Jumpy Ammeter Gauge
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,346
Likes: 41
From: Toronto
Jumpy Ammeter Gauge
My ammeter gauge is acting very "jumpy".
It stays above zero, but it jumps and the headlights and dash lights flicker as well at idle. Is this an alternator problem or something else?
Thanks
It stays above zero, but it jumps and the headlights and dash lights flicker as well at idle. Is this an alternator problem or something else?
Thanks
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,346
Likes: 41
From: Toronto
If it is a grounding problem, how do you go about checking it?
The black wire from the alternator is the ground, and it heads into the wire harness. Where do I go about looking for the actual place where it is supposed to be grounded to?
The black wire from the alternator is the ground, and it heads into the wire harness. Where do I go about looking for the actual place where it is supposed to be grounded to?
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,346
Likes: 41
From: Toronto
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Liberty Missouri
Another forum member made this up (cant remember who)
so I can't take any credit, but this should help find your grounds. Just use a meter and check continuity from the wire to a good ground connection, if you are not sure run a jumper wire from your battery ground. I must not have saved the thread, but the diagram was what you need from it. Your year may be different but this should be close.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,186
Likes: 45
From: detroit area
replace your ground from your battery to the frame..... it's probably corrodid by now....... my ground was bad and i got a surge in the system and burned up a few things....... nothing major...but was a ground issue...
b
b
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,892
Likes: 3
From: Springfield Illinois
Does it do this at a low idle? Does it flicker to the lope of the cam? You might not have a problem at all. You are probably just not turning enough RPM's to recharge the battery.
Last edited by FRSTR90; Sep 17, 2007 at 10:35 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,346
Likes: 41
From: Toronto
It does do it at low idle, but I think I have a stock cam, so I assume it shouldn't be flickering as much as it does....enough to see the headlights noticeably flicker.
Going to look into the battery ground cable and other grounds as soon as I get a chance.
Going to look into the battery ground cable and other grounds as soon as I get a chance.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 4
From: Bay Area CA
I change both the Battery to frame and the frame to motor cables,, mine were pretty badly coroded, and my cars not that bad, corrosion wise. You sould get the correct cables,, but in a pinch you can use similar lenght battery cables from any parts house,, front post and flat with a hole for the batt to frame, and two flats for engine to frame. prepare surface with sand paper to good shny metal and use electrical (light bulb) grease on the joint and torque down well.
Very instructive. So the Gauge is in parrallel with the red main power wire from the starter, pretty cool. whats the resistance accross the guage, anyway? anybody ever measure it?
Very instructive. So the Gauge is in parrallel with the red main power wire from the starter, pretty cool. whats the resistance accross the guage, anyway? anybody ever measure it?
Last edited by RunningMan373; Sep 18, 2007 at 06:48 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,346
Likes: 41
From: Toronto
New update.....car wouldn't start tonight. Battery was dead.
When I hooked it up to my charger it indicated a full charge in less than 2 minutes......which leads me to believe my battery is toast.
Boosted the car and got it started after quite a few tries.
I'll take the battery in for testing tomorrow but I am quite sure it is at least part of the problem.
When I hooked it up to my charger it indicated a full charge in less than 2 minutes......which leads me to believe my battery is toast.
Boosted the car and got it started after quite a few tries.
I'll take the battery in for testing tomorrow but I am quite sure it is at least part of the problem.