Nissan Maxima: Electrical Problems after engine got hosed. Need some help on this one.

I'll try and make this short, I have a 91 SE that I brought in to get
a paint job. The detail guy decided to hosed down the engine to clean
it up. When I got their to pick it up, the hood was up and they were
trying to start it. I walked up to the smell of gas fumes and told
them to shut it down. After several minutes of blowing everything off
with an air hose we finally got it started to the sound of clinking
and clanking, lifters were knocking. Mind you this has been one of the
smoothest engines I've ever driven. After a few minutes it got back to
it's old self. Drove it back to work, in a major rainstorm, but
everthing seemed to work ok. Didn't notice the small stuff though.
When I got home, still raining, I shut it off, opened the door and the
seat belt didn't retract, I thought that's strange so I started it
back up and opened the door and the seat belt retracted. I shut it off
again and opened the door and notice that the door lights were not
coming on, got out to lock the car, put the key in and the auto door
locks would not engage, got back in started it back up and used the
master switch on the door and they locked down fine. One more thing
when I open the door the security light on the dash doesn't come and
of course it doesn't arm when I try to lock the car with the key since
the door locks aren't engaging. But Hey, other than that it was a
great paint job. Jeesh, if anyone have any suggestions or comments I
would definately appreciated them.

rottie

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 15:14:43 GMT, "E. Meyer" <org>
wrote:
 

This is a follow up to the problem I had a couple of weeks ago.

Still been having problems with the above issues, got out this morning
and it was dead in the water, would not start. Thinking it might be
the battery I purchased by Sears, got the trusty power pack out of the
trunk and managed to fire it up to get it to sears where I purchased
the damn battery. They did the diagnostics and said the alternator
was bad and that I needed to have the serpentine belts replaced. To
the tune of about $600. They replaced the battery for $12 since I had
a full warrenty, I said I'm going to take it to my mech. that could
give me a better deal. Got it over to him and it turn out to be a bad
link coming off the positive side of battery going to the alternator.
I remember when they started the engine up at the paint shop the
positive side of the battery had a little smoke coming off of it,
guess that's when the link melted and disconnected. Anyway
guess I got lucky today the battery cost me $12 and the link cost the
same.The 91 has a heck of a harness coming of positive side of the
battery. Just can't give up on this Max, still runs like a jackrabbit
with a 130k. Incredible, thanks meyer for your input.

rottie