Serious Electrical Problems

[Dorifto!RPS13]

I have a 1993 Nissan 240SX SE Hatchback (5-Speed Manual)

Ok I've gotten a whole bunch of people to tell me that I need a new something or other, I've heard I need a new Voltage Regulator, someone said I need a new Alternator, a new Fusebox, Relays, Battery etc. etc.

The symptoms are:

+Alternator is definately shot, I have to charge my car with one of those wall charger thingies every 2 days, the battery lasts about a day and a half or so until it runs out from just sitting in my driveway.

+"Meter" fuse blows whenever you put a 10-A fuse anywhere within like 2mm of it, huge spark and the fuse is shot (Have gone through 20+ 10's but don't want to risk using a higher fuse).

+A/C does not function, or the regular blowers. Automatic seatbelts do not function, gauge pod does not function, Cruise control does not function. The taillights, turn signals, headlights and the electric motor that raises the headlights function perfectly.

+Car takes a long time to start the first time after charging the battery (not sure if this is normal).

Wierd things that may or may not be related:

+The previous owner was pretty lame. He had all these make-shift solutions to problems, there was a random wire not connected to anything else on one of the fuses, my friend said this was a ghetto solution to allow more voltage through a fuse?

+Also did Sleepy-eye mod, basic type where you cut the brown wire or something.

+Aftermarket alarm, we figured this to cause some problems as the wires to the motion sensor were frayed, certain electrical things would go out when i closed the door (heavy vibration?). The alarm may have possibly been the kind that just shuts down everything electrical when it detects a break-in. Disconnected the alarm a while ago, I recall it fixing some problems but everything I stated is still occuring.

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Please help! I really don't want to spend like $100 for a Nissan guy to look at it and maybe not even find the problem.

Thanks in advance

[vancouverbc]

-meter fuse affects quite a few thing including blower relay and seat belts.sounds like a short.-if battery loses charge sitting in driveway, sounds like weak battery. -random wire on one of the fuses was probably for an old alarm or something. as long as it is not bridging the fuse, its not doing anything. just get rid of it.

[Dorifto!RPS13]

Hey thanks for the quick reply.

I got rid of the wire attached to one of the fuses when I got rid of the aftermarket alarm.

I should add that my guages went out first, that was the original electrical problem. They went out when I revved to about 6 in first gear, I had never revved that high in this car before. Could the increased current from the engine have anything to do with it?

Also, if I have a short in my meter fuse (which I believe the previous owner said something about) what do I have to replace to fix that? That sounds right then, if meter effects seat belts and blower, those are the 2 things that don't work!

[vancouverbc]

I would check all the wires that go to the radio/cd player and see if you have any loose hot wires touching ground ie a short. Reving engine might increase current enough to actualize a short. The short could be anywhere in the circuit for meter fuse. you have to uplug branches of the circuit to see if that stops short ie unplug blower relay, defogger , seat belts, etcFirst, though, id check all the wires around the radio as that is the usual cause.

[TravisD]

Do you have a broken digital speedo? Mine caused all kinds of problems including the battery not holding a charge and dash lights going out. I swapped in an analogue cluster and everything was OK.