Battery light flickers on and off
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Battery light flickers on and off
I have a 1981 Corvette which left me stranded on the side of the road, late in the evening last week.
I was at a friends shop doing some body work on the car, and on the drive home, the dash lights got dim as did the headlights. Eventually they both went completely out, and I pulled the car to the shoulder of the highway,the car ran rough and then died.
I returned the next day with a fresh battery, and the car started right up and I drove it home. I dismounted the alternator, and took it to a local alternator and starter shop. They load tested the alternator, and it showed to have shorted out electrodes and voltage regulator.
I had it rebuilt, and installed it with the positive cable to the battery disconnected, and after I had the alternator mounted I reconnected the positive cable to the battery.
I then drove the car, and all was fine, no battery light. I then stepped on it, as it has a nice 383 stroker in it, and I noticed that the battery light come on very bright.
I took it home, put the battery on a charger, got it fully charged and now it flickers and goes out when the RPM's build up.
I went through the trouble shooting steps in my GM shop manual,
I checked the battery ground, the dash light fuse, the starter ground and the fuse type links on the starter, all OK, and I still have a flickering battery light.
Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I was at a friends shop doing some body work on the car, and on the drive home, the dash lights got dim as did the headlights. Eventually they both went completely out, and I pulled the car to the shoulder of the highway,the car ran rough and then died.
I returned the next day with a fresh battery, and the car started right up and I drove it home. I dismounted the alternator, and took it to a local alternator and starter shop. They load tested the alternator, and it showed to have shorted out electrodes and voltage regulator.
I had it rebuilt, and installed it with the positive cable to the battery disconnected, and after I had the alternator mounted I reconnected the positive cable to the battery.
I then drove the car, and all was fine, no battery light. I then stepped on it, as it has a nice 383 stroker in it, and I noticed that the battery light come on very bright.
I took it home, put the battery on a charger, got it fully charged and now it flickers and goes out when the RPM's build up.
I went through the trouble shooting steps in my GM shop manual,
I checked the battery ground, the dash light fuse, the starter ground and the fuse type links on the starter, all OK, and I still have a flickering battery light.
Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,455
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
What voltage does the dash gauge show when flickering? Using a voltage meter, check the voltage at the battery and alternator with the car running.Either the battery is bad- not likely- or the alternator is not providing the correct voltage when running-13.4-13.6- when running. I suspect the alternator was not rebuilt correctly....buy a new, not rebuilt alternator. I never use rebuilt parts if new ones are available, especially alternators.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
When you said you "stepped on it and the light came on bright" it sounds like the belt was slipping so bad the alternator quit charging. Make sure your belt is tensioned correctly before doing anything else.
