Electiral Fault Somewhere

[TJW]

I accidentally hit a spanner off the alternator and the engine yesterday and smoke came from the battery. Now the lights, horn or hazard lights won't come on wen the engine is off or wen the ignition is on but the engine is off. They all work wen the engine is on but wen i use the indicators or flash the lights the radio turns off and then turns back on.
Please help me someone, I'm worried this problem could turn into something worse.

 

[Speedle]

right mate first things first cheack all your fuses, this should stop most damage to the electrics, if the battery smoked its probably had it so get that changed too do this first and see what happens.

 

[Ed]

I would check the main fuse-able link on the battery itsself Its two wires red/green IIRC that come from the battery. Thats where smoke would have come from, if so that was quite a serious short you did.

Ed

 

[TJW]

I changed the alternator cause the battery wasn't being charging. then changed the battery cause i thought i mite've fried one of the cells. checked all the internal fuses and their ok. gonna check the fuses in the engine bay at first light. if thats not it i'm bringing it to an electrial mechanic.

 

[Speedle]

sounds good mate however it could be as simple as one of the relays may have blown inthe enginge bay may be worth checkeing them

 

[Andrew]

Moral of this story - if you are likely to short out something electrical, take 30 seconds to disconnect the battery instead of having to spend hundreds of pounds and loads of time and effort trying to sort it out afterwards.

 

[Speedle]

indeed well said! thats why the haynes manual always says it, i learnt that lesson the hard way

 

[Ed]

CHECK the fuseable link. That WOULD ALSO be why the car doesnt charge...... Its NOT a fuse in the normal sense its a wire from the battery terminal its self.

Ed

 

[Speedle]

which is very easy to replace i might add

 

[TJW]

I found the problem. it was the connection from the battery to the alternator. the red wire that Ed advised me me to check, it had burnt out and snapped. Had all the parts anyway from my second micra that the engine got screw...ed in. it was my first time changing an alternator and i'm sure the experience will come in handy in the future. now all thats left to fix is the engine sounds coming through my amp thats connected to my 6"x9"s.

 

[thacreeper]

I bet that made a sweet smell.

 

[SammoHung]

now all thats left to fix is the engine sounds coming through my amp thats connected to my 6"x9"s.

There should be a surpressor somewhere (looks like a small cylinder about 1cm wide by 3 cm long and has 1 wire and the case is bolted to chassis)...

Mine is on/next to my coil...perhapse yourse was on/neer your alternator (taken away with your old alternator?).,,, or dammaged in your HIGH-AMPS mishap?

Fitting a new surpressor in the right place (usually neer the source of HT voltages [coil] ) should reduce/stop the engine sound comming from your speakers.??

 

[Ed]

Glad you got it sorted

 

[Speedle]

indeed glad its fixed

 

[TJW]

I've put two new surpressors in the engine bay, one above the coil and one on the alternator but it didn't make one bit of difference. So I went out and bought a special one for the amp that connects onto the power wire for the amp. Unfortunately there was no instructions and i wired it up logically and it was working perfect. BUT it didn't last long it got fryed just a short distance down the road, How i don't no. so i'm gonna return it. I looked for instuctions on the net but coulodn't find any.

Have any of you's seen it for sale in Halfords, it's a Noise Supression Wiring Kit made by Autoleads. If so could anyone find out how to wire it properly? Please.

 

[Speedle]

this has happened in both my k10's i just turn it up loud and then you cant hear it

 

[SammoHung]

here's another thought...

the micra ships with an earth braid connection between the engine block and the chassis at the front neer the exhaust manifold. This braid perrishes quickly and I doubt if many micras still have theirs intact...

Although the car runs fine without it...its absence may be a contributing factor to the HT noise coupling in to your audio...

May be you could experiment with a good connection between your block and the chassis (A good high frequency connection that is IE a Braid with good contact at either end...not just a wire)