# Electrical Problem



## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

Hi everyone, I’ve got a problem I am hoping to get some help on. This is regarding my 95 HB 4x4 with a ka24e. While driving it about two weeks ago, it started to sputter and louse power. I noticed that the lights got really dim so I shut them off and the truck started running normal. The next time I went to start it the battery was dead. I got a jump and ran it a while, no lights or radio on and it seemed ok and restarted fine a few more times. Then when I drove it another time with the lights on it did the same thing. After a few days of this I took it to shucks and had the alternator tested. I had to leave it running because I didn’t know if it would start up again. So the guy tested it from the battery terminals. After revving the engine a few times he determined that my alternator was barely producing any power. So I got a new alternator and installed it. That was last weekend. Up until tonight it was running and starting fine lights radio and all. After a bout a 15 minute drive on the freeway I parked it and when I tried restarting, it was no go. I left it and came back about 4 hours later with help and with out a jump it started but just barely. Driving home on the freeway with the lights on was fine although the lights where dim. When I got down the off ramp it tried to die so I switched the lights off and it was ok. I tried having the flashers on but very time they flashed it would stall. I should also point out that my battery is about a year old, and I have cleaned the terminals. Also the CEL has been coming on and off sporadically for a while. I just haven’t had the money to take it to a shop for that. What do you guys think is going on? 
Thanks,
Nate


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## 4X4D21 (Mar 9, 2009)

first thing would be to check the codes if the check engine light came on. Read the sticky thread at the top on how to check codes. Also there could be a dead cell in the battery from it trying to power the truck with no power from the alternator, so even though the battery is a year old it could be dead due to alternator. do a test on the battery and see whats up with that. Also check all of your fuses make sure they are all good and have the correct amps in the the correct place. Let me know what turns up


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## Nissanman7166 (Feb 12, 2009)

Yes, When dealing with electrical problems, You always want to check the basics first. Especially in your case, where it starts acting up when you turn on your lights and doesnt want to start after you've shut it off. The battery would be the most Logical and Easy thing to check first. Then alternator. Then go from there with codes and everything else.


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

Thanks guys, I just read the post about the engine codes. I had no idea it was so simple. I thought you had to take it to a shop and have them hook it up to code reading machine. The reason I don’t think it’s the battery is because even if the battery isn’t hooked up while the truck is running shouldn’t the alternator be able to run everything no problem? Otherwise if you ran with lights, wipers and radio all on you would just run down the battery while driving. Am I correct in thinking that? It just seams like my battery just isn’t being charged due to lack of power from the alternator. Anyway, I’ll go check the codes and fuses and get back to you guys. If this is fixed by replacing a fuse I'm gunna be... :balls:
Thanks,
Nate


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## cjserio (Mar 18, 2008)

Zeeborn said:


> Thanks guys, I just read the post about the engine codes. I had no idea it was so simple. I thought you had to take it to a shop and have them hook it up to code reading machine. The reason I don’t think it’s the battery is because even if the battery isn’t hooked up while the truck is running shouldn’t the alternator be able to run everything no problem? Otherwise if you ran with lights, wipers and radio all on you would just run down the battery while driving. Am I correct in thinking that? It just seams like my battery just isn’t being charged due to lack of power from the alternator. Anyway, I’ll go check the codes and fuses and get back to you guys. If this is fixed by replacing a fuse I'm gunna be... :balls:
> Thanks,
> Nate


Not exactly true...The battery acts like a giant capacitor for the electrical system. Having a dead battery means that the alternator has to source all of the power itself instead of having a reservoir of power from the battery. If the battery is 4 years old or older, i'd definitly change it. They're typically only good for 4 years so even if it's not the cause of your problem, it's worth the money.

Batteries sometimes develop internal problems such as shorts too. That can increase the load on the alternator.


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## CMax03 (Jan 17, 2009)

Defective Altenator knocked out your battery too!


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

OK so here what I did today, first I checked my fuses and everything was ok except for the cigarette lighter fuse. I have replaced this before and it just blows out as soon as I start up. I think the previous owner messed with the wiring behind that dash. I have found wire that don’t appear to be original and don’t seam to go to anything. It’s been like that for a long time so I just don’t bother with it. It didn’t seem like that would affect anything else. 
After that I got the codes off my ECU witch came out to be 23 (Idle Switch) and 45 (Injector Leak). I’m not a 100% sure I did this correctly but it could just because it was my first time. After that I checked and cleaned the plugs around the battery and re-cleaned the terminals (even put on a new + terminal clamp for good measure. Then I inspected the plug that goes into the alternator and noticed that the white wire had a few spots where the insulation had been worn away and the wire had corroded. I removed that section and spliced in a new wire. The connectors in the plug were also very badly corroded so I removed the entire plug and rebuilt it with new connectors. 
After I got everything back together, I got a jump and it started right up and idled at around 1000 RPM. The jumper cables were removed less than a minute after startup. I let it run at idle and watched the tachometer. The RPMs slowed regardless of my adjustments to the idle control on the ECU and with in a bout a minuet and a half it would die. I did this several times and each time it would start out fine after being jumped but then would slowly die. 
I also noticed that there was a fair amount of water being spat out of the tale pipe (I made sure it was water and not gas by tasting it). I don’t know if that’s even relevant. One of the times I had it running I tried turning on the headlights and that killed the engine right away. I guess the net thing is to pull the battery and have it tested. Could a bad battery cause what I'm describing? Can you guys think of anything else to try? And what should I do about the codes I got? 
Thanks for all your help!
-Nate


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

most rebuilt alternators will have a tag on them telling you to make sure the battery is fully charged before you replace the alternator, installing a new alt. with a weak or dead battery could ruin the new alternator.


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

ahardb0dy said:


> most rebuilt alternators will have a tag on them telling you to make sure the battery is fully charged before you replace the alternator, installing a new alt. with a weak or dead battery could ruin the new alternator.


Do you know what that would do to an alternator? I did happen to smell it when I had it out today and it didn't smell like it had gotten hot. I know that isn't exactly scientific but thought I'd mention it. I guess I'll take both battery and alternator out tomorrow and have them tested. 
-Nate


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

you can test the battery in the truck if you can get the truck to an autoparts store, they can do a load test, if you have to take the battery out they should still be able to test it, do you have another car that you can try the battery in your truck temporarily?


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## Nissanman7166 (Feb 12, 2009)

If you have another vehicle you could just temporarily swap the battery and see if it does any good. 
A bad battery could definitely cause the probs your describing. Try it with a new or good battery and go from there.
No need to pull the alternator until you figure out if its the battery


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

Well I've been having my mom drive her car over here to do the jumping but I doubt she would like the idea of me taking the battery out of her car. I do have a battery from my project car but I don't know if it's even got a charge anymore. Its been sitting for a couple years. Would it be safe (or even work) to charge it through jumpers off my moms car?


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

autozone will test all those components and charge the bat ..at no charge to you..


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

Ok, here’s where I'm at, I got the battery and alternator checked out at Shucks and both tested good, I had them charge the battery too. I got it all back in the truck and started it up. At first it was running at around 1400 RPM. Then it settled slowly down to about 800. I ran the lights and radio and they didn't seem to affect the engine speed. It seems ok for now, time and driving will tell though. I ran the ECU codes again and got the same thing but I'm still not convinced I’m reading it right. This is the pattern of flashes I get...
2 slow flash
pause
3 fast flash
pause
4 fast flash
pause
5 fast flash
pause
1 long flash
pause
Then it repeats the pattern.
Is that two separate cods of 23 and 45 or am I not doing something right?
Also I noticed that with the clutch in and engine running the CEL would only turn on if the shifter was in neutral. Is that normal? I never noticed that before...
Well let me know what you guys think. 
Thanks,
Nate


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

there are 5 modes..

when the mode flashes three times turn the switch off and then record the flashes..

all of which tells me you did not read the sticky...


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

What year is your truck? I have a 95 pathfinder factory service manual, which should be similar to the truck you have, and it says the ECM has a red and green LED that flashes the codes, (my 87 hardbody had the same thing), the manual also says there is a light on the dash that flashes codes, so what year is your truck? The mode you want to be in is diagnostic test mode 3


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

cough cough...


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

It's a 95. I found my Chilton's repair manual and looked over the instructions on how to get into mode III but I haven't had time to mess with it any more. It's getting close to the end of the school year and I'm getting real busy with all that, so as long as my truck is drivable I probably won't get to anymore repairs until late May. 
I haven't experienced anymore problems with the electrical stuff though. I hope all that is fixed now. I post back here when I get some time to work on it some more.
Thanks for the help.
-Nate


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## smikster (Aug 12, 2008)

did i miss reading where he replaced the bad alt?


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## Zeeborn (Apr 18, 2009)

smikster said:


> did i miss reading where he replaced the bad alt?


First post, ninth line down.
Cheers,
Nate


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## smikster (Aug 12, 2008)

best of luck zeeborn... hate to see a HB out of the game...but would love to have a spare...darn things never break...ohh junk yard why not just once get one in..ohhh why!


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## Nissanman7166 (Feb 12, 2009)

I second that smikster, Cant ever find any in the junkyards when I'm looking for parts. I've been looking for a fender and grill but the yards never have hardbody's. 

Damn that really sucks!!! :balls:


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## steve smith (Apr 8, 2009)

You want a fender? There are about 1000 on ebay for the HB's. I still want to know what he figured out about all the water out the tailpipe. It sounds like he had some bad gas too. Hope its not a headgasket problem.


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## 87D21 (Jul 30, 2008)

Speaking of parts, any reliable places to find a good dashboard? I looked on the webpages, but never got replies to my e-mails.


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## dvdswanson (Nov 6, 2005)

have you checked all the grounds on the vehicle and cleaned them? did you check the fusible links at the battery? also, check your connections and plugs on the engine for dirt or corrosion. check to see if you have a draw from the system when its off.

for you cig. lighter, is it rusty? the element and/or housing. I had this problem with my a/c blowing this fuse and not working. replace the housing and element if it is.


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