Thread: Alternator short circuit HELP!

OK well last night I was throwning on my new headers in my g20 and I guess I hit the ratchet to something on the alt and it made some sparks and my alarm horn started going off and wouldn't stop. Now the problem is I don't get power to anything. The motor turns over but I get no power to anything else. No lights on the dash no fuel pump priming. The only thing that happens is the engine turns over.
Is there a main fuse that I blew? Has anyone ever done this before?
I need my car to get to class and I need to bum a ride to the auto store for parts. Someone please help!

Check all your fuses first - prolly just tripped one. let us know then we'll tackle the harder stuff.

I already checked every fuse used the dash and none of those were blown. I then moved to under the hood and when I pulled the main fuse the relay for the horn (that wont stop going off clicked) I dunno if that means anything. But the main fuse and battery fuse under the hood don't look blown how do I check those? They are a strange kind of fuse. Not the relays but the fuses by the battery side.

+1 on fuse. Seen this happen a million times over the years.

edit: you say you checked them while I was posting this. So now I'm stumped.

there's a fuseable link on some b13s that is close to the positive battery terminal inline on the positive cable (not the big one, the other one...It's white I think). Check that - might have blown.

another thought is my wife's alarm system cuts the fuel but the car will turn over- might have destroyed your aftermarket alarm system, or blown a fuse on the aftermarket units

btw, if this is a later model sentra, there's a fuse box beside the battery as well that has a 100A and a 75A etc fuses in it - they have clear tops so you can see the wire between the posts. I've tripped one of those big ones by accident putting the battery cables on backwards (doh!)

Its 99' g20t sorry I didn't specify. I'm pretty sure its a fuse I mean the main line to charge the batter goes to the alternator. So, in theory if I grounded that out it would blow either the main fuse or battery fuse. Right? Do you think that would cause any of the fuses inside the car to blow. I already checked them but I've gotten some funny fuses that look fine and are blown in my sentra.
yes those big fuses are what I'm referring to. If the wire isn't broken its not blow? ahh I hate this stupid stuff.

mmm, sort...of.

Get a dvm and measure the continuity between the positive cable and the alternator. if it beeps, you're fine. But again, check that box beside the battery and look close at the clear topped fuses. I bet you blew one of the big ones. They're green, brown, and blue. I dont know the location on a g20 tho, on a 92 g20 it was on the passenger fender side

It's right next to the battery on the 99 g20. Opposite side of the battery then on a 92.

Ok I just looked I think I got it. The big 100amp battery fuse looks blown. I compared it to the 80amp one next to it and the 80 amp has a little white thing inside with wire wrapped across it and the 100amp (the blown one) has no wire there and no little white part. I'm assuming this means its blown? I really hope its this one fuse it would be a fairly simple fix if so.