Ka Alternator + Sr Pulley

[lonelydrifter]

Alright guys I did a lot of searching to find that everyone generally agrees that you can use a DOHC Ka alternator on the SR, just swap the sr pulley on.

Alright I got a new one from autozone and swapped pulleys. The pulley sticks out slightly more than the sr but the belts line up enough for me not to worry about anything.

My question is the SR pulley is larger in diameter than the KA meaning the alternator is spinning at a lower RPM. Does this affect the charging ability? I am only getting around 13.2v across the battery when the car is running. I was told it should be more like 14v.

I have blacktop SR with Jegs battery relocation kit to the hatch. Running optima redtop with 200A inline fuse and distribution block up front.

Any ideas on if this will be ok because my first battery has taken a shit, it gets 12.64v across terminals when car is off but my horn is weak and my car won't start which tells me the battery is dead and can't crank out the amps anymore. Once I get the new battery I am going to get an ammeter to make sure there is nothing staying on within my system when the car is off.

Any thoughts on the alternator thing?

[S14DB]

Did you get a NEW one or a Rebuilt one?

The internals are the same the cases are the only thing that is different. I would take it back and have them test it's output. Take the battery too.

If both are fine I would check your wiring. Grounds and parasitic drains are suspects.

I had no problems with aligning the KA alt to the SR pulley. I even checked it with a straight edge:

[SILVIA_KIDs14.5]

no works fine did it to mine

[Z U L8R]

depends on how charged your battery is, what the temperature is, how much the alternator will put out.

13.2's not bad, a little low, but check it on another day, or moniter it on ur safc

Dave

[jrmiller84]

S14DB's right, I'm running the same thing.

[lonelydrifter]

What voltage is everyone else getting from their Ka Alternator SR pulley combos.

I think I may have a parasitic drain but I won't know until I get a ammeter.

The battery may just not be taking the charge, but a brand new optima...

This was a remanufactured alternator from autozone. It gives the same readings as my other alternator I was using, which was a KA with the whole SR front case swapped over. Old alternator though.

Think the charge voltage is so low because of the resistance in the cables from the relocation kit?

I will post again after I get the battey checked and get an ammeter.

Thanks guys.

[Z U L8R]

you can put your meter at the charge stud on the alternator to eliminate the wire guage as a theory.

it's not draining off the battery at 13.2, it's just not sending it much voltage either.

Dave

[lonelydrifter]

Alright well here is the thing.

All my power components work. E-Fans, fuel pump, head lights, radio.

When I try to start the car I here 1 click from the starter and I get nothing.

Also my Horn does not sound normal, it is all muffled as if the battery was dead.

Are these related in anyway? What fuses would you guys suggest checking? I figure the fuses are good if I can hear the starter clicking.

Help me out guys.

[S14DB]

Did you have the battery checked?

Check the Starter? Stock horn?

[mxsx25]

i used the alternator off my sohc and just swapped the pullys and it works perfectly, 14v all the time

[lonelydrifter]

I only get 13.3v with new alternator.

At least i did when the car started.

I have stock horn.

My next mission is to wack the starter!!

Can you get an SR starter rebuilt just about anywhere or is it hard to find someone that can do it?

[S14DB]

Any auto electrical shop worth 2c can rebuild it.

Stock horn may be on it's way out.

[lonelydrifter]

I gave the starter a few wacks and got nothing different.

I will take it off and take it to get tested... Pain in the ass!

[unicoladron]

wait, so did you have the jegs battery relocation kit installed before you were having problems, or was the battery relo installed when you installed the different alternator? what gauge wire is your battery relo?

yeah mang, i would check your contacts to the battery and all your grounds. i had a similar problem on a maxima. i effing went out and bought a new starter and that wasn't it. turns out i'm a dick and the battery terminal connectors weren't makign good contact.

[lonelydrifter]

Alright I took the starter off and had it tested at autozone and everything worked fine.



I have power to everything else in the car, E-Fans, Radio, Headlights.

I changed the alternator after the relocation kit was installed because I was getting inaccurate readings from my gauges and it was getting hard to start.

How do I go about checking my cables? Could it be one of those large relays as well??

[johngriff]

Had a KA one rebuilt, put it on, tested at a little over 14v. Sounds like your connections to your battery are bad.

[lonelydrifter]

Alright everything electrical works on my car BUT the starter.

I have the positive cable that runs from the distribution block down past the fuse box and to the nut on the starter. This cable has a few smaller wires coming off it as well. This large cable has 12v when battery is hooked up.

Now for the starter it has the one bolt which the above wire is attached and then a male spade end. I thought this was the ground but I figure the starter grounds to the tranny when bolted up. So I have two female spade plugs in the general area. One is grey and one is black with a brown rubber cover. The grey does not output any voltage when the key is turned. The other with the rubber outputs 12v when the key is turned. I have tried both of these female spade plugs and neither get the starter to do anything.

Any suggestions?

[johngriff]

That spade needs 12v hot to key on, iirc it is the black one that is the starter wire, not sure about the rubber boot off the top of my head (oil pressure sender?).

Just jump the terminals, from the big nut, to the spade using a screw driver (make sure you are holding the rubber end), and the starter should start if it is working.

[lonelydrifter]

Ok here are the two plugs:



The one with brown rubber cover gets 12v with key on.

But I tested current and it only gives 0.08A which is for sure too low.

What could be making the current so low? The wire is relatively thin so the resistane wouldn't be that high. Could the relay for this power source be bad and dropping the amperage?

Also I did what you said JohnG and the starter works when crossing it with a screw driver. Which means it is getting the proper amperage it needs straight from the battery. My wire is therefore resisting so much it is dropping the current to almost nothing.

Any ideas guys?

[S14DB]

The one with the brown rubber is the Oil Pressure light on the dash. Plugs in next to the oil filter.

[lonelydrifter]

Alright then why doesn't the other one give me any voltage?

Is there a fuse for this wire? I didn't check for current on the grey plug but without voltage it is obvious that I will be getting no current.

Anyone know why I wouldn't be getting power from this line?

[johngriff]

Check the clutch interlock relay by the batter (big blue, two round plugs) try jumping that to get it to go. Also the 75a big fuse. And now that I look at the grey one, it is for sure the starter wire, I thought that maybe you were reff to the speed sensor wire before.

[lonelydrifter]

Alright tested the 75A with the diode setting on my meter. Without the terminals hooked the meter reads 1 for infinity. Then when hooked to each end of the fuse it reads 0. I am not sure if this is correct to check continuity...

As for the two large relays how should I go about jumping these? I don't want to fry anything so I need some clarification before I start jumping wires.

Thanks

[johngriff]

That big relay with the two connectors that plug in. On the larger connector, just jump it.

And the 75a sounds like it is in good shape.

[projectRDM]

I'm late to this, but listen to John. Go ahead and bypass the starter relay altogether, they're known for going bad and are more of a culprit than anything else for starting problems.
Next, where is the battery grounded?

[lonelydrifter]

I bypassed the large relay both by jumping inside the plug itself and then jumping inside the blue part just to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong.

I get nothing either way.

The battery is grounded using the rear seat, seat belt bolt and bracket.

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by lonelydrifter

I bypassed the large relay both by jumping inside the plug itself and then jumping inside the blue part just to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong.

I get nothing either way.

The battery is grounded using the rear seat, seat belt bolt and bracket.

No. Unplug the relay completely and throw it away. Now take the plug with the two larger wires (about 12ga) and connect them together. Leave the other plug loose.

[lonelydrifter]

Alright After checking everything over again I found that the damn ground for the engine, which I had on the intake manifold was bad. This was moved and the car started right up. Very strange how this would happen over night. It started countless times in this location but I guess it got corrosion or something because I just can't think of any other reason why this would occur. I think i'll swab soem dielectric grease to keep the connection pure so it can't arc between the resting place and create corrosion.

Thanks for all the help guys!!