Very strange electrical problems

[r3aktor.mk]

Ok, yesterday I started my 94 micra, it started nice, but except for the front lights (main and long)
there was no electrics at all! (no blinkers, no taillights, no fans inside, no wipers) just the main lights.

I restarted it again, the same. And the fourth/fifth attempt it was normal.
While i drowed it, after a few miles i noticed that all the lights were dimming out slowly, until everything on the dashboard was black, and at the next traffic light the car just stopped.
Battery was gone.
I recharged it, after a few miles - same story.
With my friend we started it through the cables of his battery, everything ok, after it works like 3 minutes, drains and stops.
Other think i noticed is that if i turn it off (take out the key, and give contact again, clock is restarted radio is messed up, like I have been taken out the (-) from the batery...

Anyone had idea?

 

[SirChris]

alternator is shot? get a volt meter to the battery when she is running. If you have a figure 12.8/13V+ Your battery is getting charge. If the figure is closer to the 12v and she creeps down, the alternator is shot. thus the loss of power. Correct me if I am wrong anyone?

 

[frank]

alternator is shot? get a volt meter to the battery when she is running. If you have a figure 12.8/13V+ Your battery is getting charge. If the figure is closer to the 12v and she creeps down, the alternator is shot. thus the loss of power. Correct me if I am wrong anyone?

sounds plausible my money would be on a bad connection, there are 3 main + leads from the battery, 1 to the alt and 2 feeds (red connector/white leads)

 

[SirChris]

Can you take a reading from the alt? That would confirm the alts life, then check the wiring?

 

[r3aktor.mk]

Ill do that.
But why it keeps resetting? The clock, the radio are using minimal voltage to keep the memory.
If I turn off, then turn on the contact with the key everything is reseted. So, when is off, it doesn't gets any contact with the battery.
Through what connection/cable are powering the clock and the radio memory when the car is off?
I also noticed that sometimes when I touched the chassis, usually the door, i was getting small electric shock on my fingers...

 

[SirChris]

The shocks a bad ground maybe, I get them of fully functioning cars... alll the time. Check the chassis ground near the battery. But my concern would be to check the alt is pushing out the power. then like frank said then follow that back to the battery, checking to make sure the lines are ok. You are probs draining the battery of all of its life and taking all residual power from the car. The reseting then occurs, more things than just the radio come on when you set the key to ignition. fuel pump eg?

 

[r3aktor.mk]

I found it its the alternator, doesn't charging the battery at all.
Tomorrow ill get it out to see if the diodes are burnt...And where is the voltage regulator, is it in the alternator or is controlled by the ECU?

 

[r3aktor.mk]

I checked the alternator

This is the voltage regulator together with the brushes.
Also the 65A battery fuse was blown.
The brushes look fine to me. Anyone know how to check it with multimeter?

 

[johnbr6]

Battery fuse went on my Primera and caused the alternator to fail in turn... got a re-con alternator and a working second hand fuse and it worked fine... I have an obsession for keeping battery fuses now. haha.

 

[r3aktor.mk]

Problem solved.
I couldn't find 65A fuse in the local auto-parts store, so i soldered it and put it back.
Alternator is charging, and everything runs normal, but I got to find one on ebay, because Nissan service will ripp me off.
Thanks everyone for the replies.