Just installed a new starter and a new battery on my 2.4L Z-24 and it will run - and run good - for a little while, but after I put on wipers, radio and lights, the instrument panel dims down and stops functioning and the car will die out. Is this the alternator?

I charged it all night last night and it started right up. I went to the local store to get a few gallons, drove it around the neighborhood for a little while (about 7 minutes) and then the deck started to die out then light up, then die out then light up (and so on). Then the dome light in my car started to get weak and the power windows only went down a little way they were so weak. Then after I parked it I turned it over and there was absolutely nothing - everything was dead and there was no turn over, no click or anything.

Any ideas?

I charged it all night last night and it started right up. I went to the local store to get a few gallons, drove it around the neighborhood for a little while (about 7 minutes) and then the deck started to die out then light up, then die out then light up (and so on). Then the dome light in my car started to get weak and the power windows only went down a little way they were so weak. Then after I parked it I turned it over and there was absolutely nothing - everything was dead and there was no turn over, no click or anything.

Any ideas?

this could be a battery problem

try to clean the + and - on the battery if they got some dirt

if thats not working check the voltage on the battery

and if everything fails, check the voltage on the alternator

Just had the alternator checked and it is fine according to AutoZone.

check the fusible links at the starter solenoid.

Just had the battery checked and it tested out fine at AutoZone.

What do the fusible links looks like?

looks like a wire,,is located at the starter positive lug,,gently tug on it and see if it is broken ,it may look fine and can be broken inside the insulation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusible_link

Sorry for not responding earlier. I have one question that I need: How many areas on the starter are possible areas the alternator could be conected to? If I put the alternator wire back on and screwed it on the wrong place, I think that would solve my problem.

I just found two wires that have what looks to be like freshly cut ends. Is this my problem perhaps? They are coming from the area above the alternator and I can't entirely tell where they run to, but it looks like they run to the wire plug that is in this photo:

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx48/96Z24/EnginePhotos10-17-09SONYCam002.jpg

And are wrapped with electrical tape coming from this plug just above the alternator again:

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx48/96Z24/EnginePhotos10-17-09SONYCam001.jpg

I think there is only one place you could connect the alternator wire at the starter... you could put it on the wrong terminal, but it wold be very obvious.

I think those cut wires are your problem. If they do go to the alternator, one of them is the field wire that controls how much the alternator charges, no power there, no charge. Not exactly sure where they run, but find the other end, solder them back together, and see if the alternator is charging.

Man for the life of me I can't tell where these wires run. Any other takers on a guess here? I think I will try to take the wire protection around that whole area and see what I can see.

grey is the field wire and the brown is for the lamp in cluster;they attach to the alternator via a plug u cant see,Yet.

Wow, what a bonehead I am! It's called the "regulator connector." Sheesh, I was a real idiot on this one. All I can say is Chilton's manuals don't show any frames of the 2.4L in their manual but no question that was a huge oversight on my behalf.

Also if anyone here ever takes their alternator out, be careful with that plug because it is damn short. I will hopefully get this figured once and for all tomorrow and post back my findings. Thanks again for all posts.

The problem appears to have been alleviated. I went to the yard to get a new plug with enough wire coming out so I could solder the old ends (the yard charged me 10 bucks for the lousy plug), soldered them together, put the plug back in and voila - went for a half an hour drive or so with several stops - and playing music in my Sony fw700 nice and loud, and everything appears to be normal, for now.

Thanks again for the help.

It could be or it could be your ignition module

Update:

Since my last post there was another problem. So...when I finally supposedly figured out my problem, I figured I'd throw in my old system - a Jensen 600W with a 12" Rockford - and to my unbelievable dismay, the next day it was absolutely dead. So I charged it for almost two days straight, figured I'd take my system out because I am only an amatuer with installing that stuff, and it appears to be alright right now, but frankly I have to wait and see over the next couple days after it sits out.

A couple questions: if a system (amp) is not hooked properly, could it drain all the power, and (2) could I have ruined my battery since I last posted - again? This car is really starting to drive me nuts right now, but when I took'er out she was as smooth as always. It runs like a champ, as long as these power issues stop. b

I've only installed a couple amps, but the only thing I can think of is if you hooked B+ up to the "on" terminal so that the amp never shuts off. It's also very possible that a cheap component (amp) is defective and drawing power even when it should be off. On the battery, a full discharge is very hard on batteries, and charging for 48 hours is even worse... unless the charger's got an automatic shutoff. Check the water in the battery, lots of it probably boiled off in these events. It's probably still OK, but it's probably been weakened. Check the amperage draw of the amp when it's off, if it's more than .05A (should probably be much less) , it's defective or a poor design.