need help badly

I'm new to this forum and I own a 1991 300zx 2+2 N/A. In the past I have been very good about maintaining it, but recently i have run into money troubles and have not kept up as much as i should have. About a month ago my battery and alternator died on me. A friend told me he could help me fix the car and we got a service manual and replaced the battery and alternator.

Now, the new problem happened 2 days ago. I was driving home from work and the car started acting similar to how it did right before the alternator died, as i coasted to a stop the car started bucking/vibrating a bit and i made a turn to get off the main road. When i came to stop at a stop sign the car stalled. I tried to start it and just got click-click-click.....etc. It would not turn over. Later in the evening i tried to jump start the car and it was just dead. when i opened the door no interior lights went on, no ignition at all, not even a click....stone cold dead. The battery was under warranty so i took it to Pep Boys and they tested it, told me it was totally dead...wouldnt hold a charge and gave me a new one. I explained to one of the service guys what happened he thinks it is the alternator. I also went through a # of Z websites and found, by calling 1800-nissan1 that my car was in range for the "power transistor" failure recall. so im in the process of getting a local dealer to fix that.

My question is, other than the power transistor and the new battery i already have....what else might be wrong? I apologize for my first post being so incredibly long....but I need help and any would be greatly appreciated.

Rob

from the simptoms id say the power transistor
and the battery might have been a bad egg it happens sometimes
other wise perhaps a loose wire on the alt or battery? id check those first for the battery to have gotten chewed (in theory of it being a good one) one of the wires to the alt may be loose causin the car to run of strictly the battery

My Z had the same problem. I replaced the alt. and like a week later I had to put another one in. The first one was no good. Also BE SURE TO FULLY CHARGE THE BATTERY BEFORE RUNNING IT. Not doing this will put to much stress on the alt. and cause it to go bad. After the second one I'v been ok for about a year now.
Well good luck and hang in there Z's are worth the time and money you put in them

i dont know what drained the battery but i do know that click you heard could have also been a starter but i doubt that is your problem. have you put the new battery in and it still doesnt work??? if it still doesnt work then i would definitely go get that power transistor unit changed just because its free...if the battery hasnt been installed yet i have a feeling that it was just a "lemon" battery.

keep us updated!!!

you might want to check your power steering pump too... if it's leaky, it's leaking right on your alternator which will burn it out in a matter of days..

speaking of starters... i had my first GRIND... whiiinnnnnn today... so it's on its way out:( how much do those guys usually run for? (sorry for the hijack lol)

umm im gunna guess somewhere in tha range of 100 and sumthin idk i neva repklaced one on a z..

speaking of my alternator has p/s fluid all over it cause mine used to leak and ive never had a single probem wit it but im gunna clean it up maybe have to replace it in teh future so it dont leave me stranded i know its not good fo rit lol

Update: I put the new battery in the car and hooked it up, car started on first try so probably not the starter. I could feel the car getting shaky/vibrating after just a short while so i turned it off. I'm thinking the alternator is bad again too. If it is, I'm assuming im screwed as to replacing it? I don't think pep boys will cover it because I installed it and I don't think Nissan will replace it due to the bad power transistor.
So...

questions: 1. How hard is it to replace the piece that attaches to the
battery post terminal? I think the negative clamp is
suspect.

2. Anyone know where I can get a good price on the
alternator?

3. What order should I replace things in? (I was thinking
power transistor, alternator then battery.)

and thank you everyone who responded.

Rob

i just recently put a new starter in my Z32. it was 130 bux

first off if you think it may be your battery terminal ( attached to the battery post or terminal the terminalk attaches to the battery post abd wire attaches to terminal) the terminal should only be a few dollars and if that is thought to be the problem then do thart first there only a few dollars

any parts store has the terminals any even walmart has them lol

first off if you think it may be your battery terminal ( attached to the battery post or terminal the terminalk attaches to the battery post abd wire attaches to terminal) the terminal should only be a few dollars and if that is thought to be the problem then do thart first there only a few dollars


Ok that's good to hear. I'm sure that the terminal is only a small part of the problem though.

I'm definitely going to get the power transistor replaced and perhaps the alternator...depends on if it's bad or not.

Update: I put the new battery in the car and hooked it up, car started on first try so probably not the starter. I could feel the car getting shaky/vibrating after just a short while so i turned it off. I'm thinking the alternator is bad again too. If it is, I'm assuming im screwed as to replacing it? I don't think pep boys will cover it because I installed it and I don't think Nissan will replace it due to the bad power transistor.
So...

questions: 1. How hard is it to replace the piece that attaches to the
battery post terminal? I think the negative clamp is
suspect.

2. Anyone know where I can get a good price on the
alternator?

3. What order should I replace things in? (I was thinking
power transistor, alternator then battery.)

and thank you everyone who responded.

Rob

no, there should be a warantee on your alternator. you should be able to take it back and they will put it on a little tester and if it isnt working properly they should replace it for free. no questions asked...

also, your power transistor isnt bad if your car started...a failed power transistor will cause your car not to start. im pretty sure this is not your problem but when you have time i would go get it replaced because its free.

this is my thoughts about the situation...your car started up fine once you put the fresh battery in and it sounds like it ran good for a little bit. then it started to shake and stuff. this is what i think happened...fresh battery made the car run good but then your alternator isnt steadily recharging the battery so your car is running off strictly battery and nothing is recharging it. so your car is getting less and less power...

try this...when it starts shaking and wanting to die...turn your lights on and see if they are dim. then rev your motor slowly and see if they get brighter...this will tell you if the problem is your alternator and also if it is even working at all. if the lights do come on brighter...this just means that your alternator isnt putting out enough amps at low RPMs. could be caused from a belt slipping or a bad alternator.

on the note of the terminal that could be the whole proiblem it is tight when it starts then jiggles lose the alt. caNT PUT OUT enough and hence it shakes (barely juices enough to run ) then stalls and wont start cuz its lose connection barley allows any flow then the battery is dead too cuz it never charged

UPDATE #2:

Today, the strangest thing yet happened. I went outside to start the car, it started....it ran...it's still running, and absolutely fine like nothing ever happened. I drove the car around the block a few times, and let it run for about 20-30 minutes, and it's still fine. I therefore am assuming the worst, that everything I even suspsect could be wrong is wrong.

I cleaned off all the electrical connectors I could find of all corrosion. I cut off the old battery terminal/connector thing and put on a brand new one, made sure all connections with battery were tight. (also noticed a LOT of corrosion on the battery wire from where i cut it) I am going to have the charging system tested to ensure my alternator is putting out enough current, and I'm scheduling for the power transistor to be replaced anyways since it hasn't been done yet.

I am noticing some odd things as well.

1. I was having some problems earlier with power steering? maybe power steering pump? Now the wheel turns perfectly, feels good as new.

2. My e-brake light is on...will not turn off. It has been on since before the car had the problem/died, so maybe alternator still must be replaced?

Anything else i should know/try?

Thank you again.

UPDATE #2:

2. My e-brake light is on...will not turn off. It has been on since before the car had the problem/died, so maybe alternator still must be replaced?

Anything else i should know/try?

Thank you again.

i dont know whats up with that e-brake light...its gotta be a faulty sensor or loose connection. in my Z32, it used to come on when i first started the car and then it would flash on and off intermittenly...it did this for a few months and then finally it just stopped. ehh...i wouldnt worry too much about it unless the e-brake is actually on, then i would take it off. :lol:

i dont think the brakwe light could even drain enough juice to make a difference over the period of a week
but then again somepeople dont have as good of luck
iove even left my headlights on all night and went out turned them off and irt started right up like a half hour later
had a feild party and left the stereo cranked all night passed oput woke up like 10 hours after i turned it on and didnt even turn the radio off anbd it fired right up
but im also told that a light like that (allthough with ther ignition off shouldnt sdtay on) but a small drain like that can lead to a strain on the alt and the battery
so good luck and hope it stays working good