Silvia won't start

[two40silvia]

I'm not sure where to start. I have an s13 blacktop sr. My car will not start unless it's jumped. even with my battery at 12.6 volts. I recently replaced the alternator because the old one was going out. I replaced it with a ka alternator. it was running fine except to get the alternator to start charging the battery I had to rev it up a little bit and after I revved it, it would charge at idle and everything. I took the alternator back off on the 10th so I could redrill the holes and make it fit a little better. I put it back on and it ran fine until Wednesday the 14th. I went out to leave for school and it wouldn't start. I had to leave so I took my gf car and figured I could fix it the next day. So that thursday I was about to leave for school again and I jumped the car and let it sit for a couple minutes to warm up and I hopped in to leave and it died. Again, I had to go to school so I took my girls car. The day after, I replaced the battery with a brand new one. It wouldn't start and I figured maybe it's because the batterys been sitting for a little while. My gf had to work so I asked her if she could jump it again so I could take my car. I got it started and running and before I went to school I stopped by a friends house. When I came back out, my car wouldn't start again. It had only been sitting for maybe an hour. We had to get to school so I rode with him. At lunch, we went back and jumped it again so I could get it to school. When I got to school I unhooked the negative cable from the battery figuring maybe there's a parasitic drain. I got out of school and went to start my car and it still would not start. So I jumped it again so I could get home. Then on saturday the 17th, I was out there looking over my alternator wires because that's the last thing I worked on before it started doing this. Everything looks fine. But when I connect the battery, without the key in the ignition, the ignition coil relay energizes. The night of the 16th, my battery was at 12.6 volts when I got home. I left it connected and when I went out there saturday, it was at 11.3 volts. Any input would be appreciated. I need to fix the problem by monday because of school. Any suggestions?

[two40silvia]

also, I took out my lower harness, went through it and rewrapped it. There's no bad wires or connections in that. I also found that when I take out the engine control fuse, the relay de-energizes.

[NissanEnthus]

I have not seen you mention ANYTHING about your starter??! Have you tested that? LOL....Nor do you describe the symptoms of what your cars does or does not do when you crank it?

Oh and do you know what an alternator does right?

[two40silvia]

If you read the post, you see that the car will start when being jumped. Well, it won't anymore but it does still crank when being jumped. Even if my starter is bad, I need to figure out why my ignition coil relay is staying energized. I figured I would post up as to see where people might suggest looking. and what to look for. and of course I know what an alternator does. I don't understand why you'd ask that question.

[Mishkin_707]

Look under the good for the 75A fuse for the alternator, sounds like you jump it enough to start it after a charged battery then you drive it and if the fuse is out you may just be running the car on battery power til you turn it off, if that's not it take the alternator out and have it tested, also have you connected a volt meter while the car is running to see how many volts are put out?

[Mishkin_707]

I meant hood, not good....lol, just noticed that part of the coil, sounds like one of the ignition wires is wrong, like it's connected to a constant 12v instead of a switched 12v

[two40silvia]

the alternator will charge the battery if I can get it started. I measured voltage at the battery while running and it reads around 13.5 volts. I just don't understand why the ignition coil relay stays energized. this started out of nowhere about 2 and a half weeks ago.

[Mishkin_707]

Odd^ did you do anything to the car prior to this stuff happening?

[two40silvia]

That's why I explained the new alternator. I installed it, but if you've ever put a ka alternator on an sr, you know you have to drill out the holes. Which at first I didn't do, it was basically only being held on by the belt tensioner bolt. I drove like that for a little while and when I had some free time, I took it back off and drilled out the holes. and now that I think about it, it did spark when taking it out. I was in a hurry and didn't unhook the battery at first. I'm thinking that is most likely what caused the problem. But it did run just fine for a couple days after that happened. then I didn't drive it for like 2 or 3 days and I went out to drive it and it just wouldn't start.