Finally have the new to me 95 Legacy with the forester strut swap on the road!

Big Thanks to Miles Fox for the good tranny!

 

anyway - driving home from work this evening I noticed that when stepping on the brakes, the headlights would dim just a tiny bit - just enought to be noticable.

 

Is this a ground issue? or an early warning sign of an alternator about to go south?

 

Car runs & drives great otherwise - really liking it (aside from the crummy, hard seats - lol). The increased height is great for old creaky knees - easier to get in & out of. Ride is amazingly smooth - much better than I anticipated.

I still need to install the new plugs & wires (both NGK), and the timing kit - but otherwise VERY happy with this one.

Check all of the connections and grounds are clean and tight.  

Check the alt output

Check the headlight connectors and well as the tail light.

 

Rule out the simple stuff first.

I agree with IMDEW…  More then likely it's a loose or corroded ground.  It is entirely possible the regulator in the alternator is failing.  But flickering or dimming lights usually has to do with poor grounding.

YOuy can always fun a new ground from the engine to hte body or the negative battery terminal. You can first try this with a jumper cable and see if it stops the flickering. After that I would start chasing down the charging system.

thanks for the confirmation guys - i kind of thought it was more of a ground issue, but it never hurts to ask.

 

I do have a spare alternator handy if I should need tho.

Check out www.brighterideas.com

 

 

Larry

My 96 has done this since I bought it... about 4 years now. I've been waiting for the alternator to bite the dust the whole time. Hasn't done it yet. Even after two bad batterys, and running a 400w sub amp and now a 450w 4 channel amp.

All my connections are clean and grounds are good.

 

Good news is if your current alternator takes the dirt nap a reman from Subaru is $75.