so I did the alternator mod..

Ricochet · #1 02-24-2006, 09:44 PM

and my lights are still flickering. Headlights, dome light, spot lights, gauge cluster lights, everything.. Happens at all rpms, throttle positions, and while stopped.

zavikan · #2 02-25-2006, 06:41 AM

I'm thinking something probobly went wrong along the way. (Just helping out

)

ensteele · #3 02-25-2006, 09:53 AM

Mabe a bad ground? That is what I would usually think, but if you did the additional ground, that should not be. Interesting.

Ricochet · #4 02-25-2006, 11:53 AM

I did everything correctly, I've been working with electronics for 5 years now.. I went pos to pos, neg to neg to chassis.

ensteele · #5 02-25-2006, 12:32 PM

I meant a bad connection as in poor or not a good one. Not saying that your skills are bad, but with 12 volt systems, ground is one of the things that always is hard to find and will do wierd stuff.

Budfreak · #6 02-25-2006, 01:37 PM

It sounds like the voltage regulator is pooping. I've had more than one alternator do this when dying.

Good luck.

Ricochet · #7 02-25-2006, 01:56 PM

how hard would it be or how much does it cost to replace?

Budfreak · #8 02-25-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricochet

how hard would it be or how much does it cost to replace?

I believe it's on the inside of the alternator(internal regulator). I'm not 100% familiar with the alternator, But you more than likely may as well replace the whole alternator. Have you taken any voltage readings?

Ricochet · #9 02-25-2006, 03:04 PM

yeah 14v at idle with the radio on.. these cars are funny.

Budfreak · #10 02-25-2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricochet

yeah 14v at idle with the radio on.. these cars are funny.

Yeah, I know.

Is it a steady 14V? No fluctuations? Do the lights flicker in a steady pattern or is it random?

Sean486 · #11 02-25-2006, 03:45 PM

Mine was doing this too. I took it to the shop and they took it off the car and sent it to an alternator shop to test. Turns out the alternator was going bad (all they told me was that there were "serious internal problems"). They replaced it and now it is fine, no ficker at all in the lights. It even seems like it fixed my rough idle.

Ricochet · #12 02-25-2006, 09:03 PM

Hmmm. Guess mine is probably going out then.. budfreak, I drove it to the auto store and they checked it for free. It sat at 14 for quite a bit, like 20 seconds.. and yeah they flicker at a steady beat.

Budfreak · #13 02-25-2006, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricochet

Hmmm. Guess mine is probably going out then.. budfreak, I drove it to the auto store and they checked it for free. It sat at 14 for quite a bit, like 20 seconds.. and yeah they flicker at a steady beat.

If it's flickering at a steady beat then that points towards the voltage regulator or possibly a dead spot on the windings inside the alternator. Chances are the flicker is so quick that a digital voltmeter isn't quick enough to see it. Try a computer friendly analog meter. Was the auto stores meter digital or analog? Let me know. -Jason

Crusader · #14 02-26-2006, 01:39 AM

Same thing happens to me on an alternator that was replaced less than 2 months ago... Haven't tried the wiring mod yet, but if I do that and no luck I'm taking it back to NAPA to get another Alt.

Ricochet · #15 02-26-2006, 02:32 PM

Theirs was digital.. it was on some big cart that he had to push outside.