My alternator wont charge battery

Tiny
TIMHILLMER
  • MEMBER
  • 1986 NISSAN 300ZX
  • 223,000 MILES
I have recently had the alternator changed and everything was working fine until yesterday I washed the car and when I got back in my battery light was on. Later on while driving the car completely died (most likely because it was just running off the battery. I checked all my grounds and made sure wires were all attached to alternator. Im running out of ideas for what the problem could be and need some help!
Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 8:28 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Do you have a multimeter to do some testing?
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 8:38 PM
Tiny
TIMHILLMER
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Yes I do and I tested the battery voltage with vehicle running and it started at 12 volts and worked its way down till nine when the car shuts off which lets me know that the alternator isnt charging but its a new alternator
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 8:55 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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There is two white wires going into your alternator they should have battery voltage. Also the black wire to the alternator should have 2 ohms or less to ground. If all thats good bad alternator. But my guess is though you will find no power to the white wires.
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 9:01 PM
Tiny
TIMHILLMER
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What if the wires have no power
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 9:14 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Then you have a blown fuse link that feeds power into the alternator.
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 9:23 PM
Tiny
TIMHILLMER
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Where is the fusable link located? I cant see it anywhere
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 9:26 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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If you follow the white wire from the alternator it goes right into fuseable link.
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 9:48 PM
Tiny
TIMHILLMER
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  • 7 POSTS
I found the fuseable link in the box by battery I hard wirede around it and got my battery power back but now when I start the car therenis a clicking coming from alternator so what would cause this
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 9:59 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Bypassing a fuseable you can start a fire there is a reason the fuseable link blew. Bad alternator or short somewhere. You need to have a the alternator tested.
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 10:06 PM
Tiny
TIMHILLMER
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Well I hooked the fuseable back up and its still clicking
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 10:13 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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So was the fuseable link bad or not?Is it charging now?Was the alternator clicking before?
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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 10:43 PM

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