headpeace Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Quick question, I put a new battery in Sunday cuz the old one died. Now at idle my battery light comes on but when I start driving it goes off, then comes on again after idling for a minute or two. So is it a bad new battery or my alternator going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I'd guess the alt is failing and may have prematurely killed the old battery. Hook up a volt meter and see what you get at idle, high idle and with the motor/ignition off. Readings should be aprox 12-12.5 volts, 13.5-14 volts and 12.5-13 volts respectively. This is a down and dirty test but usually accurate enough so you can choose what to have tested or replaced. B Forget to say, check all connections/grounds first... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) alright, brand new battery, new alternator, still the same problem. Had both the new and old alternator tested and both passed. So anyone have any ideas why I'm losing power? She won't run for more than maybe 10 minutes without dieing and won't start back up without a jump. Help before I have to send her to the Dr. cuz I really can't afford it Edited July 9, 2009 by headpeace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleurys Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 starter relay ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 would that cause this prob? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleurys Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Well, I'm just thinking out loud to what is between your key and your starter if you say that she does not start...the only thing coming to mind is this... When you say you need a jump for restart, do it tries to start or you only hear click...(or nothing at all) ?? I would also check the connections between your battery and the alty...maybe your cable is grounded on something or badly deterioated ... If your battery lights comes on, it means you have fallen under 9 or 10 volts....so something is fishy here...You said you tested the alty... do you know the amperage it gives at idle speed....because you say the light goes away after you drive, I'm tempted to say that you alty is still defective and not giving enough amp at idle speed. I had one alty do this on me on another car that I had.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 well the problem is that is has done this with 2 different alternators, the old one and the brand new (reman) one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Do you have a Pathy alternator installed, or did you get a Maxima one, and swap pulleys? The reason I ask is, it seems the cut in on the Maxima altys is higher than on the stock Pathfinder ones. Mine doesn't start charging until I hit 2700 rpms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 no unfortunately I still have the pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Then definitely check your wiring, especially the larger ground and positive power wires. Either could be corroded to the point where there's too much resistance for the amperage put out by the alternator at idle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 is there a voltage regulator somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Yes, in the alternator. If it tested out fine, that's probably not the issue. I agree with Simon, I think you have bad wiring or connections somewhere. The truck should run for longer than 10 minutes with a new, fully charged battery even if the alt was completely dead. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 The truck should run for longer than 10 minutes with a new, fully charged battery even if the alt was completely dead. B X2 My other truck ran for 30 minutes with the 5 year old battery in it and a dead alty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 Is there supposed to be a ground on the MAF wiring? I don't know what the PO did but there is a stray uninsulated wire next to the sensor, electric taped around the outside insulation of the three insulated wires , I'm trying to track down any possible shorts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 (edited) Ok so the whole story - abbreviated some: 7.4.09 - Pulled up to the gas station, went inside got smokes and beer, came back out - pathy wouldn't start. Walked home. Next day took battery to Walmart they checked it and said it was bad - got a new one. Put the new one in and drive home. Drives fine until Wednesday - 3 days later - won't start when I went to leave work. Got a jump and it started right up and ran great for about 5 blocks - died. Got it towed home cuz I "knew" it was a bad alt. Put a new (reman) alt in that night. Next morning got in to go to work battery light comes on about quarter mile from home, I turn around and go home - didn't want to pay another $76 tow fee. Take the new alt out and take both the old alt and the new alt back to autozone. They test them both - both passed. So I leave the new one with them and take my old one back, since it passed and was good. I'm thinking it must be a bad connection or a short suckin the life outta my pathy - maybe just maybe the new battery wasn't good. Clean connections, test everything with volt meter, check to see if there is a draw on the battery over time -nothing. Check all my grounds. Take the new battery back - they test it - no good, offer a new one - thats ok, I got my money back and went to O Rielly and got a new battery (2nd new battery). In the mean time I've installed a in cabin voltmeter to watch while I'm driving. I start testing the volts at the back of the alt while running and compare them to the battery - this alt is just not putting out enough volts. So take the old alt off go to auto zone and get the same new alt they gave me a few days before. Put it on and start driving again. Luckily I have my new in cabin volt meter. About 4 days later when I start u p I'm good at 13.5-14 volt, drive for about 10 minutes and drops to 12 - meaning I'm running on battery basically (or the alt not putting out any more than 12V). Take the "new" alt off and take it back to a different autozone and get another new alt and have been fine since Synopsis: Old alt died and killed my 6 month old battery Put on new battery and it was killed by old alt as well Got new reman alt that was no good - replaced and got another new battery and all is well Edited July 29, 2009 by headpeace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I tried to find a new alternator and could around here. I had to settle for a reman. But I got a reman nissan one, not champion or any of those garbage ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 The first new one was a Nissan reman but it was from autozone - I've heard this same story from 2 other people with alts from autozone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Yeah, AZ alts have the lifetime warranty, but 2 out of 5 are duds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 So true, thats the only reason I kept going back, cuz I really didn't want to pay for another alt, but all the time and energy I spent trying to diagose the prob I might have been better off buying a new one from Napa. oh well, I still have my money in my pocket it was just a big headache Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edicer2 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 i had sort of the same issue with the z last summer. I got a nice bosche reman one and it seemed to work great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 (edited) well the alty is dead AGAIN! Here's a few questions hopefully you guys/gals can help me with 1. Anyone know a ball park figure on alty prices at pick and pull? My plan was to get a quest and put that on, I could get another craptastic autozone alt to get me by until I can do this if the price at P&P isn't crazy for a used alt. 2. Or should I just get a reman Oreilly Maxima 95 amp alt and pay the price to get out of the autozone loop of changing the alt every 6 months? Edited February 13, 2010 by headpeace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 contrary to another post in a different topic Oreilly just told me the maxima alt is 90 amp, still better than 70 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 well the alty is dead AGAIN! Here's a few questions hopefully you guys/gals can help me with 1. Anyone know a ball park figure on alty prices at pick and pull? My plan was to get a quest and put that on, I could get another craptastic autozone alt to get me by until I can do this if the price at P&P isn't crazy for a used alt. 2. Or should I just get a reman Oreilly Maxima 95 amp alt and pay the price to get out of the autozone loop of changing the alt every 6 months? 1) $30. Just bought a Quest alty last month. 2) Could there be anything with your system that is killing the alts? If not, yes, break the cycle. It really could stick you some time and it certainly isn't good for the battery. I have 3 or 4 alternators lying around, all used. 2 stock pathy, a Maxima and a Quest. No, the Maxima is in the Pathy now, I loose track... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted February 13, 2010 Author Share Posted February 13, 2010 1) $30. Just bought a Quest alty last month. 2) Could there be anything with your system that is killing the alts? If not, yes, break the cycle. It really could stick you some time and it certainly isn't good for the battery. I have 3 or 4 alternators lying around, all used. 2 stock pathy, a Maxima and a Quest. No, the Maxima is in the Pathy now, I loose track... B Thats a fear I have but I still think it was the AZ craptastic alt, last week the voltage regulator started acting crazy, at idle it would go from like 13.5 to 15.5 back to 13.5 over and over. So I think the VR just had it, the positive post on the back looked fried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted February 13, 2010 Author Share Posted February 13, 2010 so I've decided to put a new positive wire from the alt to the battery in, will 12 gauge be sufficient? Does the wire go straight from the back of the alt to the positive battery post? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now