Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,398
Likes: 1
From: Loveland Co
Cruise-In III Veteran
Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!!
On my 91 the little red battery light will flicker from time to time, it never stays on constantly, the only times it will flicker on is if i roll up the window and after it stops hold the button still. Also happens when the heater kicks on. The voltage is fine and doesn't even dip on the guage when this happens, all the battery connections are tight, and so I am not sure what else to try.
CAN SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!! :crazy:
CAN SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!! :crazy:
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,329
Likes: 10
From: Cape Coral fl
Re: Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!! (No Ordinary 91)
I know this sounds unrelated, but how does you car idle? Mine used to come on (the battery light), and the idle was poor. It turned out that the throttle body was carboned up. All I had to do was spray some carb cleaner on a rag (not into the throttle body, it is not good for the O2 sensors), open the TB, and clean the carbon off of the openings. You might try it and see if it helps.
Tony
Tony
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!! (No Ordinary 91)
The battery symbol lights when the voltage regulator in the alternator detects an over voltage or under voltage condition. Since yours flickers upon the sudden application of a load, I suspect that you have momentary (too small an interval to show on your voltmeter) low voltage condition. If it does this at idle, the alternator cannot deliver its rated current at this slow a shaft speed. Rev the engine and see if the batt symbol still flickers. If it does, then I suspect that your alternator has some open diodes and cannot deliver full current any longer and you should be prepaired for an alternator failure soon.
If the voltage stays up, I wouldn't worry about the flickering, just put it out of your mind. If the batt symbol stays on, make for home with ALL electrical eqt turned off and sharpen your alternator changing skills.
If the voltage stays up, I wouldn't worry about the flickering, just put it out of your mind. If the batt symbol stays on, make for home with ALL electrical eqt turned off and sharpen your alternator changing skills.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,398
Likes: 1
From: Loveland Co
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!! (jfb)
The battery symbol lights when the voltage regulator in the alternator detects an over voltage or under voltage condition. Since yours flickers upon the sudden application of a load, I suspect that you have momentary (too small an interval to show on your voltmeter) low voltage condition. If it does this at idle, the alternator cannot deliver its rated current at this slow a shaft speed. Rev the engine and see if the batt symbol still flickers. If it does, then I suspect that your alternator has some open diodes and cannot deliver full current any longer and you should be prepaired for an alternator failure soon.
If the voltage stays up, I wouldn't worry about the flickering, just put it out of your mind. If the batt symbol stays on, make for home with ALL electrical eqt turned off and sharpen your alternator changing skills.
If the voltage stays up, I wouldn't worry about the flickering, just put it out of your mind. If the batt symbol stays on, make for home with ALL electrical eqt turned off and sharpen your alternator changing skills.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 0
From: Orangeburg, NY
Re: Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!! (No Ordinary 91)
It may be something as simple as a worn belt. If you are at idle and the system gets under a load, the belt slips and is not able to provide enough voltage. When you increase the idle the belt may still slip, but it is spinning the alternator enough to provide the needed voltage.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 509
Likes: 5
From: Edmonds WA
Re: Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!! (No Ordinary 91)
I had the same kind of experience with the alternator on my truck. The battery light flickered for years (the voltage was OK, so I didn't worry about it). Then, I took the alternator off after my battery died and took it into a shop to have it tested. The guy said "the light is probably flickering, right?". He concluded that it was probably some problem with the rectifier. I decided to replace the alternator to be on the safe side and just in case it had contributed to my battery dying (such as not charging it properly). The bottom line... with the new alternator, no more flickering light. I don't know if it adversely affected charging, or not. If you want to fix the flickering light problem, then I'd suggest replacing the alternator. At least it's not that difficult to do yourself.
Good luck...
Good luck...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,398
Likes: 1
From: Loveland Co
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Battery warning light HELP PLEASE!!!!! (K87ZZ4)
well it has happened since the new alternator, maybe I will have NAPA replace it while it is still under warranty
Thanks for the help :cheers:
Thanks for the help :cheers:
