Alternator?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 544
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From: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Alternator? Not sure if its my alternator or not butive noticed even when my car is just started that all the lcd screens in the car are kinda flashing/pulsating, also at night when im at a light i can see my headlights doing the same. anyone know if its my alternator or what it might be? thanks!
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 34
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I'm having this same problem as well. I get that every time my lights are on. Happens ONLY when my head lights are turned on. Weird... A friend says it's a bad ground wire...
I kinda want to make sure before I go tooling around somewhere and effin' somethin' else up.
I kinda want to make sure before I go tooling around somewhere and effin' somethin' else up.
Could be the alternator on the way out. You'll know if it gets hard to start or won't start altogether. Keep an eye on your voltage. If it's dropping and then jumping back up when you slow down and speed up, it's probably the alternator taking a crap on you.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Springhill, LA
Sounds like a bad diode in the alternator find you a volt meter and set it to ac volts and check to see if you get a reading at your battery some ac voltage is normal but it is a very small amount .1v or less i believe is the spec if your getting more than that its probably a bad alternator could run like that for a while and not quit charging but you will get the pulsing.
Had same problem only worse.
Fixed when I changed alternator.
But I also fixed the broken wire that was broken when the alternator was replaced previously. So It could have been one or the other.
Fixed when I changed alternator.
But I also fixed the broken wire that was broken when the alternator was replaced previously. So It could have been one or the other.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Statesville, NC
I had the same issue shortly after I bought my TA. Lights would flicker and my volts would pulsate from 13 to 15V. Tested the alternator and found it overcharging at 15V. Replaced the alternator and never looked back. 
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Not sure if its my alternator or not butive noticed even when my car is just started that all the lcd screens in the car are kinda flashing/pulsating, also at night when im at a light i can see my headlights doing the same. anyone know if its my alternator or what it might be? thanks!
FirebirdWS86,
It happens more when you turn the headlights on because they are big draw.
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Another vote for alternator. Make sure you pick up a new exciter wire also because it may break when you try to unplug it. It happened to me when it tried unplugging it and it can get kind of cramped in there so mistakes happen. You can pick one up for like ten bucks on ebay.
