Car has DIED!

Man this is giving me the shits....

It was fine all 3 days ago....my g/f and I where doing shopping and all of a sudden my car wouldn't start......my battery was flat....fair enough....but yet when i had a booster charger, everything worked fine for a bit....then i went to get fuel and it wouldn't start even with the booster charger on!.....A GUY JUMP started it for me and it worked and went to 12V b4 going straight to 8 and almost stalling itself....i get 20m down the road and my car stalls again....i turn over the key and its some ****ed up high clicking sound.

I then tried to roll start it....didn't work. I then roll started it with the booster....did work...but the moment i turned lights on, it stalled.....

I know its battery but what else could be ****ing up.....the clicking noise is coming around the firewall BEHIND the alternator.....it's driving me insane plz someone must have some ideas....

three things which i think is wrong:
1. New battery regardless
2. The alternator is screwed yet it does want to tick over and it does charge....
3. My ignition or some other fk'd up electrical problem.

P.S - I have an alarm...could this be what drained my battery?

peace.

First thing comes to my mind is a bad battery connection- or a faulty battery.

Second it could (or also could be) the alternator.

My '87 used to do this and it was a bad battery connection-
Had to replace both cables, cleaned the posts and re-ground it and viola! No problems. But if you have doubts on the battery- have it tested- or replace it with a new one.

If I recall correctly Autozone does free alternator checks even with it still in the car. Still, have it check/replaced if the above doesn't work.

I don't think a car alarm would kill the battery- unless it's on beeping (screaming?) all the time without being turned off. Or it could a open current somewhere :-?

It could be a number of things- just work your way down to the problem- which I have learned all too often.

When i had this problem, the clicking noise turned out to be my starter. and the starter IS behind the alternator. Check it out.

man its ya started if its a fast clicking noise only when u turn the key to start. its common thing really, give the starter a gentle tap with a hammer to get it going, then drive to the wreckers and get another one from a Pintara or another gazelle, or buy a new one (big hole in the wallet).....

but i could be wrong, but i have had this problem b4.

It could just be a shit battery. If it won't hold a charge, get it swapped out ASAP or your alternator will be next.

If the problem persists with a new battery, sounds like the voltage regulator took a dirt nap.

Stupid Nissan puts the VRs inside the alternator, where you can't really get at them.

Pull off the alternator, and bring it to a rebuilder. Way way cheaper than buying a new one, or risking a dead or almost dead wreckyard unit.

Or track down a VR and do it yourself if you really really feel like it and are sure it's the culprit (alternator will still charge, just never does)

and feel like tracking it down

Nissan pt # 23215-F2500 (for ca20e)

My battery was going flat all the time and was really p*&%ing me.

Went out to the garage one night and here was one of the head lights on.

Never noticed during the day.

If you worried about a drain some where first put it in dark room and see what glows. Not scientific but effective. Else run a ampmeter in series with the battery to see how much current it draws with nothing on.

cheers

Thanks for all the replies so far..

I'll be buying a battery in the next week as i need to pay $120 to my mum for a tow truck (FUN! NOT!)......so the gazelle is callecting dust atm...

It'll cost me a about 208 for a new alternator.....but i'm getting it for $170 thankx to trade slips....

Another thing that was brought to my attention was that my car might be doing this cause my timing might be out....i doubt it but anyone heard of something like that?

Also a mechanic went bunta at my mum cause she was gonna take her battery out of her 2002 ford laser to test my car.....he said no cause she has efi and it will **** up her computer.....if so, why did he do it to my car? It there problems if the battery is taken out?

ALSO! lol......once i get a new battery hopefully it will work but if it doesn't should i roll start it....the car has been sitting there and hasn't moved for at least a week now.

I hope its just the battery that is ****ing up....nothing more

Caio....

P.S - ALSO!!!!!!!! Can someone show me a pic of the starter motor is located.....i can't find it :$

Ok,

As for taking the battery out of your mum's car ... the worst it could do is reset the computer and all her radio stations.

But if the car is dying, it's not the battery. The battery is there for start up only. If it's dying while driving, the charging system is knackered.

Unfortunately when an alternator goes, it usually takes the battery with it.

As for the starter clicking, that's just a low juice problem. If the battery doesn't have enough juice to move the bendix inside the starter motor, you'll just hear the solenoid click.

Yep, I completely concur with Mr. 200. If you're also showing only 8V on the dial, then it's most definitely the alternator. I'd change the alternator before you change the battery, otherwise, you'll just be killing a fresh battery. The starter is NOT the problem.

I would suggest buying a rebuild kit for the alternator (208 bucks, holy shit) as it replaces everything except the magnets and windings and they cost like 30 bucks. They are pretty well a no-brainer, just take apart the old one and do it piece by piece.