charging system issues (G20)

[David Pertuz]

Hi y'all,

It looks like I will have to replace another alternator on my G20. This is
a Nissan reman that I got from Greg originally, and I did not expect the
trouble I've been having, and I wonder whether there is some other problem
in my electrical system that is killing my alternator.

Early last year I jump-started my SE-R wth the G20 and forgot to turn the
G20 off before I hooked the cables up - oops! This put a spike through the
electics and before too long my alternator started going. I replaced it in
May '05 with a new (reman) alternator from Mossy.

Then, in October, I started getting intermittently flashing charging-system
lights (the usual pair). However, they would be either full-on or off - no
fading in like when an al.t usually dies. Sometimes it would go on for a
second or two, other times it would stay on for several minutes at a time.
Sometimes hitting bumps would seem to trigger it, or rocking the engine
(throttle), but this correlation was weak. I tested everything per the FSM
and everything else was OK, and all connections were tight. I concluded the
alt. had a bad voltage regulator, so I took it out, drove over to the local
Nissan dealer and exchanged it for a new one (it was warrantied.) My
problem went away.

Now, 8 months later, it is back. Exactly the same symptoms. Everything
works fine, the car starts fine, I do sometimes see flickering in the
headlights, but it'll get worse eventually. The ABS light has only come on
once, briefly. Often the car will do this most of the time for days, then
it will disappear for days at a time.

What else could have been hurt when jumped my SE-R that could be either
causing the symptom or killing my alternator? I'm going to swap batteries
with the SE-R and the Garage Queen, but this one seems to be in good shape.

Suggestions welcome.

thanks,
Dabid