's picked up an electrical problem.Basically every 3 weeks to a month the battery runs flat, it needs to be taken out of the car and charged, driving big distances will not recharge it.If I remove the battery at idle the car continues to run until I place it under load ie turn the lights on.The charge light has never come on.This problem in itself is no biggie and has been happening for about 3 months.Yesterday while the car was idling (in drive through....)the rev counter started going haywire (no actual revving occuring tho) and then the car just died. It started up again fine (with a jump starter) but when the car is idling every once in a while the stereo just cuts out.Any help at all would be greatCheers Will

[red240ne]

bad or dirty grounds somewhere?

really sounds alternator related. With the stereo cutting out. Maybe you could pull it out and get it tested at a parts store.

[WillSSS]

I was suspicious of that myself,I was told that if the alternator was worn out then the car should die when the battery is disconnected?I want to do as much myself before I get the auto electricain involved as money is tight!

[ka24e510]

if the alternator light on your dash is not working, then the alternator wont charge as this is the on signal as well as the light. the car should not stall when you remove the cable even with a load but this is an old and outdated practice. when your voltage gets around 10 volts, most high power stereos will shut down and when you get below 9.5 volts, nissan computers start to shut down. some parts stores like auto zone have testers to check the alt and battery and will do the test for next to nothing because they think they can sell you a part. good luck!

[s13sr20chris]

i have seen many alternators that would run the car just fine but were to old and worn out to run any accessorys. they also tend to make wierd stuff happen randomly. those are the ones that die slowly. sometimes they die and just quit all at once. i dont reccomend taking your alternator to a cheapo parts store because i have seen them test good alterntors and say bad or bad alternators and say good. trust me its just not easy to test a nissan alternator off the car. also, i dont reccomend buying a cheapo alternator as approx. 65% of the cheapo aftermarket alternators i have put on nissans have failed(usually within 4 weeks). i would sooner pay $100 for a used oem alternator from a junkyard than $75 for a reman from a parts store.

[WillSSS]

Cheers guysI'm just going to the nissan wrecker and pick one up.New Zealand is the best, we get VERY cheap JDM cars shipped over here once they are too old in Japan, ie 91 R32 GTR for US$10kish, generally with all sorts of Japanese performance parts already strapped on...