merc49

i changed the cam,lifters,timing chain, intake,motor mounts,and radiator,car runs great.problem is when i turn on headlights the engine slowly idles down until it dies unless you keep tapping the gas pedal.also the high beam lights on the inside pair are on but very dim with the low beams on.the low beams are also dim.didnt have this problem until i changed everything.did i leave a wire off or did the alternator take a dump.can someone give me any ideas where to start looking.i checked the ground from the engine to the frame at the motor mount and its clean and tight.

oldalaskaman

with your engine running, check voltage, then check it again with the lights on, is it possible you have the idle to low. Sounds like alternator is working but not charging at current idle speed.

JimT

Major vacuum leak?

...Roger...

Did you reinstall the 12 black ground wire to the case of the alternator ?

oldalaskaman

both excellent , many thanks, bob

merc49

the idle is fine,the alternator is putting out 14.3 volts.it drives fine,starts up ok.i checked all the connections on the alternator.im thinking its a ground because of the dimly glowing high beams when low beams are on.just trying to figure out where the problem is.its just weird that it started after doing work to it.maybe i should have left it alone.the car is totally different now performance wise.i guess ill start at the light switch and work towards the headlights and check all the wiring .

oldalaskaman

next would be a vacum leak. or if you installed one of those thumper cams they have low vacum and when you operate your lights, it takes whats there and act like a vacum leak, sometimes installing a vacum canister like the ball on the C4's might be needed.

Zorro O

Check the vacuum lines that attach to the back of the light switch.

Zorro