car died on highway last night - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

jackjack · 05-17-2008, 12:45 PM

alright, so i'm doing about 70mph (keeping up with traffic) last night on the highway. first thing i notice is my radio shuts off (never did that before). then a couple seconds later my engine completely cuts out. i coast over to the shoulder and notice smoke coming out of the engine bay. everything gets power, but engine will not crank over. oil level is normal. coolant level is normal. i've got 200,000 miles and it NEVER gave me a problem (only things i've had to change.... clutch and alternator) till now.

any ideas?

gotta240 · 05-17-2008, 12:59 PM

what did the smoke smell like? Oil or plastic?

I'm guessing its electrical.

osal · 05-17-2008, 01:03 PM

i say alternator....try jump cables to start it....then after a while disconect ...if the car dies after some time it means the alternator is not charging the battery

jackjack · 05-17-2008, 01:27 PM

^alternator was brand new and charging fine. according to the meter anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotta240

what did the smoke smell like? Oil or plastic?

I'm guessing its electrical.

couldnt tell. it was too dark and windy. checked the wiring though. everything is fine.

berz · 05-17-2008, 02:06 PM

maybe the battery arked to something but it happened to m z cuzz the battery's side post terminals were too close to the engine bay.. just a thought

s13Carlo · 05-17-2008, 06:29 PM

sounds like your alternator over heated

jinesz32 · 05-17-2008, 06:35 PM

same thing happened to my gf the other day, but no smoke.

car woulnd't crank anymore. they pushed started it, she drive it acouple miles right before she got home, radio turned off, then engine turned off, she got her battery replaced and everything was fine, i thought it was her alternator, but they got a new battery, left it running for about 30 minutes and everything seem fine, they took it to a shop to let them check the alternator and it seem to be fine as well, the car is running fine now i guess? it made it 200 miles from SD to here just today.

gl with your problem, try swaping out batterys with a buddy of yours

flip3d · 05-17-2008, 08:52 PM

Check your battery terminals. My car did the same thing. Terminal was loose.

bardabe · 05-17-2008, 10:05 PM

and your alternator fuse check that too.

mifesto · 05-17-2008, 10:11 PM

i dont think you sufficiently tested the life of your alternator. bring it to a shop and they can tell you in a split (and even rebuild it often). Osal's advice is also good. car does not require the battery to idle, just to crank the starter.

this is a shot in the dark too but hows the grounding on your alternator?

DataXUnknown · 05-17-2008, 11:21 PM

maybe somthing is shorting out the alternator? if you have any gauges that have the steel braided line, they might be touching the alternator and shorting it out. an easy way to fix it is to just wrap the line in cloth tape or electrical tape where its touching. if the smoke doesn't have a distinct smell, it usually means electrical.

thats what happened with me, except it happened to the starter.

i need tires · 05-18-2008, 11:32 AM

this same thing happened on my buddies mercedes, and it ended up being his power wire from the battery to the harness had fried

05-17-2008, 12:45 PM	#1
jackjack Post Whore! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chi Posts: 2,899 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	car died on highway last night alright, so i'm doing about 70mph (keeping up with traffic) last night on the highway. first thing i notice is my radio shuts off (never did that before). then a couple seconds later my engine completely cuts out. i coast over to the shoulder and notice smoke coming out of the engine bay. everything gets power, but engine will not crank over. oil level is normal. coolant level is normal. i've got 200,000 miles and it NEVER gave me a problem (only things i've had to change.... clutch and alternator) till now. any ideas?

05-17-2008, 02:06 PM	#5
berz Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: sgv Posts: 862 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	maybe the battery arked to something but it happened to m z cuzz the battery's side post terminals were too close to the engine bay.. just a thought __________________

05-17-2008, 10:05 PM	#9
bardabe Post Whore! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: SoCal Age: 35 Posts: 4,719 Trader Rating: (10) Rides Gallery: bardabe Feedback Score: 10 reviews	and your alternator fuse check that too. __________________ Review Thread

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05-17-2008, 12:59 PM	#2
gotta240 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: so cal Posts: 3,496 Trader Rating: (21) Feedback Score: 21 reviews	what did the smoke smell like? Oil or plastic? I'm guessing its electrical.

05-17-2008, 01:03 PM	#3
osal Leaky Injector Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Rockville Age: 36 Posts: 132 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	i say alternator....try jump cables to start it....then after a while disconect ...if the car dies after some time it means the alternator is not charging the battery

05-17-2008, 06:29 PM	#6
s13Carlo Leaky Injector Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: 805 Posts: 105 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	sounds like your alternator over heated

05-17-2008, 06:35 PM	#7
jinesz32 Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SOCAL Age: 35 Posts: 1,074 Trader Rating: (10) Feedback Score: 10 reviews	same thing happened to my gf the other day, but no smoke. car woulnd't crank anymore. they pushed started it, she drive it acouple miles right before she got home, radio turned off, then engine turned off, she got her battery replaced and everything was fine, i thought it was her alternator, but they got a new battery, left it running for about 30 minutes and everything seem fine, they took it to a shop to let them check the alternator and it seem to be fine as well, the car is running fine now i guess? it made it 200 miles from SD to here just today. gl with your problem, try swaping out batterys with a buddy of yours

05-17-2008, 08:52 PM	#8
flip3d Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL Age: 37 Posts: 1,473 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Check your battery terminals. My car did the same thing. Terminal was loose.

05-17-2008, 10:11 PM	#10
mifesto Zilvia Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 209 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	i dont think you sufficiently tested the life of your alternator. bring it to a shop and they can tell you in a split (and even rebuild it often). Osal's advice is also good. car does not require the battery to idle, just to crank the starter. this is a shot in the dark too but hows the grounding on your alternator?

05-17-2008, 11:21 PM	#11
DataXUnknown Post Whore! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Age: 35 Posts: 2,934 Trader Rating: (30) Rides Gallery: DataXUnknown Feedback Score: 30 reviews	maybe somthing is shorting out the alternator? if you have any gauges that have the steel braided line, they might be touching the alternator and shorting it out. an easy way to fix it is to just wrap the line in cloth tape or electrical tape where its touching. if the smoke doesn't have a distinct smell, it usually means electrical. thats what happened with me, except it happened to the starter.

05-18-2008, 11:32 AM	#12
i need tires Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chandler, Az Age: 38 Posts: 1,056 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	this same thing happened on my buddies mercedes, and it ended up being his power wire from the battery to the harness had fried