Nissan Repair: 1999 nissan sentra!, nissan sentra, vacuum leak

Question
I HAVE A 1999 NISSAN SENTRA WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT! RECENTLY, MY CAR HAS BEEN STARTING FUNNY, SOMETIMES DOES NOT START AT ALL! IT WILL START, PUTTER A LITTLE, THEN WILL IDLE HIGH THE LEVEL OFF. WHEN IT DOESN'T START AND I GIVE IT GAS, IT STARTS WITH NO PROBLEM! I JUST RECENTLY REPLACE THE DISTRIBUTOR, BATTER, NEW NGK WIRES AND PLUGS, ROTOR, CAP, FUEL FILTER, AND AIR FILTER! I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM! ALSO, WHEN I USE MY LIGHT, POWER WINDOWS, OR BLINKERS, MY IDLE GETS ROUGH! THE RPM GAUGE BOUNCES A LOT AND MY LIGHTS GO DIM! I CHECKED MY ALTERNATOR AND MY BATTERY AND IT'S CHARGING AT 13.5-14 WHICH I HEARD IS GOOD! WHEN I USE MY POWER WINDOWS, I HEAR A BEEPING SOUND COMING FROM MY BELTS I THINK. I JUST RECENTLY REPLACED THEM IN THE SUMMER. DO YOU THINK THEY COULD BE LOOSE AND CAUSING THE POWER PROBLEM? LIKE I SAID ALSO, EVERY NOW AND THEN WHEN THE CAR STARTS, IT HESITATES, THEN KICKS OVER! DO YOU THINK IT COULD BE TIMING? I NOTICED THE TIPS ON 2 OF MY OLD PLUGS WERE BLACK! THE OTHER 2 WERE FINE. I DON'T MEAN TO KILL YOU WITH QUESTIONS, BUT I'M DESPERATE, LOL! THANKS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Answer
Hi Tony,

When it's running, is there a check engine light on? This would indicate a bad sensor or EGR valve. I suspect though there is a vacuum leak. When you use something power it makes the alternator work harder there for putting stress on engine which is already compensating for the lack of vacuum. I can not imagine what the beeping noise is. The second problem you have here is the charging system. Though you show 13+ charging, this is with the battery connected? The correct way to check it is to disconnect the positive side while the car is running and using a VOM touch the positive side to the cable and the negative side to the battery terminal. Turn on everything A/C, radio, lights, then get a reading. With everything on, you need to be over 12.2V. This means you are charging. And if this is the case, and it is over 12.2V then replace your battery. It is getting weak. If it is under 12V then replace the alternator. Merry Christmas!