Rep Power: 295

Posted in the problems section a few days ago about my ABS light coming on, then having my gauges go dead which would eventually lead to my car losing all power going dead. Had the alternator tested and the test came back that it wasn't putting out enough power, so I replaced it with a brand new one from Napa.

Put in the new one yesterday, and it drove around perfect last night with all my accessories on. I just went out to the store today, and as soon as I had my A/C on, the same problem came back. I parked my car, went and bought some food, came back, and my car wouldn't start. The charge indicator eye on the battery is bright green meaning it's charged but it won't even turn over, it just clicks.

All of these problems came a few weeks after i uninstalled my nitrous kit, but I dont' know how that would have anything to do with it. Please help!~

**Update** Just got back from autozone, tested the alternator putting out 8 amps at 2k rpms, tried to do an idle test and the car would not idle at all. Just went up and down between 1000 and 1500. Mind you this is a brand new alternator. I'm completely stumped.

 
Rep Power: 335

Did the Nitrous kit have any kind of electrical wires that were part of the system? (I don't know). There might be a hot wire in the car that is connected to the battery and is grounded out, causing the battery to disharge. That would be the only explaination besides something wrong within the electrical system components.

 
Rep Power: 295

The problem is, is that the car is dying while I am driving. I think the gauges aren't getting the proper voltage when I am driving which is why they are acting up.

 
Rep Power: 335

Hmmm...yeah that has happened to me before on an old car, died while I was driving, it was a bad alternator. Did you purchase that alternator from Napa as a refurbished one? I would check on that make sure you didn't get a bunk one.

 
Rep Power: 295

Yeah, im going to go to the parking lot, take the battery out, charge it up, then go to autozone to test it.

However, I have no battery charge light coming on like I did a few days ago before I fixed the alternator. Could there be a problem with a fuse or a wire?

 
Rep Power: 335

The battery wouldn't have anything to do with your car dying while your driving. It's main purpose is to start your car and run the electrical components when the car is off. I'm thinking it's a faulty alternator, even the new one...If you have a Multimeter handy, meter the output of the Alternator and make sure it's putting about 6V AC.

 
Rep Power: 295

I'm gonna take it to autozone here in about an hour, I'll post up the results.

Man, what are the odds that the alternator I bought is bad too. It was a bitch to put in haha, not looking forward to doing that all over again.

Bump for update on first post.

 
Rep Power: 0

what kind of aftermarket stuff u got on ur car?

might want to turn back the clock so you can diagnose the problem properly..

 
Rep Power: 314

A Check your ground cables, especialy the engine ground.
B Have a load test done on your battery.(could have an internal short)
c If the above are good look at all the areas you have been working in
while removeing your mods. Good luck.

 
Rep Power: 0

^^^
o yea....

i second "A"

check your ground!!

 
Rep Power: 0

sounds like the voltage regulator that controls your alternator

 
Rep Power: 246

id check the grounnd for sure my car died today in the niddle of the street because my ground came out while driving

 
Rep Power: 295

Where is the voltage regulator? My dad had suggested that, but I thought they were built into the alternator.

I checked all my engine grounds and they seemed fine. Tomorrow I'm going to check all the wires that my nitrous kit was near.

 
Rep Power: 0

its called the ELD (electrical load detector) and is under the fusebox in the engine compartment. Theres a few threads on the board about issues with it

 
Rep Power: 295

There was a lose wire going to my fuse box, tightened it, and all my problems seemed to have gone away.

Had the alternator checked at autozone, and it was putting out 30 amps instead of 8. Still low, but im sure the lady did the test wrong because she hooked up the stuff in different places then all the other people before.