Runs fine, just won't start.

[Otherworldview]

Hey all, the past few months I've been having an issue with what I think is my charging system. I've had the car since June and didn't give me any problems with it till Oct/Nov. It started a few months back where the car sat in a weekend of rain and when I went to go start it, it just clicked repeatedly. I jumped the car and changed out the battery thinking it was it. That worked for a few days and the car just crapped out again. I came on here and bought a used alternator from someone and put it it; ran fine.... till the otherday. I figured, "alright, used alternator that already has 1xx,xx miles on it, it's probably shot." Went and bought a new alternator and put it in and it was all good again! (Battery was put on a charger after each alternator change).

Then this morning when I dropped off the core of my old alternator it wouldn't start in the parking lot again. This time was really bad. Not even the seatbelt was moving and there was a loud clicking sound coming from the armrest/tranny tunnel area that I could only figure being the controller for the seatbelt(?). Got a jump again and it ran fine coming back from the store. I have yet to jump it again in fear/knowing it won't start again.

I'm really at a loss of where to go next... The car is completely stock with the exception of an aftermarket stereo that was put in before I bought the car. The wiring is in excellent condition from what I've seen, so I don't know. Can someone please help me out here?

Thanks.

[Sileighty_85]

check all your grounds make sure they are clean

[Otherworldview]

A friend of mine recommended buying a bigger battery. By bigger I mean an 700cc instead of my 405cc... Would that actually help any?

[reinvent]

http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/233418-another-draining-battery-thread.html

[Hawaiian240]

A friend of mine recommended buying a bigger battery. By bigger I mean an 700cc instead of my 405cc... Would that actually help any?

Do what Sileighty 85 said above. Check your grounds AND connections, clean battery terminal posts and the terminals at the starter.

Also read the link above about Batteries draining as recommended by reinvent.

Also, did you have your charging system checked by the guys at the parts store?? Autozone, Advanced Auto....etc do it for free. You can do this, to a certain extent, by checking the battery terminal voltage with a voltmeter both when the car is running and not running. Should be about 14.7 volts when running, and about 12.0 volts when off.

Also, when you replaced your alternator, did you get a direct replacement? Reason I ask is because I believe your stock alternator puts out 80 amps max.
Had you gotten a '97 Nissan Quest alternator, it would have given you 110 amps. Significant upgrade!

If you did a little researching, you could have also gotten a '99-'02 Nissan Quest alternator which gives you 125 amps!!!! Just a little modification needed.
I have an '01 Quest alternator on my KA24DE, no charging problems and I also run a sound system too! Bought mine from a local wrecking yard for $40.00, probably alot cheaper than the replacement you got! I have read that even at the parts stores, some places charge less for the Quest alternator!
Here's a couple of links with the Quest alternator upgrades, the second one deals with the '99-'02 upgrade:

DIY 110 Amp Nissan Quest Alternator into KA24E - adapted from article: 240SX Technical Forum: Nissan Forums / Infiniti Forums - NICOclub (http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=131961)
http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/158593-quest-alternator.html

And BTW, batteries are measured in CCA(Cold Cranking Amps) not cc(cubic centimeters), two totally different things.

[Otherworldview]

The alternator I got was a direct replacement from Advance Auto (spent $180 including a $50 core). I cleaned the both the posts and terminals. The battery was charged for 40min at the auto hobby shop I have here on base. I'll try and borrow a multimeter from my work tomorrow to check.
I did forget about the Quest Alternator upgrade, but I don't run anything fancy as far as a stereo or any other equipment goes. I will take it into consideration though if this just isn't working out for me.
Battery measurements: My bad... I was just thinking CC for Cold Cranking, didn't realize it was the full CCA.

I have a manual I got online a while back so I should be able to check the grounds. Weird to think they'd be something consider since they never get touched though.

Thanks a lot guys.

[Hawaiian240]

The Auto Hobby shop should have a charging system tester. Ours here on Naval Weapons Station, Charleston has one. Hope everything works out.

[MadMaverick]

The alternator I got was a direct replacement from Advance Auto (spent $180 including a $50 core). I cleaned the both the posts and terminals. The battery was charged for 40min at the auto hobby shop I have here on base. I'll try and borrow a multimeter from my work tomorrow to check.
I did forget about the Quest Alternator upgrade, but I don't run anything fancy as far as a stereo or any other equipment goes. I will take it into consideration though if this just isn't working out for me.


If your factory setup isnt working properly, upgrading the battery or alternator is going to solve your problem. You have a problem somewhere that needs to be solved, not band-aided. Either the alternator is not charging the battery, or you have a gross parasitic drain.

To test the charging system, you can not use a multimeter. Voltage means NOTHING if you already know your battery is fine. You need to use something like a VATT 40 (most shops have one). This tool has an inductive clamp that measures alternator amperage output. It is also capable of putting a load on the charging system to make sure the alternator is working properly.

To check for parasitic drain:

Hook up a test light in line with one of the battery cables. By "in-line", I mean disconnect one of the cables, clip one end of the test light to the battery post and connect the other end to the cable itself. If the light is glowing with the key off (car off, like you leave when it drains), then you have a drain.

To locate the drain:

Leave the test light connected as above. Pull fuses one by one (put them back in right afterwards to avoid confusion), until the light dims signifigantly or goes out. You have found the circuit which is causing the drain. Trace it back and fix the problem, then retest for a drain.

good luck

PS: also check your battery/alternator cables for rot. They can rust out and cause a lot of resistance.

[Otherworldview]

MadMaverick,
I'm looking for a test light, but most of them have only one terminal so I can't figure out how who hook them up in series. The only one I've found that would work as you say is this one (http://www.autobarn.net/des27322.html) and that's just because it has a converter. Will this work, or am I looking at the wrong thing.

Thanks

[MadMaverick]

MadMaverick,
I'm looking for a test light, but most of them have only one terminal so I can't figure out how who hook them up in series. The only one I've found that would work as you say is this one (http://www.autobarn.net/des27322.html) and that's just because it has a converter. Will this work, or am I looking at the wrong thing.

Thanks


Just use a regular test light. Use the clip side on the battery terminal, stick the pointed end into the cable connection. Just make sure you have good contact the whole time. You can check for good contact by turning the key on (light should go on). Obviously you need a fully charged battery to perform this test, otherwise the light will never go on.

[Otherworldview]

Ah, ok , gotcha. I'll go over to Advance Auto after payday to grab a battery jumper and see if they have a test light and get back to ya.
Thanks

[Otherworldview]

A couple days ago I got another jump start and ran the car for 30min straight hoping to recharge the battery a bit. It ran fine without any issues. As soon as I was done, I disconnected the battery so that there wouldn't be any drain on it at all. I went out a few hours ago to try and start it and it gave me the same symptoms of not wanting to start, like I never ran it the other night. I take it this would indeed be a grounding issue? I did pick up a test light yesterday, haven't gotten to use it because I'm waiting for the weekend.

Any thoughts / comments about this?
Thanks

[Otherworldview]

The weather was finally decent today so I went out and did what MadMaverick said and hooked up a test light. Lo-and-behold the bulb was on; albeit dim. Went through all the fuses on the drivers side kick panel and the only one that the bulb went out on was the inside lamp door one. I presume that should be normal since I did have the car door open right? After going through those I went through the fuses behind the battery. I wasn't able to pull out the big three, but the only one that made the bulb go out was the one labeled FL75A ALT. This is for the alternator, no?

Here's the picture of said fuse:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b285/Otherworldview/Misc/fuse.jpg