power/alternator problems

hey i came home from spring break to start my 1990 240sx to find out the battery was drained (sat for about a month maybe...also do they drain the battery for a reason b/c this has happened before when i dont drive the car for awhile...the battery drains any suggestions besides taking the cables off?) and then to discover that after my battery was charged the power was horrible...the radio, lights, automatic features would not work unless i accelerated the gas...i then took it out on the road and the radio kept turning off and clock kept reseting it self, my lights went off and on...then when i was on the highway it started shaking bad and engine was struggling horrible(the brake light came on and stayed on for some reason but the alternator/battery light did not come on) so i pulled over and it died...would not turn over at all...the next day i went back and put a different battery in the car and it started up but had the same power problems....please if u have any suggestions and been there befoer let me know...i would like to if it is the alternator, fix it myself...doesnt look to hard to get to but let me know if u have had problems doing it yourself and if i should just let a professional do it...thanks

yea man i have the same problem with my car....but mine doesnt struggle with power while driving. My battery mysteriously drains for no god damn reason. iv had 2 places check the electrical system and shit to see if there were any power losses anywhere and they said they couldnt find shit. so i just unplug my battery every time i drive. During the summer it stays juiced up for a good 12 hours between each drive...but in the cold winter give it about 2 hours and shes dead. i got a new battery and cables also. it ran fine with the new battery for like 2 weeks...i could leave it hooked up...but then it was draind again. i dont no, im really not to concernd with it lol but i wouldnt mind getting it fixed. as it really doesnt affect how the car drives...just cant keep charge when the car is off.

yea man i have the same problem with my car....but mine doesnt struggle with power while driving. My battery mysteriously drains for no god damn reason. iv had 2 places check the electrical system and shit to see if there were any power losses anywhere and they said they couldnt find shit. so i just unplug my battery every time i drive. During the summer it stays juiced up for a good 12 hours between each drive...but in the cold winter give it about 2 hours and shes dead. i got a new battery and cables also. it ran fine with the new battery for like 2 weeks...i could leave it hooked up...but then it was draind again. i dont no, im really not to concernd with it lol but i wouldnt mind getting it fixed. as it really doesnt affect how the car drives...just cant keep charge when the car is off.

I would have those places check it again, it certinly sounds like a parasitic drain, maby a somthing shorted that stays on, thou do you leave a cell phone to charge in your car somtimes etc? somthing like that, if not...it's gotta be a parasitic drain check -everything- thou think back did you have anything recently installed or fixed lights/radio/other sound system shit if so somthing could have been fucked wired there too.

i have no problem with the battery when im driving it everyday or so

i have no problem with the battery when im driving it everyday or so

Heh...sounds like you have a parastic drain problem too, thou there might be somthing else wrong with most possibly some other problems too thou I couldnt really tell ya peronally without having a look at it my self too many things wrong just to pinpoint one thing thou maby someone more experianced will give you a hand..thou damn it shouldnt just shut down on you.

yes i do have a stereo that required a second battery to be installed in the back. But i have taken my system out and disconnected the second battery and have taken the fuse out that powers the actual radio(radio doesnt work anyway) so i drive with no radio what so ever. i have no cell phone or car alarm or anything extra as far as wiring. Yea i figured something has a short in it....but god damn thats a lot of wires. i recently have had my taillights out and doors off as im painting my car....but all that is hooked up right and i have checked it all. So i dont know what to do!!!!!!!

check the alternator...thats what i think is wrong, i dont know about the whole struggling thing though, if i were you, id also poke around with a volt meter, figure out what the fuck is draining all your power

yes i do have a stereo that required a second battery to be installed in the back. But i have taken my system out and disconnected the second battery and have taken the fuse out that powers the actual radio(radio doesnt work anyway) so i drive with no radio what so ever. i have no cell phone or car alarm or anything extra as far as wiring. Yea i figured something has a short in it....but god damn thats a lot of wires. i recently have had my taillights out and doors off as im painting my car....but all that is hooked up right and i have checked it all. So i dont know what to do!!!!!!!

Did you have the problem before the radio, taking off the doors, play'en with the tail lights, etc, etc?

check the alternator...thats what i think is wrong, i dont know about the whole struggling thing though, if i were you, id also poke around with a volt meter, figure out what the fuck is draining all your power

Hrm I would think the same thing to but he says it's ok when he drives it every day, meaning the alternator is doing it's job, but it wouldnt hurt to do test the alternator out. The reason it might have struggled is simply due to a very low batt, and the lights got real bright thendim simply because he increased the rpms nuff said. I'd check the following in this order.

-Battery
-Alternator
-Parastic Draws

Did you have the problem before the radio, taking off the doors, play'en with the tail lights, etc, etc?


man i cant remember iv been driving it like this for so damn long. My car has been in primer for like a year now lolololololololol...i work on it here and there when i have time. looks like a camo car whahahahahah. but anyway i cant recall if it did. Actually as i sit here and think about it...it did start happening after i did all this work...but not as soon as i put everything back on it started later...or else we would have thought that it was the doors or taillights right away...but i have checked those to just to make sure. I guess ill just have to take it somewhere again to get it tested. lol i havent taken it anywhere really special to check it, i took it to sears for an electrical system check when i was getting new tires and i had autozone check the alternator and battery. So ill just take it somewhere thats uhhhh professional lol. i hope they can resolve it. thanx for all ur help though