Maxima alternator question

So the battery light came on a couple of days ago and I've noticed it seems to run a little rough and somethings like the ww fluid pump aren't as powerful.

I had the battery tested and it's OK and I read 14.3V when she's idling which has made me question if it is the alternator or not. Any ideas or other things to check? I'd hate to replace the alternator only for the problem to still be there but maybe I'm over-analyzing it. Oh, it's a '99 model if that matters.

Check the wires on the back of the alternator. Especially the little one. Also clean and tighten the battery cable connections.

have you checked the voltage while driving with the accessories on?

Id take it to a parts store and have them check the batt and alt while they are in the car. Should be a decent start.

Usually nissans will light up the brake light (low fluid/ebrake indicator) and the battery low light when the alt fails.

~Alex

Rustspecs13 wrote: Usually nissans will light up the brake light (low fluid/ebrake indicator) and the battery low light when the alt fails. ~Alex

Guess what is also lit up on mine.... I figured the extreme cold (it's been in the single digits on both sides of the zero recently) was messing with things but looks like an alternator swap is in my near future.

Yeah Id get that swapped out ASAP, it doesn't have much left in it.

Its really not a bad swap at all. 8,10,12,14mm and it should be out. Start looking for a warm place to wrench.

~Alex

Fortunately I have a fully insulated garage with a furnace in it. Looks like the alt comes out from below?

Also, did any Max's come without A/C? The compressor has been pulled on mine and I'm not sure what size of belt to get for a replacement.

Yes alternator comes out from below. Normally you unbolt the a/c compressor and let it hang from the hoses and there's enough room to wiggle it out. Having a missing compressor should simplify things. I've never seen a Max without a/c, but I can't say for sure if that's just because they're rare or that they don't exist. Use penetrating fluid on the tensioner rod to get it apart and take the time to apply some anti-seize to it while the alt is out. They seize and break often.

They don't exist, it was standard IIRC. Sounds like some on just pulled it out.

I forget but does the AC and alt belt run together? I thought they were all separate.

And yeah the alt comes out from below. It easy enough with AC, should be pretty straight forward.

~Alex

Yes, at least on the later (96+ ?) ones there is a serp running the AC, Alt, WP and a separate belt, maybe even a V, for the PS. Earlier models has a couple/few V belts running everything.

Just take your old belt to a NAPA store and they will match it.

Yep, that was/is plan B.

I know the 3rd gens (89-94) had the PS and WP on the same belt, and alt and AC got their own belts.

I do know the WP on the 4th gens (95-99) is timing chain driven. So no belt contacts that, maybe you saw a belt tensioner?

~Alex