# Im having wierd electical problems.. please help!



## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

Ok so last night Im driving home and my dash lights start blinking when I floor the car- so I figured something was loose. I get to a light and I hear this wierd grinding type noise that I thought may be the tranny, but it wasnt--- it was the ALTERNATOR......when Im driving the car it is charging at 11.5 volts and the lights stay on........TODAY I get a new alternator from advance auto parts, INSTALL and I have ALMOST THE SAME PROBLEM! The car is charging at 11.5 volts and I have to rev the engine to get the interior lights to come on..........when I honk the horn the stereo will turn off. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS THING? The grinding noise is gone-- Im assuming that somehow the bearings went in it and THERE IS A DIODE THAT CONNECTS THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POLES ON THE ALTERNATOR-- THE FSM SAYS THAT IF THAT THING IS BLOWN THAT ITLL CAUSE THE INTERNAL REGULATOR ON THE ALTERNATOR TO SHORT ALSO.........COULD THIS BE CAUSING ALL MY PROBLEMS? THE REPLACMENT DOESNT COME WITH ANOTHER DIODE so Im going to call the dealership tomorrow. I ALSO TRYED A NEW BATTERY AND STILL THE SAME THING. With the door open and the interior light on.......if I turn the car off itll automatically turn the interior light off and nothing else will work either. MY RPM GAUGE IS ALSO NOT WORKING ANYMORE! Did I maybe blow something? Is there another voltage regulator that I dont know about? Why are the "fusible links" actually all wire and not a "fuse"

Someone please help who has maybe had a problem like this before b/c I am so friggin confused---- I really wanna say that its as simple as I NEED TO GET A NEW DIODE AND "ANOTHER" NEW ALTERNATOR.

I did do a search by the way........


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Yeah get another diode. That _should_ solve your problem. Odd thing about vehicle electrical systems is that they have to be _corrected_ to DC , that correction takes place within the rectifier bridge inside the alternator itself and with one way diodes. If the diode "burned through" you may be experiencing some AC leakage, which can cause all kinds of oddities like flickering lights, stereo malfunctions, dash/guage problems. Last time I saw a problem like that was on a Chevy, and it barely ran as a result.


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

alot of guys on z31.com have done the 90 amp maxima swap--- if the alternator is internally regulated then why do i need this thing?(external diode)


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

What about the voltage regulator. My Z has the same issue right now it won't even idle if it idles the dash lights go off and the car dies. At first I figured it was just the battery being drained because when I would go home every now and then and try to start the car it would be dead I would recharge the battery but finally about 2 months ago it just completely went crazy the dash started dieng and I had to push start it twice. I'm just going to replace the alternator, voltage regulator, and battery. I just haven't been home to fix it so when I am doing the work over the Christmas break I will take some time and figure it out. Im already doing the maxima alternator.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Sounds like a voltage regulator or rectifier. I had the same problem with our four-wheeler a while back that is almost like James'. I know they aren't the same but hell. In it both the voltage reg. and rectifier both caught on fire for water getting in it.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

SKD_Tech said:


> Sounds like a voltage regulator or rectifier. I had the same problem with our four-wheeler a while back that is almost like James'. I know they aren't the same but hell. In it both the voltage reg. and rectifier both caught on fire for water getting in it.


I am about 99% sure it is the voltage regulator. While I am at it though I am going to upgrade the alternator.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

0341TODD said:


> alot of guys on z31.com have done the 90 amp maxima swap--- if the alternator is internally regulated then why do i need this thing?(external diode)


 Should be internally regulated on the original alternator too. The last car manufacturer I knew of that used an external regulator was Ford...........


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

[email protected] said:


> Should be internally regulated on the original alternator too. The last car manufacturer I knew of that used an external regulator was Ford...........



LMAO figures. I thought it might be dodge. They've always had screwy electrical systems. If you don't believe me you need to ride in my dad's girlfriends's Caravan. It goes crazy and interior lights blink and the buzzer goes off speratically etc.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

SKD_Tech said:


> LMAO figures. I thought it might be dodge. They've always had screwy electrical systems. If you don't believe me you need to ride in my dad's girlfriends's Caravan. It goes crazy and interior lights blink and the buzzer goes off speratically etc.


 Hmmm Dodge and Ford shared a lot of technology in that regard so I am not surprised. But I do know that up to about 97 or so Ford was still using external regulators, for whatever reason. It did make Ford alternators cheaper, and the regulators were cheap and easy to replace as well.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Yeah Dodge still has the problem because this is a 2002. Friggin dodge


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

One of my customers is a dodge dealership-- they have shitty products-- they look cool and appeal to the masses, but if I had a dollar for every customer that came through the door b/c their car was getting worked on at the dealership up the street- I could send my car to Apex Integration in Japan and they could rework it for me and Id have enough left over to ship them McDonalds burgers next day air.


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

Hey and by the way

MY STUPID FAULT- IT WAS THE FUSIBLE LINK! I didnt check it---- the alternator did go bad though- so I switched it- I had a short somewhere and it blew the fuse and I didnt check it. In all my checking though I did alot of reading up on the MAXIMA 90 AMP SWAP so I took my "broken" brand new 70 amp alternator back to discount auto parts and switched it for the 90 amp maxima one, had them bench test it and then I was on my way back to my shop-- I had to modify some brackets and what not..........BUT YOU GUYS, ITS FRIGGIN KILLER!!!!!!! MY CAR IDLES AFTER WARMUP AT LIKE 13.5 VOLTS!!!!! Everything is brighter and better, my stereo seems to not affect things as much and I was able to reset my s-afc at idle so the car could run properly. Its simply just working better!!!! I will take pictures of everything I did and post them this weekend on doing the 90 amp swap--- It really did work great!!!!!


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

0341TODD said:


> Hey and by the way
> 
> MY STUPID FAULT- IT WAS THE FUSIBLE LINK! I didnt check it---- the alternator did go bad though- so I switched it- I had a short somewhere and it blew the fuse and I didnt check it. In all my checking though I did alot of reading up on the MAXIMA 90 AMP SWAP so I took my "broken" brand new 70 amp alternator back to discount auto parts and switched it for the 90 amp maxima one, had them bench test it and then I was on my way back to my shop-- I had to modify some brackets and what not..........BUT YOU GUYS, ITS FRIGGIN KILLER!!!!!!! MY CAR IDLES AFTER WARMUP AT LIKE 13.5 VOLTS!!!!! Everything is brighter and better, my stereo seems to not affect things as much and I was able to reset my s-afc at idle so the car could run properly. Its simply just working better!!!! I will take pictures of everything I did and post them this weekend on doing the 90 amp swap--- It really did work great!!!!!


 :dumbass: Glad you're back on the road. Let this be a lesson folks, always check your fuses and fusible links.


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

Dick 


Its is cool though having a little more power and not have my lights dimming


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