Pathfinder won't charge battery - Page 2

vesposit · Sep 4th, 2006, 11:21 PM

Ty Golfer...

But I think that the bulb actually draws a small amount of current that has to do with the alt excitaion.

If you REMOVE the bulb the Alt will not charge... I think...

So if the wire from L to Bulb is broken the ALT will not charge...

I've been reading a bunch... and I still don't understand all i know... thanks for your help.

vesposit · Sep 4th, 2006, 11:53 PM

Thanks...
here is what I see... sometimes when starting the BATT light is NOT on.. car starts, runs fine, but it is not charging... I see 12.5v

Installed new Alt and new Battery today.

Drive the car a bit... all sudden it starts charging 14v

It might drop off to 12.5v again... might not.

Sometimes when start car... the BATT light is ON... bulb chk.. after starting it is charging fine.

If after starting it is NOT charging... remove the A4 connector from ALT and re-insert with engine running... it will start charging...

Yesterday it ran the old Battery dead driving... and the BATT light did not come on... so I am suspecting that it has to do with the L terminal and the Y/R wire...

Maybe it is the other wire going to the ALT ?

Problem seems intermittent... so I suspect a wire problem... but only a few to worrry about.

Maybe it is just a new BAD Alternator ?

Because of how the light acts... I suspect wiring to the light... or would a bad ALT prevent the Light from coming on during the Bulb chk... ignition on but not yet started ?

golfer · Sep 5th, 2006, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vesposit

Ty Golfer...

But I think that the bulb actually draws a small amount of current that has to do with the alt excitaion.

If you REMOVE the bulb the Alt will not charge... I think...

So if the wire from L to Bulb is broken the ALT will not charge...

I've been reading a bunch... and I still don't understand all i know... thanks for your help.

I doubt the electrical engineer would design the system to have a complete system failure if simply a bulb burnt out .

The excitation voltage ( for the brushes ) actually would come from the battery and the " Regulator " turns this on and off.

golfer · Sep 5th, 2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vesposit

Thanks...
here is what I see... sometimes when starting the BATT light is NOT on.. car starts, runs fine, but it is not charging... I see 12.5v

Installed new Alt and new Battery today.

Drive the car a bit... all sudden it starts charging 14v

It might drop off to 12.5v again... might not.

Sometimes when start car... the BATT light is ON... bulb chk.. after starting it is charging fine.

If after starting it is NOT charging... remove the A4 connector from ALT and re-insert with engine running... it will start charging...

Yesterday it ran the old Battery dead driving... and the BATT light did not come on... so I am suspecting that it has to do with the L terminal and the Y/R wire...

Maybe it is the other wire going to the ALT ?

Problem seems intermittent... so I suspect a wire problem... but only a few to worrry about.

Maybe it is just a new BAD Alternator ?

Because of how the light acts... I suspect wiring to the light... or would a bad ALT prevent the Light from coming on during the Bulb chk... ignition on but not yet started ?

If you have a relay in the circuit for the lamp it may be faulty.

golfer · Sep 5th, 2006, 08:45 AM

Just did a google and ran across this , it's prety good in explaining things.

check it out: Automotive Charging Systems - A Short Course on How They Work

vesposit · Sep 7th, 2006, 06:05 PM

Hey golfer...

It is true that if the bulb burns out it will not charge. The bulb is in the trigger circuit and normally draws a small amount of current... but not enough to light up... if a problem occurs it should draw more current and light up.

Of if the Alt fails the bulb may not light at all, even with bulb chk relay on. This was my case.

My problem was that the NEW Alt was also bad... but only sometimes. I took it to NAPA had them test it... he said it was fine... i told him it would fail... give it time... just than the tester stopped and said it was bad.

Got ANOTHER new alt and all is fine.

The site you found was very cool... thanks for your digging and help.

golfer · Sep 7th, 2006, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vesposit

Hey golfer...The site you found was very cool... thanks for your digging and help.

Quote:

It is true that if the bulb burns out it will not charge. The bulb is in the trigger circuit and normally draws a small amount of current... but not enough to light up... if a problem occurs it should draw more current and light up.

Of if the Alt fails the bulb may not light at all, even with bulb chk relay on. This was my case.

Not sure if I follow you.

Quote:

My problem was that the NEW Alt was also bad... but only sometimes. I took it to NAPA had them test it... he said it was fine... i told him it would fail... give it time... just than the tester stopped and said it was bad.

Got ANOTHER new alt and all is fine.

So your problem was the alternator , glad you got it resolved.
It also goes to show you can't trust the parts and the people at the part stores using the bench testers.

**88pathoffroad** · Sep 7th, 2006, 07:46 PM

The bulb has nothing to do with the alternator's charging properties. It's simply a warning light.

golfer · Sep 7th, 2006, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88pathoffroad

The bulb has nothing to do with the alternator's charging properties. It's simply a warning light.

Thanks for the backup.

jeanvill1 · Jan 14th, 2007, 06:43 AM

I also have a 95 Pathy. About a month ago I was making a stop at a local city event with like 40 pizzas for our Christmas event, and all of a sudden my pathy stuttered and sputtered to a stop. I got out and pulled up 10 ft with the help of other city event members, called a tow truck and saw it hauled to my mechanic. I ordered a factory rebuilt nissan alternator and battery and replaced both, I also checked the battery pos and neg. connections. It has come down to this. My mechanic did a rundown of all the electrical and found a wire that goes from the alternator to the battery that has resistance. Its in the black plastic covered main harness that goes from the drivers side where the alternator sits in the engine runs near the alternator and the hood latch and to the pos on the battery. He found resistance in this wire and has sent it to a electrical specialist to fab. one. Good luck to you, I should have my pathy back on Jan 16 from the Electrical specialist. Short of replacing the whole harness, fabrication or replacement is the best way. Long run you may think about changing the harness especially if you off-road a lot. Wouldnt want you to be stuck out in the boonies.
This has happened before a couple months ago. So if it happens again even with the new alt. check this wire. This is the first time we are replacing the wire.

Thanks for reading. Good luck knock on wood.

**88pathoffroad** · Jan 14th, 2007, 03:54 PM

It doesn't take an "electrical specialist" to "create" a new "specialty" charging wire. I used a piece of 4-gauge battery cable with the ends crimped on and it works just fine. Wierdness...

golfer · Jan 14th, 2007, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeanvill1

I also have a 95 Pathy. About a month ago I was making a stop at a local city event with like 40 pizzas for our Christmas event, and all of a sudden my pathy stuttered and sputtered to a stop. I got out and pulled up 10 ft with the help of other city event members, called a tow truck and saw it hauled to my mechanic. I ordered a factory rebuilt nissan alternator and battery and replaced both, I also checked the battery pos and neg. connections. It has come down to this. My mechanic did a rundown of all the electrical and found a wire that goes from the alternator to the battery that has resistance. Its in the black plastic covered main harness that goes from the drivers side where the alternator sits in the engine runs near the alternator and the hood latch and to the pos on the battery. He found resistance in this wire and has sent it to a electrical specialist to fab. one. Good luck to you, I should have my pathy back on Jan 16 from the Electrical specialist. Short of replacing the whole harness, fabrication or replacement is the best way. Long run you may think about changing the harness especially if you off-road a lot. Wouldnt want you to be stuck out in the boonies.
This has happened before a couple months ago. So if it happens again even with the new alt. check this wire. This is the first time we are replacing the wire.

Thanks for reading. Good luck knock on wood.

If it has resistance = bad ... no resistance = good.

tcrote5516 · Jan 15th, 2007, 12:15 PM

Oh for christ sake!!! I am about ready to buy this guy a new friggin alt. I'm no "electrical specialist" but I think its about time to bite the bullet. I had a similar problem when I yanked my pathy out of the junkyard lol Surging, sometimes charging, most of the time not... Guess what i did, started with the cheap s*it and replaced stuff until it worked.

1: Replaced Alt, and Batt cables (with out the aid of aformentioned "electrical specialist") $15
2: Replaced Battery $50.00
3 Replaced Alt $110.00

It cost me $175.00 and I dont have to worrie about it anymore and thats priceless.

GO BUY A NEW ALT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! LETS NOT MAKE THIS MORE COMPLICATED THEN IT NEEDS TO BE

there I feel better.

Xeno · Jan 16th, 2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thrasher1995

Battery light has never come on during the noise problem or light flicker...
When the alternator is in the vehicle and it's ON, it outputs 13.7 Volts. When the alternator is OFF, I get battery voltage of 12.1 to 12.6 volts depending on charge state.

That battery light is actually a alternator light. It comes on under few conditions.
1. A relay bypassed it, to test it (during car start).
2. The diodes failed(in alt) and now supply ground to it.
3. Alt not producing correct current.

A fully charged battery is 12.8V+

If yours reads 12.1V it is in a state of "dead/discharged". Even 12.6V is something like 30% discharged.

Rebuilt alternators from your local Autohutt are usually crap, do to the way they "rebuild" them.

---

Ok, so charge your battery on a charger. After removing the charger and it sits for a while(couple hours), a good battery will show 12.8v+. If not get a new battery.

Now if it it does not stay charged in the vehicle, replace your alt.

X

jeanvill1 · Jan 17th, 2007, 05:52 AM

I GOT MY PATHY BACK YESTERDAY EVERYTHING TURNED OUT GREAT. $69.99 FOR THE HEAVY GUAGE WIRE FROM THE ALT. TO THE BATTERY. AND 39.99 FOR A WIRE IN THE DASH, WHICH IM THINKING WAS THE BATTERY / ALT. WARNING LIGHT. THE "ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST" WAS VERY NICE AND EXPLANED IT TO ME IN BROKEN SPANISH WELL WORTH IT AND VERY PROFESSIONAL. HE REPLACED SOME PLASTIC WIRE COVERS AND TAPED EVERYTHING UP SO THE ELEMENTS WOULD STAY OUTSIDE HE MADE GREAT CONNECTIONS.
NOW EVERYTHING IS CHARGING IN SPECS AND ALL IS SWEET.

$214.00 FOR A NEW REBUILD FACTORY NISSAN ALT.
$100.00 MECHANIC LABOR CHARGED
$69.99 FOR HEAVY GUAGE WIRE
$39.99 FOR DASH WIRE...INCLUDING ONE "ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST" LABOR

ONE PATHY BACK AT HOME- PRICELESS

KINDA ALOT TO SPEND BUT ITS BACK AND MY HANDS ARE CLEAN FOR SCHOOL TOMARROW. A BIG FACTOR OF ME SENDING IT OUT. NOW I GOTTA GET MY REPLICA PORSCHE 550 RUNNNG, THE 911 FAN NEEDS A BOLT THATS HELLA WEIRD. NO PUN INTENDED @HELLA. SO NEXT TIME I CAN WORK ON THE PATHY MYSELF, KNOCK ON WOOD. TIME TO GO TO THE VW FORUM.

LOL HEY A WEIRD THING I NOTICED. HAVE ANY OF YOU LOOKED AT A NISSAN 240Z LIKE 60'S 70'S ONES, THERE TRANSMISSIONS REALLY RESEMBLE A VW TRANSAXLE HUH...