My warning lights (ecu/bat/stop/e-brake) seem to be coming on faintly once and a while. (more often than not lately.) My voltage is fine (13-16) and it runs fine when the battery is unhooked. It is a carbed 86 ea82 5spd.

 

 

 

Any ideas?:cool: Wanting to myself right about now.

charging system related. typical of an alt/volt reg. going out.

 

if the volts seem fine when the battery is unhooked, maybe the battery is bad and is overdrawing the alt when it is hooked up.

 

try replacing the battery and see if that fixed it before the alternator finally does take a dook

autozone, advanced and other places check your charging system for free.

 

your alternator plug is probably fried - most of them are by now. look at the plastic plug...be careful pulling it out, most of them crumble or break. you can buy these new but they can be a bit of a pain to find.

 

make sure your battery connections are spotless clean and nice and tight.

 

i would fix this as soon as possible, easy simple fixes like bad connections, dirty, loose or bad connector - these will all lessen the life of the alternator and battery. as a matter of fact i wouldn't be surprised if one or both of yours fail in the next year. the better condition your charging system is in, the longer your alt's and batt's will last.

The problem is due to the alternator or the connection to it so I also agree about checking the connections to alternator. If those are ok then the problem is internal to the alternator. Possibly bad brushes.

 

The other warning lights along with the charge warning light are in series with the alternator exciter lead. So when the alternator has trouble these light are effected. This arrangement also makes the warning light testing possible when the key is turned to ON.

My voltage is fine (13-16)

thi is too high. The internal Volatage Regulator is going out. Take the Alt in to be tested.

 

and it runs fine when the battery is unhooked.

 

That is the worst way to test an Alternator. You will do more harm than good. Fry the Alt, and if you had an ECU, it could be cooked as well. And it doen't address the problem that you're VR, or a diode is going out.

 

Take the Alt in to be tested.

You should be seeing 13.8 to 14.2 Volts at

the battery when the engine RPM is above ~1200 RPM.

 

I vote for Cougar's explanation

involving the alt's brushes.

 

These can exhibit a come and go type operation

before they ware out completely.

 

IF the connections

(including the output through the fusible link)

check out okay, might be time for an alt swap.

Everyone who said take it in and have it tested gets a gold star

 

Went to autozone after work this morning and popped it off and had them test it. FAIL:eek:

 

$75 later I'm running gremlin light free.

 

Thanks to everyone for the help!!

 

~G

Thanks for the update. Glad you got it fixed without much trouble and you are welcome for the help.

I second Cougar

 

I'd like to add.

Sure is nice of people to come back

and tell of the repair

and to give thanks.

 

As Cougar says -- Glad we could help.

You are most welcome.