rxKaffee

I know some race cars run with no battery, but I'm sure they have a higher output alternator. My battery ground had came loose a coulpe times while driving and everything sputtered very poorly, but it didn't completely die.

So what I'm wondering is... If I get the car jump started with no battery in it(hook jumper cables to the Z's battery cables?), will the alternator provide enough juice to the injectors, ignition, etc. to cruise the car down to the other side of my parkinglot?

I could drop the battery in my Z from the car I'd be jump starting it with, but its got GM style sideposts that I don't think my Z's standard battery cables will be a good enough fit to do much.

Thanks guys, rx

NismoPick

You need to know the basics of an electrical circuit.... in a car the electricity needs a complete path from + to -. Without a battery, the electronics won't work, because there is no complete path. Maybe a carb'd motor could run by itself using an alternator to charge the coil... but an efi system needs power.

rxKaffee

I'm not completely in-the-know on how an alternator works, but I assume its something like a DC motor? A standard DC motor can be driven(instead of given electrical power) to produce both a + and - paths to power a small light.

Is the problem that our alternator not provide us with a path for the -?

PooFlinginMonke

Be prepared for 18+ volts killing anything electronic.

snwbrderphat540

ummm... i tihnk its the other way around, some drag cars dont use alternators.... never heard of no battery cars though.

NismoPick

That's what I was thinking too. It doesn't make sense to remove the battery... but removing the alternator might benefit a lil if the motor is built for high rpms (higher than what the alt is rated to).

rxKaffee

with no alternator or airflow meter...

So this time around, I have a good battery. I'm again wanting to just crank the car up and run for couple minutes, not "going" anywhere. What I'm missing now is an alternator and airflow meter. I'm assuming the ecu will go into a sensorless static fuel map with the afm missing, but can things be expected to run right with the alternator out? Yes this means I also have no belt spinning my water pump. I think this shouldn't be much of an issue if I keep the rpms low and don't run long enough to heatup. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks, rx

280zx2by2

problem is when you get too much voltage... the battery stores it and supplies it at a reasonably constant voltage... so if you just hook up the alternator and you slow down and the alternator isnt spinning fast enough then the cars gonna die!!!

NismoPick

The car won't start w/o an AFM.

lifegrddude

You can run a car without a battery provided you crank it up first with a battery hooked up. Just don't do it for a prolonged period of time. Don't worry about voltage.... The voltage regulator takes care of that in the alternator. And as Nismo said, no AFM, no start. Make sure you have the water pump hooked up, or that you only run the engine for a minute or two at the longest. L motors love to pop a HG once you hit high temps.

JavaJiver

Is there a reason you cannot push it?

Niku-Sama

what about early early cars that you had to start with a crank in the front?

snwbrderphat540

that would be because they didnt have a starter no electrical system only a self sustained magneto ignition system like a lawn mower. thats a really stupid comment. sit down thanks

280zx2by2

bleach's fairlady dosen't have a battery!!! thats why it dosen't start!!!

Niku-Sama

yea your only bein like that because i thought of it and made you look dumb.
noob, 20 posts pshh

snwbrderphat540

technically, its still almost a type of alternator. actually. if i remember watching i love lucy they had a crank type car once when it broke down out in the desert and they had a radio going before, so for all i know they do have a primitive alternator. you cant prove they didnt.