Lance Brown

Like it says, lights pulsing slightly, happens under any load, for example headlights pulse at night, and cluster lights flicker during the day. Occasional battery light flashing on and off, not all the time, happens mostly at night and once during a hard acceleration.

Don't think it is the alternator or battery, both tested good (13v charge in battery and 14v give or take half a volt being charged into it.)

This started Sunday, I just replaced the resonator pipe that day, had to take the cat off to get to a rusted bolt on the pipe.

Suspect wiring somewhere, thinking I hit something during that process, suggestions on what to test and the best way to do it?

Thanks all

ezone

The alternator controls that idiot light.
Probably needs an alternator.

If the wiring hasn't rubbed against anything to cause the idiot light to come on, then the alternator must be doing it.


Got CEL? Got any fault codes?

Lance Brown

No CEL, no fault codes, the light seems to flash most when engine is cold, and does seem like a short, had an alternator go bad on this car and very different, but I know that doesn't mean it will fail the same. Will have to pull the alternator in the lot at autozone and take it in for testing. Sucks being a 1 car family cause all my buddies have different days off.

ezone

It will pass for them, you know it...LOL
You need to tell them about the warning light problem, because it may charge just fine on their testers and pass that part of the test. Also, if it only does this cold and you drive the car there, that alternator may still be smoking hot when you carry it inside the store. Have them test it on the car if possible, or at least see if you can have them witness and verify your problem (I know, it's not gonna do it while anyone is watching)

N0OS3

Are your battery connections good and tight with no corrosion? Is the cable connection on the alternator tight and free of corrosion? It sounds like it could be a bad diode in the alternator otherwise. Also, one or more of the brushes could be worn down to the wire.

Lance Brown

I do need to get new battery terminals for the cables, they were a touch loose after getting a new battery, but I fixed that by using the plugs from an electric plug as shims. Both battery terminals and cables are otherwise in really good condition and corrosion free. A good 90-95% of the cable terminals and shim are in contact with the battery terminals, which is should be plenty.

Didn't see any issues with this until the day I swapped the exhaust pipe out. I did have to take the cat out, but didn't get near the o2 harness on the manifold, and don't recall seeing any other wires under there that I could have nicked.

Weird thing is that the lights still pulse all the time, but the battery warning light quits flashing under increased load. Either at an idle driving, I have discovered that turning on the headlights or blasting the heater makes the battery light quit flashing. The flashing is still intermittent as well, happens when engine is cold or if I have been driving, no set driving condition seems guaranteed to set it off.

Any chance the alt is putting out too many amps?

Need to not be broke so I can get roll ups, last work underneath was with the stock Jack and a cinder block/4x4 combo which I don't much like

ezone

It's 3 weeks later......
You haven't replaced the alternator yet?

N0OS3

It could just be coincidence that the alternator failed after a repair. Did you stop by your autoparts store yet for them to test it?

Lance Brown

One car family, otherwise it would be easier to get over to store