electrical problems

[Ds650rida]

i've just gotten home for the weekend from school and i went to take my car out for a ride, as soon as i get it to the end of my driveway, it starts sputtering and the tems goes crazy and then everything shuts down. I turn the key back on and everything turns back on and seems fine, but the motor wont turn over. I am assuming that the alternator is not charging and the motor is running off of the battery, and then the battery is dying. How can i check if the alternator is charging the battery or not? there is no battery trouble light going on at any time.

Also, i noticed that the check engine light stays on, but turns off when i put on the rear defroster. any fast input will help me greatly.

 

[jmcboost]

Battery should be around 12 to 12.5 volts when car is not on (alternator not charging) and when the car is on and alternator is charging you should see around 14 to 14.5 volts. I would for sure check your battery connections and any factory wiring and aftermarket wiring to make sure nothing is loose or shorting out.

 

[str8_6]

yeah...my 1jz gave me horribly weird symptoms when i had my alternator go out. and the stupid thing is i did everything and checked everything but the alternator wires. one of the wires that goes into the alternator broke off.

have someone jump start you just to make sure its not a bad battery...and check that connector to the alternator.

 

[Ds650rida]

its definitely not the battery, i'm pretty sure its the alternator, because when i have it running and i disconnect the positive side of the battery, the motor dies. Also i tried taking it for a spin around the block and it was sputtering pretty bad between 4 and 5k, a symptom that i was just reading about earlier but cant seem to find again. So i guess i'll hit up pepboys and try and get the alternator tested and get a new one if i need to. (if they carry them for a sc300). The only thing that i am weary about is if its the alternator or maybe my wiring which would be a nightmare for me.

 

[bluemkiii]

Kinda off topic, but did you by any chance take pics of the body plugs for the soarer 1jz?(IJ1,IJ2,Ik1,Ik2)?
I'm kinda confused about which plugs are which, thanks.

 

[Ds650rida]

yes i did actually. i'll put up a new topic and just maybe it'll get stickied.

 

[tlo86]

its definitely not the battery, i'm pretty sure its the alternator, because when i have it running and i disconnect the positive side of the battery, the motor dies. Also i tried taking it for a spin around the block and it was sputtering pretty bad between 4 and 5k, a symptom that i was just reading about earlier but cant seem to find again. So i guess i'll hit up pepboys and try and get the alternator tested and get a new one if i need to. (if they carry them for a sc300). The only thing that i am weary about is if its the alternator or maybe my wiring which would be a nightmare for me.

isnt taking the cable off bad while the car is on?.... (ive read it somewhere on the forums before that its and old school trick not meant for new cars to some degree, who knows i may be wrong...)

is this a symptom of a bad ecu as well?

 

[jetjock]

^ It might be now. Yeah, load dumps are bad news. No wonder people have electrical problems with these cars. Fortunately for him it sounds like the alternator is dead.

 

[Ds650rida]

alternator is fine, unfortunately, i took it to pep boys to get checked. I have a hunch it might be a bad ground to the alternator so i might check that out.

 

[jetjock]

Hmmm....you could have checked it yourself in 15 seconds. That said if it's working disconnect the battery again with the engine running at your own risk:

http://tinyurl.com/2hyv6z

 

[Ds650rida]

I cleaned up the ground to the alternator and checked it with a meter, and still nothing.