$1500 down the DRAIN?? (Nissan Alternator Saga - Part 2)

[@shakey2634]

I’m old enough to remember the days when we had electrical shops that specialized in rebuilding alternators and starters. We could remove the alternator, take it to the shop and they would bench test it for you. Guy would let you go back and watch him, they were always happy to educate us young guys.

[@weloveups831]

I am old enough for those days as well. he was an awesome rebuilder and a great source for knowledge. Electrical loads where certainly a lot different then today!

[@guest9136]

My hometown lost the last guy that was great and did it from his garage about 7/6 years ago.

[@CrimeVid]

There used to be a lot of those guys around, still a couple now. But like everything else there’s some good and some bad. I remember one outfit that you only went to if you were selling the car ! their stuff never went more than three months but they were cheap !!

[@JamesAgans]

Those were the days before Lawyers and PC a-holes that couldn't take a joke, and did not know how to laugh at themselves. One of the most important lessons in life is to learn how, and when to laugh at yourself. 😊

[@hurricane2649]

Kansas City Auto Electric here, I run into this all of the time. I have had 3-4 bad alternators in a row and on occasion 4-5 new batteries fail. I have noticed this trend started about 5 years ago and has gotten much worse not only with electrical but non-electrical parts as well. I have many of the local shops/garages that send me their work to figure out and they tell me that engine parts brand new out of the box fail. One feller told me he put in a cam and lifter set in two different cars from two different decades and both of these vehicles did not even make it out of the garage. They did a teardown of the engine only to find that both the cam and lifters he just replaced with new ones failed. Many of these mechanics have been forced to turn to NOS "new old stock" whenever they can to get the car fixed and have it stay fixed. Great video.

[@zacharystewart1064]

Great job Ivan. As a Nissan tech I see both the alternator issue and pcv hose collapsed all to often for a vacuum leak the pcv hose is the first place I look on these 3.5s. As with the luck with the alternators I can say from a lot of personal experience even the dealer remans which is all we can get are hit and miss on if they work. I had a tricky one on an Altima once and went through 5 remans before it finally got fixed. It even had our master tech scratching his head after the first 3 we spent several hours chasing ghosts. Even oem doesn’t mean it’ll be any good especially now a days.

[@hightttech]

I don't know if the OE remans in this video re-used the regulators, but it matters. I've been privileged to see a few re-man operations in my time; starters and alternators are broken down and most components spread out through shop for cleaning, brief testing, and finally to inventory where they wait to be reused. Alternator cores might arrive with regulators that have intermittent trouble, like heat or vibration sensitivity, and they might "PASS" the testing, and make their way back into a reman unit. And we know what happens next 😥. STICK WITH REMANS WITH NEW REGULATORS (OR NEW SOLENOIDS ON REMAN STARTERS).

[@Garth2011]

Sad...you would think the OEM parts would have the heavy duty guts in them especially with a reman...

[@danielschmidt2721]

Yes even in the ag industry reman parts are cheaper but for a reason. A lot more headaches

[@homesold]

@@hightttech It’s rather ridiculous to have to play these expensive games with any “genuine” reman or otherwise new (original) alternators. I’ve logged 100,000’s of miles in many Honda’s-never to replace a single alternator. We have a Civic right now with over 300k on the original alternator. *I believe the OE manufacturer is also Denso and it just seems they know what they’re doing with all of their parts manufacturing!

[@hightttech]

@@homesold: I like Honda. No doubt some items are capable of long life in the right hands. I owned one 1998 Ford Windstar with 412k miles and one with 350k miles, both with ORIGINAL engine and trans. Yet many customers killed the trans in same van in less than 100k miles. Why? How? You obviously know how to treat your Honda right.

[@deniscb3244]

I'm reminded of the immortal words of Eric O at South Main Auto, which are "There are 3 types of car parts - good parts, bad parts and new parts. And just because it's new, doesn't mean it's good." Never a truer word was spoken !!

[@alanhester9984]

This last year I bought a old school 1978 Cadillac Eldorado with 22 K miles on it. It had a reman alternator on it and ran fine for 3000 miles. One day the battery was dead so I checked and found the alternator went bad and had a constant current draw. So I went to Autozone and bought their life time warranted reman alternator and it lasted a week before the same thing happened. Took it back and installed the second one and it never worked to begin with. Took it back and got my money back then went to Napa and bought a new alternator (made in China) and thought finally I was through with changing alternators. But no I was wrong about a week later I started the car in the garage and blue smoke filled the garage like the engine was on fire but a quick look under the hood relieved the alternator was smoking, took that one back to Napa and got a replacement and installed it. I too am baffled how can any one screw up a 60 amp alternator in both rebuild and new. The car is rust free and the frame ground is like new but I installed a ground strap from the alternator to that frame ground just in case there is a ground issue but I doubt it. I drove the car now 60 miles and all is OK for now, but like you it puzzles me to get 3 bad alternators in a row form two different retailers.

[@jerryking2418]

Another great diagnostic. Apparently parts quality is going down the toilet as time marches on. Profit rules.

[@baxrok2.]

That was a good one Ivan. Seemingly rare case where a factory part wasn't the answer but the problem!

[@ScottDLR]

Nice work as always Ivan. I would have cleaned up that green junk on the ground cable - just in case.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

I gave it a good Keith Tug Test...it passed :)

[@craiggoodwin9704]

Ivan, once again you've demonstrated that it is a must to keep a very open mind when chasing down these problems. We continue to learn from your experiences and knowledge. Thanks for Sharing!

[@royharwood]

Great job, you get some really difficult jobs but always get the job done. When you need to cut open the wiring wrap, get yourself a sewing stitch unpicker, they work great and stop any possible damage to wires.

[@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT]

Wow! That blows my mind! Two remanufactured alternators from dealer got bad in 24 hours! Not what I was expecting 🙂 Good spotting on the vacuum leak - no smoke required 🙂

[@themaverickmechanic7240]

I always have the parts stores run test them on their machine anymore. We once ran not 1 but 4 bad alternators off the shelf. Different remanufactured and OEM. All for an old 7.3 Powerstroke. Thought I was going crazy. Nope bad parts.

[@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT]

@@themaverickmechanic7240 Crazy! So much for reman quality control.

[@CrucialSpeaks]

typical really.

[@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT]

@@CrucialSpeaks So it seems.

[@bills6093]

@@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT I'd really be wondering about the melted connector possibly causing the alternators to die. It may have been arcing. It clearly got hot and melted.

[@petepeabody8905]

Ivan I just appreciate your deductive reasoning skills. Your obvious time doing this surely helps out. Great job as always......Pete

[@NoWr2Run]

What an impressive vid. I always go OEM with starters & Alternators. I don't buy them from the Dealer, I find them in Junkyards & rebuild them, very easy & cheap. I have multiple ones for almost each vehicle I own ready to go. Nice find on the PCV HOSE, BURIED AS IT WAS. I wonder if the Customer can get their money back for that last faulty Alternator ? I WOULD SURE AS HELL TRY, THIS VID. WILL HELP.

[@robbflynn4325]

I have faith in Denso products. Bought a Denso ac compressor for my sons 2004 Accord, works perfect. Also Denso TB/water pump, fuel pump for my Celica, all work well no problems.

[@MohammedIBRAHIM-iw1xl]

Excellent job sir! I learn a lot just by watching your diagnostic approaches, which I think 80% of the repairs. I wonder why dealerships don’t perform respectable work and charge customers accordingly. They just drain your wallet and not get to the bottom of the problem despite charging an arm and a leg.

[@jdtractorman7445]

As you just saw, it's not always the "dealers" fault. If they are handed a crap part, it's a crap part. It makes diagnosis a nightmare because just like Ivan said, you second guess yourself.

[@LesReeves]

@@jdtractorman7445 I believe that stealerships should test any remaufactured parts before selling them but unicorns don't exist

[@milesmahan]

Had an 08 murano last week ..100k tune and lean codes...same exact collapsed and ripped pcv hose...watching your vid again ( cant remember when i first saw it) and i know it's a yr old , but intersting same same issue..you rock Ivan~!

[@johnschuler3269]

INSANE WHAT THE DEALER (s) DID ... 2 replacement "Dealer OEM" Alternators just junk. You get the GOLD STAR for having stepped back and "Looked the insanity bullet right in the face!" ... and got that re-man Denso Alternator from RockAuto. So glad it has worked well. Aside: Purely for routine service and preventive maintenance in past 3 years, I have bought over $1,000 in parts from RockAuto for my 2003 RX300 ... so far so good! I even did a return on one item to correct my own mistake in buying a NON-DENSO part ... before I installed it I used their return process to send it back and get a Denso item ... process was flawless. MOST IMPRESSIVE that you studied and pondered and figured out how to remove that alternator in ... What? ... an hour, Ivan? ... vs over 4 hours on the "Book". Wonderful the extreme frustration you managed to avoid. One ponders if some of the dealer "Master" techs also know how to do it "Your Way", but then charge the book time anyway. Either way that customer should be reimbursed for both those junk alternators. No wonder so many people just throw in the towel and buy a new vehicle... hoping to get a few years of "peace and quiet" on the automotive failure / repair / frustration front. Thanks for all you do ... and for showing and explaining so much to us DIYers ... Ivan!

[@D989501L]

Evening Ivan, I'm glad you have shown this, as I repair Access Equipment Scissor lifts and Cherry pickers, I had a straight forward job, changing an old machine from Generator to Altenator and had 4 rebuilt gold Lucas Alternators that where duff, one after the other, You are right when you say you start to doubt yourself, no way could 4 all be faulty all purchased from same supplier, yes they were, bought a brand new one all worked fine? It happens. I work on older nachinery, but enjoy going through the diagnostic procedure with you. Regards Richard 🇬🇧

[@malibuman8941]

Great job Ivan. Your logic is impeccable. Probably the owner may keep his car now and get money back from the bad alternator.

[@billyyoder8171]

Thank you Ivan. Good job. Nissan Tech tip: The alternator control is a bias voltage created in the alternator regulator and is sent to the IPDM. The IPDM will toggle it on/off ground to create the square waveform command to signal the regulator the control. If you de-pin the field control wire from the alternator connector and run the engine, the alternator should default charge around 14+ VDC. With the control wire de-pinned, KOEO, alternator connector plugged in, you can probe the alternator control terminal and measure for the bias voltage coming from the regulator. I've seen the bias around 5 VDC. Can't say that is the same bias voltage for all Nissan's, some have been around 4 VDC others around 6 VDC. This all depends on the other wires having good pin-terminal fitment, a must. Plus the alternator/battery warning lamp has to work at KOEO, because that ground control circuit, for the warning lamp, is also a wake up for the regulator. The other wire on the alternator connector is a remote voltage sense. Have a great week.

[@shawnbauman5463]

Except the service manual under physical values says that pin is an output from the ipdm e/r. I figured out what you posted during testing. Service manual is crap.

[@jimharmon3404]

From afar I was banking on a green crusty ground somewhere first then the re manufactured alternator. Ivan, you once again demonstrated great critical thinking skills. I would have greased that connector you replaced since it seems to see a lot of cycles from bad alternators ;-). Skills like yours are few and far between. Take on a apprentice and teach them how to think and analyze problems. We need more sharp folks in the shops. I look forward to your next video.

[@marthabrown386]

I'm Dan, Martha's my wife. You're good. Love watching your videos.

[@tonypybus8003]

I have come across a similar problem a number of years ago when I was in the army- I went through more than six on one vehicle - all remanufactured. The only resolution was a brand new item. Well done for taking a different route

[@wallace3953]

This is a great video. Rock Auto Rocks! Re-man sometimes is from the same company, with different boxes.....you really know what to do!

[@breikowski]

I’m happy you cleaned up the wiring, confused why dealer charged and didn’t. Would of liked neg return cable cleaned/replaced. Looks like a time bomb problem there. Gee that motor bay can’t get much tighter!

[@cclngthr]

Voltage drops affect everything. It is one reason why I always installed larger ground wiring from engine to chassis and battery. On my Toyota Corolla, I put a 4 gauge wire from engine to body, and a 2 gauge battery cable from that point I mounted the 4 gauge wire to the body to the battery. Resolves a lot of problems.

[@_RiseAgainst]

Real men put in 00 gauge and no fusible link on the hot side.

[@cclngthr]

@@_RiseAgainst I still use a fusible link but relocate it if I can. On ground wiring, the bigger the better if possible. The 01 Corolla alternator is only 100 amps so the 4 gauge and 2 gauge is sufficient for what loads the car has plus the amp setup I have in it.

[@noelcastle3986]

Another great video and hopefully a long term fix ,I don't blame the owner for wanting to get rid of it especially if it's a CVT trans. Would have liked to see more of the PWM signals to watch what the ECM was commanding and what was actually controlling the charging voltage.

[@davidfalwell8306]

Overall, another great diagnosis and fix Ivan. I'm a DYI'er, not a professional mechanic, and I've been watching your videos for about 3yrs now. Your PICO Scope work is some of the best I've seen on KZbin; very informative stuff, but some of us would like to see a little more of the removal and installation process. Some people specialize in the 'how to' of wrenching. As great as Eric O is, there's no way his 'subscribership' should be outpacing you by a 5 to 1 clip repairing only American and Japanese cars! The Europeans need love too! We love the way you aren't afraid of going down the European automobile rabbit hole. Maybe you should ask your subscribers what they think about a little more show and tell? And the acquisition of a two or four post lift would greatly enhance your work output and videos... Not a negative criticism, just a suggestion. What do you think?

[@Iceeeen]

My guess is that the business isn't that profitable as is. It's crazy hard how to bill customer with problems like this. If he was to bill for every hour he spent on some cars with the research it sometimes requires he soon run out customers. Things like lifts or a bigger workshop is not cheap neither is the readers, scope and so on the he needs every day. Tube earnings probably isn't that high since he dosen't have that crazy amount of views. I work with automation service / house electric while a company just wants things to work and is not that hung up on cost. You really have to get a different mindset when you go to most private customers. The amount of different heating systems, light automations, hvac and so on found in different private homes is crazy and the amount of research it sometimes requires is nothing you can bil a customer on + documentation is often quite naaah compared to most cars where you find much info just online

[@pirihern9329]

Always learning something new. Good to know. What scanner you using? I just got a xtool ip819

[@loden888]

I think Ivan is too technical for the average viewer to folllow and the those that watch Eric are arm chair mechanics that enjoy watching him do the dirty work.

[@khakiswag]

Just my opinion but I think alternators that are buried like this one or back by the firewall have short lives due to heat. When they are up front by the fans they seem to last longer.

[@_RiseAgainst]

Interesting

[@NoWr2Run]

I agree, also if it's low on the engine it gets all kinds of crap from the road thrown at it, water, mud, dirt, salt ect..

[@mikefoehr235]

Great observation 👍

[@mikefoehr235]

​@@NoWr2Run definitely not good

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Kind of like starters inside intake manifolds! Crazy!

[@keithrimmer3]

It's still a good idea to clean all the earth cables I swop all the bolts with brass bolts and copper washers then spray everything with dielectric grease Good job Iven

[@4himsanctified]

Unfortunately the vast majority of car mechanics are crooks, in particular dealerships. Thanks for all you and similar do (South Main Auto, etc.). Keep up the great work. You inspire all of us.

[@mikechiodetti4482]

Some alternators had different internal voltage regulator inputs for the PCM command signal. GM's were like that. Some had +5.0 Volt input, some had +12 Volt inputs. You had to get the right input or no output! Good job on this one Ivan. Nice tech tip to remove the old one and install the new one. That PCV hose looked just like the old Ford 6.8L V10 PCV hose I first saw in a van. Replacing that hose was chocolate icing on a chocolate cake! GREAT!

[@glasser2819]

Congrats on a successful repair. I think what cooks the short leaved alternators, is ALT draining 90Amp from the battery when regulator switches voltage due to battery acid spills GND strap. Honda uses two separate straps for engine -- chassis. After starting, strap is always conducting from 30 to 90A for AC fan + blower... Actual battery charge current isn't much (10A to 0) compared to consumer loads. Happy customer priceless ! 🤘

[@falcon63191]

I had a similar adventure with a 2004 Chevrolet Aveo where the customer said it stopped charging, and a repair shop installed a replacement alternator that wouldn't charge. The OEM alternator was gone. After a second, then a third alternator were replaced and it still didn't charge is when it was brought to me. I repaired it by getting an OEM from a wrecker and installed new brushes. What I learned is that the rebuilders are likely installing incorrect parts which causes the alternators to test good, but won't work when actually installed in a car. I concluded this because the replacement brushes appeared identical to the OEM wrecker alternator, but different from the "rebuilt" alternator from a parts supplier. Good luck!

[@jeffgarner3903]

I put in a different alternator (not a denso) from rock auto on my step sons Maxima. All was well for a few days. He called me the other day and it died while driving. I didn’t have time to change the connector after getting the wrong one from Autozone so I hope it’s a bad connector and not a bad alternator. What a great video though!!!

[@eldoradony]

I have had bad luck with rebuilt alternators for the last 2 years. Now I only but Denso or Bosch re manufactured units from Rock. Haven't had a bad one yet. 30 years ago I bought from a local rebuilder. Long gone, now everything is rebuilt in Mexico with unknown Chinese white box parts.

[@YourTransmissionRepair]

Your diagnostic skills are out of this world. Your channel is the absolute best!

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Learning new things every day!

[@charleshenshaw9099]

Its just sad when a aftermarket part is better than a original manufacturer part. Great diagnosis as always 👍

[@robertsmith2956]

It is really chinese vs american part. LOL

[@LarryWebb-gv8dz]

Man i much appreciate you sharing this video, i just bought a 2016 Nissan Maxima that ended up having a intermittent charging problem , this video gave me way more info then all of the others. Back when i was younger i had a 1988 tbird turbo coupe and i went to my parts store 3 times buying alternators and then returning them thinking that they were bad , i then sent the car to a automotive electrical specialist and he said i had a open circuit in one of the alternators electrical connectors and he said the open circuit was killing the alternators. I didn't have no problems with it after that , This Nissan has been a nightmare but your video is really helpful.

[@papimasfuerte4671]

As a technician in Texas, we have stopped using part store alternators, or any alternator reman at Mexico. The issue is the low temp solder they're using for the coil winding connections and voltage regulators. Under the heat of engine, these solder points are melting, and eventually due to vibrations it will fall off the contact point, causing no charging. Bad reman quality.

[@dosgos]

On our Astra, the main ground cable got really hot (after a long drive with accessories on). The voltage drop engine to battery negative was high (only when running all accessories!). Main ground was corroded at the starter. We ran a parallel thick copper ground directly to the battery and all problems solved. Best option was to replace factory harness but that was expensive and difficult.

[@skillz1855]

Awesome I was waiting for the follow up.I knew that hose was collapsed. Seen it 50x..You're Diagnostic skill are insane. Thank you...

[@TOLDyouSOagain]

Rockauto for the win. Since i caught the euro disease i have to order everything because even power steering fluid is "euro" blend and nothing is in stock locally. Ive always used rockauto but have started using partsgeek, ecs and urotuning. They all carry name brand parts for about half the price compared to my local parts store. My only advice is to double and tripple check part numbers. Looking a part up on advance will usually give the correct part, then compare to what rockauto offers. Rockautos part listings can lack info from time when parts change mid year. Ecs is out of ohio and ships quick to me, rockauto can be here in 2 days also. My experience with rockauto is awesome and warranting parts is very easy.

[@john-qq4ym]

I had a similar do with an old Prius. Bought cheapo injectors from Ebay and they were junk, Bought better from Ebay and one started missing after 2 minutes. Then I took a bunch of used injectors to specialist for cleaning and testing. Fitted the best four, ran perfectly, customer happy. The next time she started the car it started missing again. Despair, gathered all the injectors I had and tested them myself, picked out the best four and it's been alright since.

[@Carlostype]

Thanks for bringing us along! very entertaining-great outcome! 👍

[@LayZeeDawg]

I am probably not alone when I say those 3 clicks when replacing that clip was very satisfying.

[@landonthompson5604]

I also miss the forgotten lost art of rebuilding alternators and starters too!!! Fortunately for me I was taught to do them way back in the day but I hope that this doesn't mean I'm an old dinosaur mechanic.

[@mmichaeldonavon]

Ivan. You continue to "be the man." I so enjoy watching you (and your brain) work. :-) You never get excited about the systems, if they don't work - you figure out what is happening then FIX IT! I love it. Thanks,

[@rick5515]

So, since the first time I watched you, and I commented how I see you as a teacher and you replied we will both learn together, not once have I been disappointed. It's to the point where I want one of my cars to have a problem just so I can use what you have taught me. Sounds stupid but you have made me excided to get back into the game. I know now that I can figure it without relying on my friends who are mechanics to help me. Feal like I take advantage. Thank you. And you really need a bigger garage with a lift. Hope to see that in the future.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Thank you for the kind words Rick, I;m glad these videos are making a positive impact :)

[@tbelding]

To point out, he's mentioned that the charging works when cold, but when warm, it fails. That's a classic problem in 'modern' electronics, generally due to the ROHS "no lead" dictates. (Less lead in the trash, more trash in the landfill) In a case like this, it's likely that the rebuilder tests in an air conditioned space, runs them for less than two minutes, then passes them.

[@johnsmith-wd5sq]

This video is a perfect example of "Dealer parts are the only way to go!" Not always true, I have an Alternator i got from Autozone 8 years ago in my van. Worked fine from the minute i put it in and charges with no problem. Now keep in mind i also replaced the battery the same day so i could wonder if that would contribute to its longevity!

[@z00blez321]

I've been working at a Nissan Dealer for a while and I can tell you that the "OEM" remanufactured alternators for v6s of that era ('09 - '15) are absolute junk. I'll commonly have to replace the alternator 2 or more times before one finally works. It's the worst feeling sending a customer out after replacing one and it comes back to our lot on a flatbed. I wish Nissan would acknowledge the problem but this has been going on for many years. Good call not putting that one on. It's always a gamble.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

WOW that sucks for sure!

[@knockywigglesworth1909]

Very common issue... The connector burns up & car stalls. Possible the original alternator was still good. Standard motor replacement connector at O'Reilly's, Amazon or Rock $10-15. Should charge like normal with inner 3rd wire disconnected. Horrible design can't imagine how little fuel that thing could save. Thanks OBUMA!!

[@davidmorrisjones8999]

Very interesting . A thorough bit of detective work.

[@unencumbered]

Just more great content Ivan! Had a similar experience starting back in August...2010 Mazda 3. Worldpac had an aftermarket alternator option that lasted about 2 months, although may have been bad out the box. It would overcharge at high RPM. Replaced it with the identical unit to have it fail days later the same way. 3rd go, I went with the OEM, also from Worldpac and has been good since. I now test charging voltage, off idle, for all alternators:) Thankfully the owner was understanding and took ownership of having chosen the cheaper option initially. As a rule of thumb I will only install OEM for anything newer than 2014ish.

[@danfrase7439]

Hi Ivan. You are great mechanic and person. I’ve been following you and Eric o for a quite a while. I also do mechanic work. My family owns a golf course sans I do all necessary duties to keep it going plus I work a second job working on cars. You constantly humble me on my knowledge when I watch you. Keep up the good work. You make a huge difference to the craziness going on in her world. God bless. Go America. 😊

[@additudeobx]

Ivan, I have really appreciated these videos working on the charging system. My previous car, that I have already sold, has a problem with inefficient charging. Three batteries, three alternators (Original failed, second replacement failed in less than a year and third alternator seems under charging). Car runs short trips daily, 6 miles round trip. Works for 12-14 days on full battery then eventually won't start. Jump car, drive for 30 minutes and car battery charge is good for another 12 days.

[@fredshead3956]

Hi Ivan what i did do once re the manufactures instructions is put 12 volts straight actross the rotor and run the engine, obviously have to be careful and not run it long, but that proves the alternator is basically ok, so can only be the regulator...Fred in Uk.

[@mohdibrahim1350]

Thanks sir. I did have similar symptoms but on my 07 Lexus. I monitored the Alt in a drive cycle. As I was replacing the Alt, I discovered it's been replaced by Cardone part. I got OEone from juckyard and 9 months still going strong.

[@davidhollfelder9940]

Vacuum leak trick .. unlit propane torch .. engine rpm will change when propane enters where the vacuum leak is.

[@gsaegerjr]

i did a ford escape a couple years ago and i put 5 alternator in it and they were from rockauto. then someone told me i should use a Napa alternator. there better than any reman or new ones you can buy and to my surprise i never heard from that person about it not changing any more. it was making me think i missed something every time it came back with the same problem. in the end it was just crappy parts.

[@hightttech]

One way to torture test alternator is, If you have a carbon pile like a SUN VAT-40, you can load the charging system all you want at the battery. Also, with engine OFF, you can use VAT-40 to do voltage drop tests between battery and alternator, starter, engine block, trans case, frame, etc.

[@loden888]

My '99 Camry with 226k miles still has the factory alternator. Not shiny and new - the aluminium casing is old and crusty but works perfectly.

[@mariosaccoccio1688]

Wow. Great job! It's so easy to dismiss parts as the problem, especially when you have dealer parts or multiple replacement ones. But like a good detective, you trusted both your instincts and the facts presented.

[@dosgos]

Fuel trims provide endless footage, always like those diags.

[@wernerdanler2742]

Yipi! My hero. 😆 I'm glad my engine is not transverse, and my alternator is on top. I replaced mine a few years ago with a remaned that didn't work, but the 2nd one has held up now for about two years. I got good at taking it in and out because I replaced the voltage regulator after I got the right one, but that didn't fix it.

[@keltecshooter]

Excellent tip on removing the ac drive plate ! Every millimeter counts when doing those alternators.

[@1McMurdoSilver]

Thanks Ivan. It would make an interesting video to tear apart an alternator and inspect/replace key parts - brushes, circuit board, etc. I think you can get Denso components separately.

[@danoakes8680]

Good day Ivan. I would be interested in tearing that alternator apart and inspecting the components for failure when they heat up. Thanks, the old school guy.

[@Sandmansa]

I was expecting to find some wiring issues. And that connector on the alternator needed to be replaced regardless. But what I failed to catch in part 1 is that both of these genuine Nissan alternators are remanufactured. Not new. I don't know if it's junk replacement parts or poor workmanship, but I have found the odds of finding defective remanufactured alternators and starters alarmingly high lately. But nice work getting that alternator out. I've always completely removed the a/c compressor myself.

[@stevencox75]

i love how we both youtube stuff for help, ive made tlip flops to cleaned a erg

[@OtisPlunk]

Reman. with a coast-to-coast lifetime warranty is great *if* the 'nator is easy to change. Buy two at a time and keep one in the trunk if you're venturing further than walking distance from your home. You'll need 'em both. 🙂 I went through 7 of them.

[@jamesatkinson6480]

Thanks (from down under) Ivan. I can understand why you 'liked' my comment, because the 'test' drive (or run), me only knowing the information from Part 1. I think the process of 'reman' of the previous alternators only incorporated a short bench test, taking only a few minutes, but without heat and prolonged 'under bonnet' conditions. As with my Toyota Camry, it still functions, but think the standard alternator fitted to the Nissan Maxima has a life span where the internal voltage regulator fails, and when components of that are checked (resistance etc.) they are quite ok. It seems that only by destructive testing of the internal regulator (finding corroded circuit board tracks (from leaking electrolytic capacitors) under the epoxy adhesive) can the diagnosis be certain. In the meantime, much time and money spent trying to fix a charging issue with an 'alternator cannon'... You've now presented something for the Nissan Dealers to take note and hope they can assist more willingly, aware that a 'Denso' aftermarket alternator has actually fixed the problem!

[@TrueIndie88]

The premium paid for OEM has always been tried and true, you are getting the best replacement part. To have 2 fail and a third exactly marked part? Nissan has slipped noticeably. Good choice on DENSO, it's a premium but always reliable in my experience.

[@adotintheshark4848]

those so-called dealer rebuilt replacements were probably Chinese junk. and overpriced at that. I never go to the dealer. I buy new, name brand parts.

[@dfields9511]

cool , Denso to the rescue. Like I commented in part 1 vid, on my honda odyssey went thru 3 alternators before got a good one. first one when and my wife and got stranded in the middle of nowhere while at a camp. had it towed to local shop I found and they replaced it. strange issues worked a week then stopped working. It had a independent shop warranty so I find a place by where we lived that accepted the warranty and the shop replaced it for free, and few weeks later I noticed it was over charging exceeding 15v at times . Then they changed it again for free , and that one worked ok for a 1-2 years, then noticed battery light would come on every now and the it was out of warrantee. Finally this time I got a denso from rockauto making sure it was for a J35A7 engine (VCM) I was thinking they kept on getting the one with out the VCM engine which is a J35A6 engine non VCM. and the Part is different. On my old car, now my son's, with VQ30DE older maxima 2001, its alternator went. but it was covered under Parts Store warranty, and got another DuraLast Gold one for free. granted it was replaced about 5 or 6 years before when I got the first DuraLast Gold one., its been fine since going on 2 years now. I think it will outlive the Transmission. which is going out. but still functions enough to get around town , no long trips. Its P0744 fix is to replace the transmission which is cost prohibitive and would cost more then the car is worth. It is onlife support I got it to move on it own power with 3x trans drain and fill using Valvoline MaxLife Full synthetic ATF, seafoam transtune and Lucus. After that it started shifting fine 1-2-3 and R , but Lost O/D. its been that way for about 35k and 3+ years. just going to drive it to it drops. Lucus is a Little Novocain before death

[@fieldsofomagh]

Denso to the rescue again. Was expecting a sizeable v drop when the loads were activated and voila, not a sausage. Nice job exchanging alternators in a cramped environment and zero hoses, disconnected. I was ready for smokey bacon, when the pcv hose was discovered, defective. Again, very astute detective work in the blink of an eye.

[@kellygibson7299]

Sell it? Hell, it’s finally fixed! I can only assume living paycheck to paycheck with the tires that are on it. So buy something newer with a payment? Come on. Excellent video, junk parts just keep rolling off the line.

[@thebigmacd]

It boggles my mind how much people dump into car payments, especially since most of them barely even know what they drive. The sad part is it seems like most people feel that they *have* to buy more than they can afford, like it's impossible to pay less than they do.

[@wotnoturbo]

@@thebigmacd Seems cars are still a well established status symbol.

[@jptrainor]

I've used two Denso remanufactured alternators on my own two cars. Both fine for a few years now.

[@paulskystoneadventures]

At one time you could insert a small screwdriver in delcos and some just ground the field terminal and full field the alternator. If it started charging then the regulation was at fault then just change the voltage regulator way cheaper but you new where the problem was. You could buy overhaul kits for $40 if you wanted to rebuild them back when things were sane.

[@ALEX-xd7ko]

Ivan go to the sowing department at Walmart and get a seam ripper . Best tool ive ever used for wire harness.

[@jakeandrus690]

Denso's are my go to as well. They reman honda/acura alternators and are usually half the price of the same thing in a honda box 👍🏻

[@shannonlee39]

I had a customer bring in their Honda and having starter problems. Got new aftermarket starter put on and he came back next day with same problem. So after putting three right from store on we talked him into one from dealer (200 dollar difference) and he never had another problem with it

[@bobflannagan7262]

Why are the Alt Duty signal and the Alt Duty % not showing activity on the ThinkTool? And was the green ground connection cleaned up? Other than these questions, another stellar video Ivan. I love my ThinkTool scanner and thanks to you I have learned how to use it. Happy new year!

[@brianw8963]

Another great one for the library. After seeing that battery ground in the beginning, I was thinking another hot spot on that route somewhere, but that was not the case. I’m betting however, that the owner was a happy fella! Nice work Ivan👍👍

[@arthurfricchione8119]

Thanks for sharing Ivan. Parts sure are becoming a big problem. 👍

[@faxmen09]

Nice diagnosis and repair job again Ivan. Denso and Standard Motor Products parts seem tough to beat. I once installed an SMP TDC/Camshaft position sensor on a Civic, has worked great since. Good call on new Denso alt. Good find on the PCV hose without need for smoke test. 👍

[@moefuggerr2970]

I would still clean that ground. i have seen those cause all sorts of problems. Many people do not think of checking that.

[@raymondreiff8170]

I like that DENSO unit you installed the best in the West 🇺🇸🙂

[@sunnyskiesblue]

Glad the owner is selling it.

[@kevincampbell8298]

Love quick vacuum leak finds!

[@windward2818]

I find the best way to cut wrap off of a harness is to use small wire snips (diagonal cutters, used for trimming soldered PCB components leads, sometimes called a flush cutter) or a lineman's (Electrician) snip (cable splicer scissors made by Klein, and actually one of Klein's original products originally made for the Bell System).

[@rwrobs777]

Great video !!….when I saw you cutting that tape off that harness I just saw a great hack on KZbin to cut that tape….it’s called a “seam ripper” and you can get one on Amazon…I just ordered a set and no more worrying about nicking a wire !!

[@tonyb1968]

They work great but it's still possible to damage wires. Don't let the tip angle down too far. Just go slow at first.

[@focus82grothm.84]

Excellent diagnoses and repair as usual Ivan 😊👍

[@ehsnils]

I wouldn't be surprised if the mangled connector did damage the alternators earlier. The control circuits aren't immune to everything. Then I have experienced cases where people have been chasing the wrong fault because they moved over one single component - the component that happened to actually be faulty. In that case it was a cracked cam chain guide in the valve cover on a motorcycle engine that made one serious rattle.

[@mrjsv4935]

Nice one, I guess it's best to forget any remanufactured parts, they are just trouble, sooner or later. Love the bonus diag as well, had once a Nissan with "System too lean" code, but the shops here just wanted to fire the expensive parts cannon, based on guess, instead of doing proper diag.

[@firstlast---]

Thanks for the tip on the denso reman, that will be my go to from now on

[@DF-zp1os]

I replaced an alternator based on mileage, 250k, on a Honda Accord. Went with a reman denso and it caused a VTEC related check engine light about 1yr in. Was still charging if you put your meter on battery,, but was causing over 1 volt of ripple voltage. No more, a year ago I paid $600 for a brand new, not reman, denso alternator through dealer to replace a high mileage unit on a caravan. Caravan with 3.6l same location as the maxima...not interested in doing that job every year.

[@GeminiSeven43]

Hi Ivan, once again you took us on a journey of logic and patience and got the job done right. I don't understand why before and after there was no PWM from the PCM and I am curious what your thoughts are on that. I would think that either the PCM should send a signal to start charging when the battery was at 11 volts OR the PCM should stop sending signals, either way there should have been some sort of communication. What do you think? Take care Buddy.

[@fredsalter1915]

Looks like the Denso alternator was still operating in default strategy. There was no duty cycle commanded that I could see on the THINKTOOL. So not a 100% fix? Thanks for the vid, Ivan!

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

It might only turn on that control with no loads on etc...If it's charging, then it's good :)

[@carljenkins5092]

This was a very impressive video. I have two Nissans an Altima, and a rogue. I have learned so much from watching your videos. Just one thing I would almost be tempted to buy a used alternator before I pay 500 bucks for one from rock auto. That seems really toasty. Everything today is overpriced. Great video. Watched it twice