1985 300ZX NA digital dash


if you know something about the 2 white wires that run to the alternator, PLEASE ADVISE!


was under the car today flushing cooling system. was trying to get at a little valve past alternator that drains the coolant from the engine block. just moving aside a white wire caused its connection to the alternator to break. continued with flush - short test drive - no problems, no warning lights, no funny readings from voltmeter gauge. hmm...


QUESTION: what would you do? forget about it? looking at the service manual section EL page 24, the wire diagram looks to read that those 2 white wires become one later on down the wire harness - then run on to the battery. but then why are there 2 to begin with...? my broken one must have had a purpose right?


if you know anything at all about this I'd really appreciate hearing from you!


many thanks,
Mike

 

No, I would not ignore the broken wire. Test the voltage across the +/- terminals on the battery (with key off). A fully charged battery should read 13.0 to 13.5 VDC. Start the engine and hold the throttle at a fast idle or about 1,500 RPM. Voltage should be 14+ to 15 VDC. Any values less than these, especially voltage dropping with the engine running, indicate the alternator is not working. There is a more detailed trouble-shooting guide for the charging system on page EL-25.

 

thank you Ken! will check it out today.

 

well the battery was charging, but with me being paranoid I went ahead and pulled the alternator anyway just so I could see what's what. turns out that broken wire was attached to a condenser that is bolted to the back of the alternator. I read it keeps static out of my radio.


so I'm going to solder the wire back on... and the belts were due for a change anyway...

 

like a dumbass...
I forgot to disconnect the battery before I removed the alternator... so while removing the alternator I shorted out something and fried the battery's fusible link. spotting that took a lot of time because although the actual WIRE part of the link was toast, the insulation around that wire looked just fine! go figure... so I cut out the fried bit and soldered the remaining - now 2 pieces - of wire back together.


next mistake...
bought a remanufactured DuraLast from AutoZone. this DuraBlast lasted about 4 days until I spent nearly 20 minutes at idle (and heavy electric load - A/C, lights, radio) waiting outside my girlfriend's house in the 100+ heat of Phoenix AZ.


later...
after dropping her off just a few hours (and miles) later the charging system drops way down when engine is at speed. the idiot lights of the dash light up like it's Christmas, and the dash voltmeter reads down close to something like 11. but when at idle everything returns back to good???


now...
to AutoZone's credit they did replace the ALT free of charge - even though the unit DID bench test GOOD. the problem is that bench test is not complete... that bench test just checks things at one RPM - and that's a low RPM - something like idle...


so...
now the replacement DuraLast is in the car, and so far so good. but it's only been like 5 miles and about 30 minutes. so if things go wrong anytime soon I'll let you know!!!