Page 23 (Updated 17-Dec-08)

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Alternator

- General Overview
- T-belt tensioning
- Accessory Belts
- Alternator Repair

(New! 2002 Maxima Alternator Swap, see bottom of page)
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Free Service Manual, Free Download.....see FAVORITE LINKS -page 26- FAVORITE LINKS
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General Overview

Hitachi Alternator Collector at 80k miles

 

Why 80k alt has to be repaired?

1. batteries dying: leak current randomly jumping between 0.4A to 1.2A. Should be max 0.05A.
Note: one 0.10A (varies) leak source may be light dimmer, radio; check by pulling fuse L10 see p.5.
2. Charge Overvoltage: regulator 12 yrs old, casing plastic cracked
3. You have been too kind to ppl in winter-trouble:
- NEVER! ...loan electricity via jumper cables if u want to keep your rectifier, regulator running.
- If giving help is unavoidable, stop engine, disconnect (!) your batt positive, and now attach cables between engine blocks and positive batt poles.
- If u still want to charge your friends car while engine running, use only thin wire to keep currents below rectifier diode frying level...
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Accessory Leak Test = Battery 'Overnight Drain' :
1. Disconnect Batt gnd cable
2. Select multimeter 10amp scale. Note: move multimeter 2nd test probe to proper Amp-sacle-connector.
3. Put test probes between Batt gnd pole and the disconnected connector - read the flow through current.
4. Troubleshooting: Pull out fuse after fuse to pinpoint the circuit which draws most current. When multimeter reading drops, you have found out the Leak-source.
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Alternator Leak Test :
Refer to point [4. ] above: Pull these connectors open.

At left; View from below, passenger side, after splash shield removed, Right; oxidized supply connectors at battery.
For Alt leak tst, disconnect these Alt supply double-connectors beside alternator, or unscrew +cable at alternator. (See pic below for the Alt +connector).

Measure current like in 1-3 Battery Drain Leak Test. Compare multimeter readings before and after disconneting the supply connector(s). The current drawn should be max 0.05A.
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Alternator Assembly, Removal

Note: Disconnect Batt cables before working on connectors with metal tools (danger of short circuit to ground).
Note2: See also page 5
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Maxima Altenator; view below, pass side after splash shield removed. Wirings to Alternator (RH).

Click on picture to enlarge: Alternator belt adj bracket (4. yellow), Alt wiring harnesss (5. ), Engine mount (6. ). Black arrows on both sides point to support bolts to be opened with [4. ] - when alt is dropped. First I disconnect battery, then drop the alt, then disconnect wirings... The Maxima V6 VGE has three grooved accessory belts:
- (1. ) Power Steering Pump and Waterpump belt(adjustment roller screw adjusted from below, see pic below).
- (2. ) Alternator belt, tightened with alternator support assembly screw (4. , pic above)
- (3. ) A/C Compressor belt, tightened with compressor roller (see pic below)

The Alternator belt [2.] is in critical spot to ensure healthy charge, and sustain your car on the road. This is true for a all the belts. They should all be tight and crack free. Replace all at least once in 5 yrs or 60k miles.

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Regulator:

Alternator Circuit Diagram, general non maxima related schematics; Typical Regulator at right

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T-belt tensioning:

Maintenance:

T-Belt should be changed every time you purchase a car - in 99% cases your lovely salesman has lied to you ("it has just been replaced...")

Also, it has to be changed every 5 yrs -or- 60k miles. However, I extend my T-belt life and swap 50% by ensuring it STAYS TIGHT. Tight belt life is 'forever', its the slack and resulting vibration/jump over teeth that kills the belt, then in 1/100s the VGE engine is totally destroyed.

Checkit - NOW!
Open upper timing cover screws, pry ajar... No slack is allowed -->dangerous if slack exists. Pushing the belt (use big screwdriver) down between rollers with 20pound force, belt should bend a little, max. half inch.

See that belt teeth are squared on squared sprockets -or- round teeth belt on round teeth sprockets. Mixing can potentially destroy the engine, also can produce whine. Check and feplace if this is not the case... Nissan service will happily mix and charge you as was in my case.

 

Tensioning:

This Procedure may be followed at T-belt change, anyways I suggest you do it every year, especially once after driving 1k miles with a new T-belt. This procedure used to be THE standard in 80's when the t-belts arrived into the market. Why not anymore? Maybe slack belts gives lots revenue in engine sales...?

Take passenger side front wheel out plus all shields u can.

Tricky part: Reach the tensioning roller lock screw ... most say u cant. But yes, its possible.

Reach the tensioning roller lock screw and loosen it, rotate engine backwards little bit from the rearmost cam roller. This moves all the 'slack 'under the roller and the pre tensioning spring is doing its work. This way the T-belt will be tensioned just the right amount. Next the tensioning screw is tightened. Now measure tightness again: belt is as tight as specified.

 

Gettin there = Reach the tensioning roller lock screw :
Accessing this tensioning hex screw, one needs to implement a new hole in the cover - grind in a hole in the strategic point (or to cut the cover out). Neatest way to make a hole is when the cover is dismantled - its there waiting for the next time. Through this hole its very easy to access the hex screw... Afterwards tape the hole closed if u wish...

If the dust cover looks dont matter to u, then the hole size really doesnt matter, neither it doesnt matter if is it is left out alltogehter. However, if/when theres no cover, u must keep stupidos from jamming their tie between rotating belt...

Typical way to re-tension the T-belt is to dismantle all the accessory belts (see below), take crankshaft pulley and cover out, then tension the T-belt. May be over 3h job... Sigh, this is the reason why re-tensioning is 'never' done...

 

Belt Replacement - What Else?

- The 2 camshaft O-rings and Crankshaft O-ring needs to be replaced. Typically they last 200k miles so replacing them every T-belt swap may not help. The crankshaft T-belt sprocket can become 'welded' on the axle real hard. Be prepared to drill two holes, make threads for pulling it out. It may become unusable: get one spare sprocket before the job.

- When all belts are out, check both roller bearings and pwr steering pump and alternator bearings. Repair every 100k or as necessary.

- Water pump may last 150k, but replacement at 100k is advisable.
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Timing Belt change FSM page EM-11, oil seals swap EM-17
(use it, but forget the weird Far Eastern Confuzean tightening procedure)
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Accessory Belts

See FSM MA-8

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[A.] Cranckshaft pulley for all 3 belts ; view from engine front

BELT 1. ------------ (nearest to engine)
[B.] Power Steering pump; [b.] tightening pulley and [C.] Water Pump (1020mm)

BELT 2 .   ------------
[D.] Alternator, (755mm or 780mm) .

BELT 3.   ------------
[E.] A/C Compressor; [e.] tightening pulley, (1160mm or 1185mm)
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Gates product catalog : http://www.gates.com
3gen Maxima VG30e VE30de: http://www.gates.com/part_locator/index.cfm?location_id=3002

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View from below, splash shield removed: .

1. Power Steering & Waterpump Belt and tightening pulley ; 2 Alternator; 3. Air Condition; 4. Power Steering belt pulley adj. bolt. 5. Oil Change nut for reference.

 
When Power Steering & Waterpump belt is tight, the adjuster bolt [4.] is 'down' like picture shows, and tight. If it is loose, belt is also loose. Loose belt indicator: steering wheel power lag while negotiating slalom curves on the road. Also this belt (1.) has only half as much traction surface (only 90 degrees around the pulley) as the other belts (about 180 degrees) and is supect slipping much easier as belts 2&3; refer to previous picture.

Note:
1. to tighten the belt 1. , its pulley axle bolt nut is loosened first, then the adj bolt turned CCW.
2. to tighten the Alt belt 2. , the lock nut is loosened first, then the adj bolt is turned.
3. to tighten the A/C belt 3. , its pulley axle bolt nut is loosened first, then the adj bolt is turned.

Remember afterwards to tighten each loosened lock nut.

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A/C belt (3.) & tightening pulley (e.) ... view from top:

The A/C and its belt [3.] is optional. If desired, they can be taken out...
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Belt tightness for all three can be checked by pressing with a thumb (20lb force) from midpoint: if the belt bends 1/2 inch or more, its loose and should be tightened. Screeching noise while revving is another indicator. Note that overtightening may result in severe pulley/crank axle damage.
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Power Steering Pump Support & Roller Assembly

 

The Power steering Pump [not shown] is attached onto the green support as is belt [1.] tightening roller [blu]. The support is bolted on the engine block. The support also contains the Belt/Roller tightening mechanism: the red lock/adj bolt slides in the support (after nut has been loosened). The long yellow adj bolt controls roller position. (Note that this grn support -picture, from FSM, is not actually drawn right ... find the fault, guess/tell me what is lacking?). The RH pic below has the 2k2 Maxima roller and the new bearing to be installed.

 

The roller 'drops' easily out after taking the nut off. The 10$ bearing in the roller can be changed, however note that std workbench vise is not powerful enough to push ol bearing out. Roller width (belt surface) is about 18mm. The bearing is the very same type as 2k2 maxima alt; see bottom of page, pulley width is different. Note that here current stealership price for the roller is 197 Euros = 267 dollars - yes, still laughin...

The condition of this belt  [1.] roller bearing, the belt tighness, is very important: engine cooling (=water pump) depends on it. You should replace this roller every time T-belt is changed.

Whatever is done, all roller surfaces must be intact and smooth. No bruises, no dirt. Coarse roller surface will eat the belt quite soon...
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Alternator Repair

 

 

Overview:

How to dissassemble Alternator and change rectifier, brushes, regulator, bearings...
Detailed pictures from VG30E Hitachi LR190-737 90 Amp Alternator
Used replacement parts:
Regulator: H2000-4H 901531 esa 18-30075 M039
Rectifier: Transpo IHR718 HIT50A DIO, esa 17-28065.
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"Understanding the Alternator"; check out this edu series:
http://www.autoshop101.com/trainmodules/alternator/alt101.html
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Why Not Use Remanufactured Alternator?

 

Because after one year they look like this, AND stop working...

 

There must be smtg globally wrong in their cleaning processes or nonexistent surface recondiontining... Anyways, dont want to look such horrible oxidation 'virusboxes' under my hood.
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Opening the Alternator, Repair:

 

Alternator repair/replacement starts from batt disconnect. Next all assembly attachement bolts are loosened, the adjuster bolt turned until belt is loose. Two support bolts are taken off. Wires are marked and disconnected.
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Four phillips screws keep Alternator assembly stacked; take off: mark all three alternator parts before opening: front plate, magnet wiring assy, rear (blu) plate. RH picture: Pulling off front the plate.

Before opening the alternator, one has to determine what level repairs should be done, first check bearings: if any noise or jumpy rotation, bearings should be replaced and/or used 100k miles or more. When front bearing is ok, and not to be replaced, do NOT open it as the RH-pic puller suggests: only take off rear half (blu colored); no puller needed. Rectifier and/or regulator are replaced only when necessary: leak current drying battery, charge voltage low.

If the problem is just no charge, [alt light ON] and brushes (5$) are worn out [typically used 150k miles or more], then the cheapest, fastest, easiest repair is just to change the worn brushes: solder the old worn brushes out, and replace.

When alt has been opened, it is first visibly inspected: cracked parts should be changed; the rectifier diodes may be compared. If diode measurements show big differences, replace. The rotor collectors should be machined flat, before re-installing. In my case (80k miles) I just hand sandpapered them a little by rotating the collector while keeping the abrasive on the copper surface.
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Disassembled Alt in a workbench. RH pic: Internals Original view

If bearings are NOT to be changed, place pulley on a workbench between wooden blocks. As the four phillps screws and rectifier & regulator nuts (6pcs) have been taken off, force the rear cover out as -blk- arrow indicates. Simultaneusly tap as -red- arrow indicates: rear cover will come off.
1. Regulator & brush assembly
2. Rear bearing, reg input connector
3. Rectifier assembly, white plastic cover shielding coils
4. Rear cover, bearing housing with opening for brushes
5. Workbench with wooden blocks
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Arrows point to rectifier bridge soldered connections to coils. RH pic: original regulator

If you had problems with spiky DC current and/or battery draining, replace the rectifier: Arrows point solder points where coil is attached to rectifier. RH pic: I had intermittently fluctuating charge voltage. Maybe it was caused by those cracks seen where -yel- arrows point. Grn colored rubber is maybe vibration dampener (?).
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The OLD and NEW regulators. Here in Scandinavia, the repair possibilities were 650€ alt, or 105€ spares... spares only from the stealership: accessory shops refused (!?) to sell. The left pic shows the shoddy work for the new regulator in foreground:

(1. ) Ground bolt totally missing (yel arrow),
(2. ) positive pole wrongly assembled (grn arrow),
(3. ) brush solder job quality etcetc.
(4&5 are the original Nissan regulator, wires colored -red- for reference). Shoddy Part maker name: ESA Top Parts 18-30075
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Reg contact Tuneup:

The regulator negative pole to alternator rear cover connection structure is suspicious for me. Thereby I soldered one extra gnd wire which I will route outside to ensure regulator outside gnd connection...

 

New rectifier/regulator with add on GND wire. RH pic: Extra regulator gnd wire attachment. Regulator is seen (at right) through enclosure cooling openings.

If you have intermittent loss of charge voltage (especially remanufactured alt), this regulator gnd bolt/nut connection to the aluminum cover might be one problem source. Then repair might simply be opening the nut, tapping it a little, liberally spraying contact cleaner, tighten back. (Note that Bluebird T12/T11 70A alternators can be used instead, they fit directly.)
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Dirt on the Rectifier Diodes as a leak source?

On one 'hot' sunny (alg-ore globall warmuphoax) = -28C day I opened the rectifier, here some pics. Seems some overloading has heated and chipped the heatsink diode paint. Note also how some diodes are coated with soot. As an afterthought in case like this, unsoldering & opening, then cleaning and isolating the diodes(lacquer spray) might be enough to correct the original leak problem as all diodes tested ok.

Hmm. Next time, BEFORE opening my Alternator, I surely will first test-clean it: immersing/soaking the whole assembly to cleaning liquids...
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Regulator Rework:

 

Update May06: A week ago I started to wonder brightness fluctuation while low idle below 900rpm. I hooked my voltage gauge into cig lighter +12V source: Seems to be ok. Waita20minute! On hiway, 'every 20minutes' I am loosing charge voltage for 20 seconds. Even worse, every 30minutes the charge jumps to 18 volts, for 5sec... The Regulator is new -but!- toast. This definitely kills bulbs. Now planning for next act: first thing is a loaded spare batt into trunk...
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Shoddy workmanship:

As already told, the ESA Top Parts 18-30075 -Regulator was shoddy work. I complained to my dealership - in vain:
- weld work & finish was unprofessional
- gnd bolt was missing, had to cannibalize the old regulator
- positive+ connection to was off almost 180 degrees (not towards the rectifier bridge), see below...
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Regulator [red], rectifier [grn] ... I had to invent a bridge between - [yel] arrow ... (compare to original in previous pictures). Luckily the other side gnd -connection [red arrow] was fitting without mods.
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The missing grounding bolt cannibalized from the original regulator during installation -05...
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Shoddy workmanship continued: During last year installation, I invented a copper 'bridge' with 10x90A transfer capacity, and soldered it in. However, now I find that the solder had semi-melted out, resulting into my intermittent problems. Hmm. Whom should I now accuse? The reason must have been the empty drained battery charge last summer (smbdy left lights on for 3days). My guess is that empty batt resulted to full charge-load, possibly overheating my 'bridge' tin? This time I secured the copper bridge with a screw/nut plus soldering... Note the copperbridge with 3mm holes for both connections [yel edges]. Make sure this pwr supply bar can never touch the alt casing...
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Copper bridge, Today secured with a screw [red arrow]

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Note:
As I installed my oscilloscope into my car during troubleshootin, using a 12V/240VAC booster transformer, I found out a 'funny' phenomena: The transformer makes my car voltage choppy, going up/down about 2Volts. This affects sensors (like O2 signal), and surely degrades fuel economy.
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Btw, as this is not a cellular phone, so it is not a distraction... To get accurate signals, I suggest using extra non-vehicle-connected battery as scope pwr source, while driving :)

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. Note: Read also the "Connectors -issue below"
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MAXIMA 2002 Alternator;

Problem Solving 09/2008

 

 

THE Problem description:

1.  Once no start (batt drained). 2. Intermittent once a month Alt warn light ON. This condition disappears after restart.  3. Intermittent Overvoltage, once detected.  4. No simultaneous Brake Light On (typical no charge condition) ... New Maximas have a diode (in dash gauge module) causing Alt Warn & Brake Warn -lights to come on simultaneously --->when Charge voltage drops .

History: Car was taken twice this year to Nissan stealership - Nissan consult tester cannot find any fault ... no error code found in ECU (see page 21 how to read MIL code).

Reference INFO , spread arount the confuzean FSM:

- Electrical system page EL-460 / E14 (harness pic) 120A Fuse in the supply cable connector,
- Foldout page 4 Fuse 120A E14.
- Starting & charging page SC 23,31.
- Alt Schematics EL-120,136,139.
- Belt tightener pulley EM-21.

(See last page 26 for free FSM download.)

 

System structure:

The two belts, pwr steering pump belt adj, alt belt adj and attachment bolts

 

 

Repair job:

NOTE!: Start from disconnecting batt cables.

First I tried to open the alt connector (when alternator was still in place), but it was stuck. The locking pins inside connector did not release as I tried to push-release the connector 'lock-bit' inside. As u can learn below, the right way would have been to force the connector out (and thus brake it).

Next job was to find a new alt and replace it: FSM tells you to drain coolant, drop radiator and dissassemble the alt. NOT so! THE Best way is to loosen A/C compressor, take (4) bolts out, let it drop down (hoses still connected), and then drop the alt from below, disconnect wires. No radiator/coolant job needed...

 

The belt tightener has to be loosened first. Below a pic how it looks like disassembled, and your view from top [RH]:

 

The roller is tightened/loosened with the nut - seen in center of the roller. It can be adjusted with the adjusting nut only after this nut is loose.

I also swapped the noisy roller bearing (10$) ... std screw vise barely can push it out, needs some hammering and/or heating. Whatever happens, make sure the roller surface stays clean and smooth, any scratch will start eating your belt...

 

The A/C compressor comes out from below after taking bottom splash shields out, then the four A/C bolts will be taken out. Only now u can access the 2 alt bolts.

Next these two attachment bolts are taken out. Here u can see both units hanging, car jacked up:

 

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Connectors:

Then electrical connectors are forced out, alt connector brakes in pieces...

Below the alt connector locking pins which wont come out in one piece. The piece below has been broken out. The locker was attached into the connector from the swiveling mid part (white arrow). Pushing the lock-endbit which is normally visible [red], is designed to release the locking pins [yel] inside the alt connector. Here this design fails miserably, all Nissan alts seem to have this problem at least continuously 25 years...

Later I locked the broken connector with a tie wrap, insulated with silicon. Easy to get it out next time...

 

 

THE PROBLEM 1-2-3 - possibly was here :

1. See the oxidation on the [S] -pin of the alt connector, (first pic left below, sorry - upside down pic). Will surely cause intermittent disconnection.

2. Another problem surfaced when the connector lock pin fell away: the connector did slide in/out without any friction when pins connect. The pins were actually loose, and suspect to intermittent disconnect via vibration.

3. Third common culprit can be the non existent extra ground wire (see page10 ) ... typically alt casing loses contact to engine 'after 5 yrs' and then becomes floating = disconnected, frying voltage regulator.

Next pic shows the new alt pins lubed with contact grease (see page 14 ), and bent 45 degrees until the pins make contact (RH pic below).

 

To keep costs down: I suggest you first check this connector on car. Yes its hard to access place... I could not do it (=drop alt for inspection). If all seems good here but problems persist - THEN first try dissassembling, cleaning (and swapping brushes) - only then swap your alt.

As this 'original' alt had no NISSAN-logo stamped on the aluminum housing end plate, I guess it was not original but of the famous reman -quality. Thereby I did not bother to open and clean it, but swapped in a 'new' reman alt. This new one I soaked with electric contact lube spray - to keep oxidation at bay. Also a new GND -wire was added from shroud to engine block.

Note that 3gen maxima has this extra GND-wire, but 2k2 max is done without it - to cut costs 50c?

Real cheap solution is to buy old Nissan Stanza/Bluebird remanufactured alt with 100$ (connector doesnt fit but otherwise ok; needs cutting the ctrl connector, 2-wire soldering).

 

Installation:

When reinstalling the new alt, make sure top attach bolt nut will NOT seat like this, see picture below, center. Instead, turn the special nut fully CCW ... otherwise belt tightener adj wont slide - but will jam.

First install alt connectors, then lift it up and install bolts, tighten. Next goes the A/C compressor, is tightened. While here, replace the pwr steering belt, tighten. Last one is new alt & AC belt (1100mm) to be tightened by the roller. Lastly tighten the roller locking nut and pwr steering attachment nut.

Belt tightness check: the belt has to turn 90 degrees when turned with fingers (tested from below).

 

Data Sheet:

The 'new' cheap reman 300$ alt (Here Nissan original was 2000$) came with this data sheet:

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"The LORD reigneth, He is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved." ; Ps93.
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