Since people seem to direct me to the alternator which I have run multiple tests (including a straight alt test @ CT), I appreciate it but I definately have ruled out the alternator not charging, or charging awkwardly. It is fine.
So for people to completely understand my questions below, it’s important that I lay out the events leading up to my current issue.
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Started with dying battery at the last GB tires shannonville track day. If I used my brakes, lights, or heater, it would bog and die out, but idle fine. I replaced the alternator with Martino’s.
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The EGI relay that came with the car was doing the typical buzzing (shorting) sound at times, so it had already been shot from the beginning, but didn’t have any prior issues except with the damn buzzing.
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Car died again, I let it sit for a month cause I was stumped. Took out the relay (never ended up putting it back in cause I had left it out for a while), took the alternator in for testing, it tested fine. Put the alternator back in, took the grounds, tightened them, as well as re-terminaled the ground on the alternator.
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Started charging beautifully. Beats me how this happened as the grounds were previously fine (I had checked them over and over). Took it back to CT to get my alternator belt replaced cause the one I had was mangled. Also got the AIV (sp?) done with the BEAR unit. Battery and charging system turned out fine. My alternator will need replacing before the end of winter, but right now it’s doing its job.
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Got back home, did my thing, left for the girlfriends house. Remembered I had yet to put the EGI relay back in. Went back upstairs, put the relay in, didn’t get 50 feet down the road without the car starting to MASSIVELY bog about 5-10 seconds into an idle. If I left it without revving it, it would have died. So I turned around, parked, took the relay back out (using the logic that it was working w/o it like 10 minutes prior) and it charged very strongly. With the relay in, it was charging under full load (which I consider high beams, heat on full blast, radio and sub on, pressing brakes at the same time) @ under 13v.
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With the relay out, I had tested it at 14.x with lights, no sub. Decided to try the load test again, turned the sub all the way up, high beams, etc etc and it DID NOT dip below 14v.
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Drove w/o relay until today. I had made it to Caledon, Sutton and back without one issue. Only issue at all is that w/o the relay I need to take the ground off the battery and put it back on cause the dash lights (ebrake, gas light, check engine light, those ones) don’t go off when you turn the car off.
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Picked up the new relay from Nissan today. Installed it. Still charged (though I STILL have to rev it to 2500 RPM to initiate a charge), however the load put on the alternator/battery increases significantly w/ the relay in. Under full load it dropped to 12.86 and kept dropping. W/o relay, again it charged under full load @ low 14’s.
However, before I get the “too much load!” response, keep in mind that as soon as I turn on the heater, the charge goes from 13.8 @ full load to 12.8, heater full blast.
Again, without the relay, I can have EVERYTHING on, and it sits at NO LESS than 14v.
I wouldn’t really care about the heater issue IF IT WASN’T GETTING SO DAMN COLD lol.
So, with all that boring background info, here are my questions:
A) Any idea why the charge dips so low w/ the relay as opposed to w/o it? Also, why does the heater have such a large effect?
B) What EXACTLY does the EGI relay do? I’ve heard it controls the fuel pump, but I’m sure it effects a lot more (w/o the relay the dash lights refuse to turn off unless I d/c the battery)
C) And still, any idea’s on why my alt initiates @ 2500 RPM (right on the dot)? Charges consistent after that.
Sorry for the read guys, but winter is coming and I can’t have this shit fucking me up in -20 degrees. I’m sure we’re all tiring of my posts -_-
I really appreciate any help, seriously.
Josh