Lights flickering at idle...Please help!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 768
Likes: 6
From: Newport Beach, Southern California
Lights flickering at idle...Please help!
Hi,
Got an TR`98 mn6 27000 miles.
Noticed that at idle head lights and all interior lights including dash lights
flicker and every 2 seconds almost turn off for a fraction of a second.
Idle is always constant, no fluctuations at all, even when lights are flickering.
I noticed that my whining fuel pump would whine and not whine in tandem with the flickering lights....
Any ideeas as to what this might be?
Thanx
Got an TR`98 mn6 27000 miles.
Noticed that at idle head lights and all interior lights including dash lights
flicker and every 2 seconds almost turn off for a fraction of a second.
Idle is always constant, no fluctuations at all, even when lights are flickering.
I noticed that my whining fuel pump would whine and not whine in tandem with the flickering lights....
Any ideeas as to what this might be?
Thanx
Last edited by 2blklt4; Sep 9, 2007 at 01:50 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7,727
Likes: 7
From: Twilight zone
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
My guess is battery connections,possibly alternator or starter,but definately electrical connection.
It happened to me the exact same way.That was the issue,but I had to work to figure it out.
I replaced the battery with an exide orbital Gel battery for no leak issue.The problem,for me,was that the holes drilled for the terminal were not drilled quite deep enough.
I could crank the terminal bolt down so hard I thought it may strip,but because it was not drilled deep enough it would bottom out and "feel" tight............but it was not. The lights still flickered....
The fix for me was adding a copper washer(the same ones used to go from brake lines to caliper)to the mix.
I only typed all this so maybe someone could benefit from what was a frustrating issue for me for some time.
It may or may not be your problem,but it sure sounds similar to me
It happened to me the exact same way.That was the issue,but I had to work to figure it out.
I replaced the battery with an exide orbital Gel battery for no leak issue.The problem,for me,was that the holes drilled for the terminal were not drilled quite deep enough.
I could crank the terminal bolt down so hard I thought it may strip,but because it was not drilled deep enough it would bottom out and "feel" tight............but it was not. The lights still flickered....
The fix for me was adding a copper washer(the same ones used to go from brake lines to caliper)to the mix.
I only typed all this so maybe someone could benefit from what was a frustrating issue for me for some time.
It may or may not be your problem,but it sure sounds similar to me
Last edited by flynbya2; Sep 9, 2007 at 09:39 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 768
Likes: 6
From: Newport Beach, Southern California
My guess is battery connections,possibly alternator or starter,but definately electrical connection.
It happened to me the exact same way.That was the issue,but I had to work to figure it out.
I replaced the battery with an exide orbital Gel battery for no leak issue.The problem,for me,was that the holes drilled for the terminal were not drilled quite deep enough.
I could crank the terminal bolt down so hard I thought it may strip,but because it was not drilled deep enough it would bottom out and "feel" tight............but it was not. The lights still flickered....
The fix for me was adding a copper washer(the same ones used to go from brake lines to caliper)to the mix.
I only typed all this so maybe someone could benefit from what was a frustrating issue for me for some time.
It may or may not be your problem,but it sure sounds similar to me
It happened to me the exact same way.That was the issue,but I had to work to figure it out.
I replaced the battery with an exide orbital Gel battery for no leak issue.The problem,for me,was that the holes drilled for the terminal were not drilled quite deep enough.
I could crank the terminal bolt down so hard I thought it may strip,but because it was not drilled deep enough it would bottom out and "feel" tight............but it was not. The lights still flickered....
The fix for me was adding a copper washer(the same ones used to go from brake lines to caliper)to the mix.
I only typed all this so maybe someone could benefit from what was a frustrating issue for me for some time.
It may or may not be your problem,but it sure sounds similar to me
Wow you were dead on right....one of the connections was loose.
The idiot who last time replaced the battery stripped the bolt trying to tighten it....so he left it loose.
I tightened but not too much because like i said bolt is stripped but tight enough to make the problem go away. Thank you!
Question to all Forum members:
Can that stripped bolt be replaced or the whole wire with the bolt attached to it needs to be replaced?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7,727
Likes: 7
From: Twilight zone
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Wow you were dead on right....one of the connections was loose.
The idiot who last time replaced the battery stripped the bolt trying to tighten it....so he left it loose.
I tightened but not too much because like i said bolt is stripped but tight enough to make the problem go away. Thank you!
Question to all Forum members:
Can that stripped bolt be replaced or the whole wire with the bolt attached to it needs to be replaced?
The idiot who last time replaced the battery stripped the bolt trying to tighten it....so he left it loose.
I tightened but not too much because like i said bolt is stripped but tight enough to make the problem go away. Thank you!
Question to all Forum members:
Can that stripped bolt be replaced or the whole wire with the bolt attached to it needs to be replaced?
With a little fenagling you can work them in the cable ends for the win!
I just hope it is not your battery terminal that is stripped
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 768
Likes: 6
From: Newport Beach, Southern California
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7,727
Likes: 7
From: Twilight zone
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 177
Likes: 12
From: Clinton Twp, Mi
