zack1978 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Hey everyone, After my last post about being ready to give up on my Pathfinder (1995 SE-V6 5spd, 167,000 miles) I took it on a road trip this past weekend down to NC, about 1,000 miles round trip. Well all was fine on the trip down, however I had problems on the way home! When I was in VA, at one point the radio just shut off, then went back on, at the same time that it did that the charge, and brake light came on the dash for a split second. I also noticed that the clock was "surgeing" at the same time. The engine also stumbled a bit as well at the same time. But it only did it once at this point. So after that it was fine until Baltimore, when the same thing started to happen, but now it did it MANY, MANY times. My first idea was the the alt was going bad, so I shut off the radio, and prayed that I would make it home on battery power. After about 20 min or so it stoped doing it. When I got about 60 from home , I said F'it if it dies I call AAA to tow it, so I turned the radio on (normal radio, no amps or anything) and the headlights, and not a bit of problems at all! I drove it all day today and it's fine! So what the hell is wrong with my damm truck now? Please help before I shoot my Path! The orig alt was replaced three years ago, and it has a lifetime warr on it so I ordered a new one and will have it put in just in case, hell it's free! Thank you, Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuong Nguyen Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 alt belt loose? bad alt? loose cables on battery and or alternator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack1978 Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 Belt is fine, the batt term's are perfectly clean, so should I just focus on the alt? Thanks, Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Make sure the fusible links and battery cables are tight in their sockets and not corroded in half. I had a link break off on me once in a different car and that shut 'er down REAL quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack1978 Posted May 30, 2006 Author Share Posted May 30, 2006 Well here is the strange thing now, since I got back from NC (over 1 week) the truck has been fine with no signs of trouble. I parked it FRiday night, and didn't touch it until Monday. When I started it Monday both the charge and brake lights were on the dash again, and stayed on for about 3-4 miles then shut off and stayed off. What the hell is going on? Do you think letting the truck sit for a while made any difference? I looked at the ground (neg) cable and it is totally fine, the only thing that I could see was a tiny bit of green color on the engine end of the cable. BUt shaking the cable when the lights(charge and brake) were on made no difference at all. Any ideas? Thanks, Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_stryker Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 i would say check ur brake fluid res. typically with mine if i fill it up that light will go off. and by charge light do u mean the battery light? if thats what you meant - for me (this could be different for you) means the alty is shot. let us know what you come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 If the charge and brake lights are both on, your alternator has died. No doubt about it. That's what it does when the alt dies. Been there numerous times, seen it happen to other people numerous times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 If the charge and brake lights are both on, your alternator has died. No doubt about it. That's what it does when the alt dies. Been there numerous times, seen it happen to other people numerous times. :contract: Yep, I would guess since it comes and goes that it is going, but not completely gone. When mine went, it was gone, the lights came on and stayed on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5523Pathfinder Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Sound like your alt is not charging at higher rpms. The internal charging diode is failing. Go have it tested in or out of the truck! When its not charging it will drain your battery pretty quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delavoie Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 I had the same problem when i purchased my pathy.. come to find out it was a bad connector that is attached to the positive terminal on the battery. If i had my truck here i would take a pic,,, i'll have it tomorrow. On my positive terminal, there are like 3 black plugin connectors, 1 of them was bad, and causing the radio, lights and all the warning lights to come on while driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mws Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Did you check the wiring coming off the alternator? Maybe when it was changed the wire was damaged or not tightened enough and has come a bit loose.... I would recommend having the alternator tested before giving up on it. The two most likely culprits I see are: 1) Alternator going intermittent (could be alternator or it's wires) 2) Bad/intermittent ground up behind the dash somewhere. It would be very interesting and informative to semi-permanently attach a remote voltmeter and monitor it. Like take a piece of speaker wire and attach one lead to each post of the battery and run the other end and attach the leads of a handheld multimeter to it. If the battery voltage is dropping by more than 1/2 volt when dash light comes on and stereo acts up, it indicates the alternator or its wiring. If the voltage remains constant, it is in the vehicle wiring between battery and dash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack1978 Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 Hey everyone, I had the alt replaced yesterday and so far all seems good. The part was free, as it has a lifetime warr on it, and I paid $45.00 for labor. However based on the forum advice, I did look at the wires on the pos term of the battery. One of the wires is black, and I did notice a crack in the wire (actually in the insulation of the wire). So I guess I should look at having those wires replaced, but again all seems well with the new alt. Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordsho90 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 how does the wire look if it is in good shape take some electrical tape and taper up if wire looks burt or broken strands then replace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 The short pieces of wire by the battery are the fuseable links, there is a green set, a black set and a red loop IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack1978 Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 What exactly does the black wire do? It is just a small crack on the ins of the wire, so I think elec tape would be fine. Can I get the entire wire from Nissan as a new part? Thanks, Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 I'd just tape it nice and neat and not worry about it unless it looks like it may contact anything around it and ground out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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