Help! My 240 dies!
Help! My 240 dies!
90 240 sx auto, 200kSame problem comes up two years in a row, in the middle of January (in wisconsin), I'll be driving along at night, when I'll notice that things seem to get really dark inside my car, then I'll notice my headlights getting dimmer, then the inside dash lights get dimmer till it's almost total blackness. then the car comes to a slow death. The radio shuts off, the lights still work but really dim. Thought it was just a dead battery. A jump didn't work. It was indeed a dead battery, but the alternator is fine, and I had the battery recharged and all's ok now. I tested the battery and alternator a week later and both are still fine. But I know it's going to happen again but this is the second year in a row. It's always in the cold and at night. What could be doing this??? Please help!!! Thanks
What I would do, is connect a 2 gauge wire from the positive connector on the alternator directly to the battery. Then connect a 2 gauge negative wire from the intake manifold (there's a factory bolt for the negative ground wire) directly to the battery also. What I think happened is you may have poor connection somewhere making the battery discharge when the temperature changes. Chaning temperature could cause resistance in poorly connected wiring and in a 14 year old car, it's pretty common. I'm almost 100% sure this will solve your problem.
Make sure you get some rings for the ends of the wires which may require some modifications. Overall, this won't be that difficult to do.
Make sure you get some rings for the ends of the wires which may require some modifications. Overall, this won't be that difficult to do.
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Newcastle82
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:31 pm
- Car: sold my s13, have no car.
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Silvia007 is correct; an additional positive and negative leads to and from your battery and alternator will help -- If you've got a good alternator.
I've had that same problem. I was on an AutoZone kick, met a couple of the guys there, and started buying parts from them. Bad idea. Although they will warranty their alternators for a year, I went through 2 in six months because they're made poorly and most of the time are just reconditioned units anyway.
Anyway, the problem you're having is probably your alternator. It is correct that temperature changes will have odd effects on 14 year old circuitry and that additional (newer) wiring will help. However, it won't save your alternator. Here's what I would do if I were you. With your car shut off, touch the +/- ends of a voltage meter to your battery terminals. You should pull around 12.2 - 12.7 volts on a good battery. Then start your car and check the voltage again. If that number doesn't jump to at least 13.5 - 14.2, you've got a bad alternator.
Buy good alternators, starters and water pumps, and your life will be much happier. =)
I've had that same problem. I was on an AutoZone kick, met a couple of the guys there, and started buying parts from them. Bad idea. Although they will warranty their alternators for a year, I went through 2 in six months because they're made poorly and most of the time are just reconditioned units anyway.
Anyway, the problem you're having is probably your alternator. It is correct that temperature changes will have odd effects on 14 year old circuitry and that additional (newer) wiring will help. However, it won't save your alternator. Here's what I would do if I were you. With your car shut off, touch the +/- ends of a voltage meter to your battery terminals. You should pull around 12.2 - 12.7 volts on a good battery. Then start your car and check the voltage again. If that number doesn't jump to at least 13.5 - 14.2, you've got a bad alternator.
Buy good alternators, starters and water pumps, and your life will be much happier. =)