electrical problem

TorontoJohn · Feb 4, 2006

Simple question...

When my car idles the headlights and gauge lights are x-bright. When you give it gas they are XXX-bright. What could cause this. I am using the stock volt meter gauge, and when I am idling it is rather low, but when I am cruising it's in the middle of it's reading. Sounds like a bad alt?

86bluecobra · Feb 4, 2006

any chance you have under drive pulleys on your alt?

TorontoJohn · Feb 4, 2006

oh I sure do

HISSIN50 · Feb 4, 2006

Even without U/D's, with a stockish idle and a 2G, it can be normal. As 86BC pointed out, the U/D's exacerbate the problem.

TorontoJohn · Feb 4, 2006

I Don't really care that much but if it's something I could fix easily I would do it. I don't care enough about it to go and buy a 200$ alt though

Saleen0679 · Feb 4, 2006

Not sure how UD pullies are going to cause excessively bright lights at idle and above. UD pullies usually cause dim lights. If I'm reading it right he's saying his lights are extra bright at idle and going super bright at higher rpms.

It sounds to me like it's a bad regulator or internal alternator component failure causing excessive voltage output. You need to get a meter (stock gauges aren't good enough for troubleshooting) and check for a possible overcharging problem.

To err on the side of caution I wouldn't be driving until you verify this to be the problem or not. The problem could get much worse.

HISSIN50 · Feb 4, 2006

Saleen0679 said:
Not sure how UD pullies are going to cause excessively bright lights at idle and above. UD pullies usually cause dim lights. If I'm reading it right he's saying his lights are extra bright at idle and going super bright at higher rpms.

It sounds to me like it's a bad regulator or internal alternator component failure causing excessive voltage output. You need to get a meter (stock gauges aren't good enough for troubleshooting) and check for a possible overcharging problem.

To err on the side of caution I wouldn't be driving until you verify this to be the problem or not. The problem could get much worse.

I think the X's were a scale of sorts (he used a scale of X through XXX, where X is the dimmest and XXX is the brightest [or an issue for another website]).

He could have used a scale of 1-3 instead, where X=1 and XXX=3, and 3 is brighter than one.

86bluecobra · Feb 4, 2006

i would say that unless you go get a better alt you are going to have this problem. that being said i do have a better alt and i have the same problem with my car at a idle. mind you my car idles at 600 rpm maybe if i bumped that a little i wouldn't have such a issue.

Saleen0679 · Feb 4, 2006

HISSIN50 said:
I think the X's were a scale of sorts (he used a scale of X through XXX, where X is the dimmest and XXX is the brightest [or an issue for another website]).

He could have used a scale of 1-3 instead, where X=1 and XXX=3, and 3 is brighter than one.

That would make sense.

Unexplained variables just don't work when trying to troubleshoot.

HISSIN50 · Feb 4, 2006

Saleen0679 said:
That would make sense.

Unexplained variables just don't work when trying to troubleshoot.

I hear ya - adjectives would have been easier to understand. Maybe he thought more people would read if he put XXX and headlights in the post.

TorontoJohn · Feb 4, 2006

no, i just have a math brain!

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