wiring issues? please help, i have searched

[s13_ono]

I relocated my battery a little while ago and have been having some electrical issues since then. I dunno if maybe its coincidence but yeah...on to the problem.

My car will run for a while (day or two) on a freshly charged battery. After that, i start to lose power: radio cuts out when i touch the brakes, dim lights and whatnot, then the engine starts to die (not enough spark cus i smell unburt gas when this happens). Then i cant even start it. So i went the obvious route and replaced the alternator. Connections seem good on the alternator: plug, fat wire with cap thing, and that small ground that bolts on to it. everything was cool for a while then i hit the same issues again. The alternator should be good because i stert the car and disconnect the battery and it runs. Made sure the ground for the battery was good. Its on one of the studs for the coilover in the rear. I sanded and polishes the body where it touches and still same stuff. Is this a bad ground spot? Do i need more grounds? Is this even the problem? I dunno. i think im gonna go through with a voltage meter and test the wiring between the alternator and the battery, but i dunno exactly what or where to look at.

So, a wiring diagram, and a list of what voltage i should be reading would be great, or any advice on other possible issues. I believe there is a bad ground for the battery or some short between the battery and alternator causing the engine to suck power from the battery due to resistance withing the alternator wiring. I suck at wiring so please help.
THANKS!:bigok:

[Xantcha]

Even though you replaced the alternator, it could be bad from the manufacturer. Try putting a voltmeter on the battery, 12.3 or so is good. Then have someone start the car and the voltage should jump to 14 or so. If it doesn't go to 14, the alternator is bad, since you said the wires were good, and they worked before the relocation.
I just replaced my girlfriends alternator, stock hyundai elantra, and it died after about 30 minutes of driving.. bad alternator again!
Let us know how it goes, good luck.
edit: I dont think your grounds are the problem. Sounds like you did it pretty well. I just have one ground in my trunk where the spare went, works fine.

[surreybc]

http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/253879

look up wiring diagram alphabeticallly.

[adictd2b00st]

another thing to watch out for.....make sure when your putting in a new alternator, that the battery in the car is fully charged as well. i've seen on more than one occasion this cause the alternator to die shortly after again

btw, what gauge wire are you running? power back to the battery, and the ground off the battery

[fcdrifter20]

change ur ground to a diifferent spot. make sure its on a solid piece of the frame. make shure to ground off wut ever paint it touches. make sure u tighten it down good. dont add more ground. and make sure u r using a good gauge wire.

oh yea did u by any chance use the same original ground wire from the engine or did u use a whole nother wwire.make sure u dont remove that engine ground. leave that in place. use another wire for the ground in the trunk. i have seen a couple people do that, thinkin that they dont need that ground on the engine anymore, but it still need to be there.

[drftem]

it sounds to me that your not running the wires properly or when driving the wires are arching to something so your alternator is arching out. i would check all wire connections that have to do with the relocation.

[PhopsonNY]

You may have a low amperage short in the system and you have to isolate it.

The way I would do it is to put a continuity sensor of some sort between the ground wire and the ground of the battery. Best to use a multimeter with a sonic warning indicating continuity... can also use one with a light.

Then start pulling fuses to see when the beep or light goes out...

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_find_a_Automotive_short_circuit

hope this helps.

Good luck.

[s13_ono]

2 gauge wiring


thanks for the advice, gonna borrow a voltmeter and check it out after work tomorrow, thanks for the link also

[s13_ono]

oh yeah, and the original ground is still there then i added another engine to chassis ground