Fluctuating Voltage

[excrider121]

So, driving down the road, my lights flash...all of them. The headlight, the turn signals, the lights in the instrument panel and even the CD player flicker. The voltage guage is fluctuating as well. It will bounce between 13-14. The flickering is at the same rate regardless of what I'm doing, driving fast, driving slow, accelerating or braking. Turning on various other things (heater, ac, stereo) also have no effect on this.

Any ideas?

[Orcus79]

alternator is going south.

[Cutlass]

yep alternator

[Z28boy2000]

had the same problem, new alternator

[0rion]

yep...voltage regulator in the alternator is probably taking a dump. You can probably put a volt meter across the battery with the car running and watch it fluctuate.

[SOMbitch]

I just had mine rebuilt at a rewinding shop for less than half of what the chain stores wanted and they are just going to sell you a rebuilt one any phucking way.....

[excrider121]

That's what i was thinking, but I wanted to be sure.

Thanks

[JayTA98]

I have to agree on this one. Change your alternator 1st.

[excrider121]

Ill wait until it quits charging. Right now it's keeping the battery above 13v.

[Lucky 13]

no chance of a bad ground here???

[excrider121]

I had planned on adding a bigger ground lead from the negative terminal to the frame just to see...

I'll try to find time this weekend to get it done.

[silver2002ws6]

i had the same problem but i just put a new alt like a month ago

[excrider121]

I'm guessing it fixed the problem?

[Spaz]

you might also want to take a wire brush and clean the terminals on your battery... corrosion can build up on them and cause these problems as well... but more than likely it's your alternator like every one else said...

[buzz]

How old is the alt.,Some time the brushes wear down causing problems.Cheap fix,brushes are cheap.You might try taping on the alt. when it's running see if that helps,or wiggling the connections on the alt. plastic plug,may be corosin there.

[kool-aide]

Ill wait until it quits charging. Right now it's keeping the battery above 13v.

I would not do that. If it turns out the regulator is going out on the alternator. You can do serious damage. Once that sucker goes out you can blow up a battery. No joke. I had mine go out while i was driving it. It started putting out way too much current and started to kill the battery. Later I found out if you let this go on you can possibly blow a battery, not good.

For me when the regulator went out all kinds of things started happening. ABS in-op, all kinds of dash lights coming on. The dash volt meter would dance like a crack head. It was pretty scary, lol... It was like Christmas, a pin ball, and ghost all fighting it out.

good luck, and keep an eye on it.

[excrider121]

How old is the alt.,Some time the brushes wear down causing problems.Cheap fix,brushes are cheap.You might try taping on the alt. when it's running see if that helps,or wiggling the connections on the alt. plastic plug,may be corosin there.

Alt is probably the factory alternator (12 y/o). I'll replace the alternator before i repair it. Terminals are clean, and I don't care about a never start battery.

[buzz]

Replacing is the best thing! Probably easier than trying to trouble shooting it.

[excrider121]

You're right. But pockets are very shallow for a student.

[SOMbitch]

You're right. But pockets are very shallow for a student.

That is why you should take it to a rewinding shop...........