Car Starts, then turns off... alternator

[Z0wner]

Alright, here is my problem...

 

I start the car and it turns over and engines starts going... after a millisecond of running, everything stops.

 

I found out that it was the alternator. Because, after I pulled the wires from the alternator the car started to run... WTFunk

 

What am I doing wrong that that car doesn't start when the alternator is plugged in?

[datsunlover]

First thing I'd do is take the alternator off, and get it tested. Sounds like a bad short to me..

[Z0wner]

took off the alternator, and the car starts and runs. Does this mean something is wrong with the alternator in itself, or is something wrong with wiring leading to alternator... Where would be the most likely area of the short?

 

ignore ^

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Edit: I'll go have it tested. The man I bought the car from said that it was brand new and that he was just putting it on the day before we bought the vehicle. It isn't new but remanufactured, could it just be that it is the wrong alternator?

[datsunlover]

Could be the wrong part I supose.. but ussualy alternators all work on the same principal.. Heck, you can run a mazda with a chevy alternator, ect so I'd say somehow he (precious owner) wired it up wrong... Or it is just faulty I guess.. If the car starts and runs with the alternator OFF, I'd say it is the problem though!

[getZ]

What year is the car? Z cars had alternators with different style voltage regulators. Older cars had the regulator on the firewall while newer ones had built in voltage regulators similar to the gm one wires.

 

Here's a link on hooking up different style alternators:

 

http://www.zcarcreations.com/howto/voltreg.htm