McSlides
02-06-2011, 07:33 PM
Im stumped and don't know what to do anymore. So im going to start from the beginning and explain every detail i can, so someone can help me figure out what's going on.
So about 3 weeks ago swapped a rebuilt blacktop S13 SR20 into my 97 kouki S14. Everything went the way it was planned, other than having a hacked up harness from the previous owner, but none the less it ran. After killing some bugs, i found out the alternator isn't getting power. All the wiring was hooked up the way it was supposed to be, all grounds, plugs ect. It was still only getting 12 volts to the battery when it was running, and no volts to the alternator at all. So i swapped out the SR alternator with one from a KA, that was tested by the shop i got it from and was said to be good. It had enough even power from the alternator to run without dying, but as soon as the head unit, or headlights came on, it would die, so i knew it still wasn't getting enough.
So i put the new alternator in, and still, the same problem persists. There's no power getting to the alternator. We found that there was some really, really shady wiring done to the harness plug that goes into the alternator. I knew i needed a new harness anyways, so i ordered a new lower harness from Enjuku Racing, who gets theirs from wiring specialties.
So i get the harness in yesterday and wire everything up, and everything looks great. I do a volt meter test on the battery and its getting 12.4 volts (off), and 14 volts at idle. Cool it runs the way its supposed to. Not exactly. I drove it around a bit yesterday and today and had no problems, even with the head unit playing (in dash double din, and a baby 8in sub with a 160watt amp). But tonight after swapping a bad throw out bearing, i get into my car, turn my lights on and start to drive, and it dies just like it did before when my alternator wasn't getting power. So i get a jump from my friend and do a test on the battery with a volt meter. At idle, it was steadily dropping from 12.4,3,2,1; 11.9,8,7,6 ect ect.
I don't get it. I don't know why it's not charging. I have my battery cable from the trunk hooked directly to the power post in the fuse box, along with the starter power and harness battery power cable. And the amp and HID power to a small power post underneath the main power post in the fuse box. I know it's not the right way to do it, but i've seen alot worse, and everything seems to be getting power like it's supposed to on the volt meter, but obviously something not. Maybe the battery is just dead and won't hold a charge anymore from being recharged so many times? I don't know. Any one have any thoughts? I know this is long but i tried to explain it the best i could. Thanks for any helpful idea. I need my car back!! My Works are getting dirty and can't get to a wash place to clean them if my car can't move lol. :-/
So about 3 weeks ago swapped a rebuilt blacktop S13 SR20 into my 97 kouki S14. Everything went the way it was planned, other than having a hacked up harness from the previous owner, but none the less it ran. After killing some bugs, i found out the alternator isn't getting power. All the wiring was hooked up the way it was supposed to be, all grounds, plugs ect. It was still only getting 12 volts to the battery when it was running, and no volts to the alternator at all. So i swapped out the SR alternator with one from a KA, that was tested by the shop i got it from and was said to be good. It had enough even power from the alternator to run without dying, but as soon as the head unit, or headlights came on, it would die, so i knew it still wasn't getting enough.
So i put the new alternator in, and still, the same problem persists. There's no power getting to the alternator. We found that there was some really, really shady wiring done to the harness plug that goes into the alternator. I knew i needed a new harness anyways, so i ordered a new lower harness from Enjuku Racing, who gets theirs from wiring specialties.
So i get the harness in yesterday and wire everything up, and everything looks great. I do a volt meter test on the battery and its getting 12.4 volts (off), and 14 volts at idle. Cool it runs the way its supposed to. Not exactly. I drove it around a bit yesterday and today and had no problems, even with the head unit playing (in dash double din, and a baby 8in sub with a 160watt amp). But tonight after swapping a bad throw out bearing, i get into my car, turn my lights on and start to drive, and it dies just like it did before when my alternator wasn't getting power. So i get a jump from my friend and do a test on the battery with a volt meter. At idle, it was steadily dropping from 12.4,3,2,1; 11.9,8,7,6 ect ect.
I don't get it. I don't know why it's not charging. I have my battery cable from the trunk hooked directly to the power post in the fuse box, along with the starter power and harness battery power cable. And the amp and HID power to a small power post underneath the main power post in the fuse box. I know it's not the right way to do it, but i've seen alot worse, and everything seems to be getting power like it's supposed to on the volt meter, but obviously something not. Maybe the battery is just dead and won't hold a charge anymore from being recharged so many times? I don't know. Any one have any thoughts? I know this is long but i tried to explain it the best i could. Thanks for any helpful idea. I need my car back!! My Works are getting dirty and can't get to a wash place to clean them if my car can't move lol. :-/