Charging system question.

[ethangsmith]

Just started today. The "AMP" meter on my 86 Capri 2.3L (external voltage regulator system) started to flutter today. It's a perfectly rhythmic flutter, which is more pronounced at idle, but does it through the whole rpm range. The weird thing is, when I put an large electrical load on (engine fan, headlamps, rear defrost), it immediately stops fluttering. Is this the voltage regulator going bad or something else? Oh, at idle with only the electric fan running, I am getting 13.5V at the battery. When the headlights are turned on, in addition to the cooling fan, it drops to 12.6V.

[Whtstang]

Your ammeter needle actually moves??

[JACook]

Hehe. Some actually do.

Anyways, this sounds more like a case of worn brushes in the alternator.

[ethangsmith]

The alternator and voltage regulator are both original to the car and have 219K miles on them. I was able to get a voltage regulator from Advance Auto and I installed that already. That made a huge difference just replacing that. My lights don't flicker nearly as much and the ammeter seems to have settled down a bit. I am going to keep driving it to and from work and watching it. I agree though with the worn brushes in the alternator. The innards of it have to be about shot. Still throws a decent charge though.

[mfpmax]

Your ammeter needle actually moves??

Mine did...showed me that my alt was not charging at all. Diodes on the alt had fallen OFF.

Ethan, when are you gonna upgrade that alt to a higher output one, and I'm not meaning a 3G...or a smaller pulley to get that up to 14 volts.

[1982 niGhTmare]

Just throwing this out there, I doubt it is this or anything related but make sure the back of the alternator is fully screwed together and tight.

On my 93, it did something similar until one day the rpm would start fluttering too, and I don't mean just the tach reading It was screwing everything up. Couldn't find the issue until dad leaned on the alternator and the back nearly fell off.

[ethangsmith]

I'd like to put a higher output alternator on it, but I really don't know if I have a use for one. I have no A/C (that was factory!), no kickin' sound system, and only a small electric fan. I don't know if a higher output alternator would benefit me at all. I think I am going to inspect the connections on the rear of the alternator though. I cleaned them a few years back, but things go bad over time.

[JACook]

If you're not running down the battery, there's no need to modify. Just get
yourself a set of brushes and bearings, and rebuild the alternator that's in there.
It's not hard to do, and you'll likely end up with a better alternator than McParts
would sell you.

[warlockpain]

i didn't think the needle was supposed to move either. thought maybe someone put a viagra in that guage,always points straight up. and i have a 3g 130 amp! lol

[mfpmax]

I'd like to put a higher output alternator on it, but I really don't know if I have a use for one. I have no A/C (that was factory!), no kickin' sound system, and only a small electric fan. I don't know if a higher output alternator would benefit me at all. I think I am going to inspect the connections on the rear of the alternator though. I cleaned them a few years back, but things go bad over time.

Having FULL voltage to your headlights will benefit you, unless you NEVER drive that car at night.

[smokinn85]

Your ammeter needle actually moves??

x2

[ethangsmith]

I've been driving the car around for a few days and the new regulator seems to have fixed the issue. I did notice that my headlights, dome light, and dash lights are brighter now. I am wondering if the old regulator has been failing for years. I'm thinking that maybe some day I will upgrade on alternators.

[Precipus]

When me and my wife were dating my voltage regulator went out one night....neat story, wanna hear it? Here it goes. So the now wife and I were out getting slobbered in town and seeing as we needed to get up and go to work the next day we started to head out. About ten minutes down the road we started smelling rotten eggs; neither of us had a clue as to what it was. Then all of a sudden every light in the car came on and they lights all got extremely bright. The funny part of this story is when we both at the same time looked up and out of the front windshield towards the sky; we thought Close Encounters of the Third Kind was going on, so we were looking for them there UFOs!
Then all the lights went out and the Capri died on me. Cop was in the parking lot of the High School we were passing by. When he pulled in behind me with his lights on he didn't want to talk to me as much as my now wife. "Mam are you OK? Are you here on your free will? Cop thought I was pulling the "oh no my car just died; lets make out trick". Anyways she batted her eyes and got us a ride home in the back of his car (nice living in a small town). Now the scary part of the story was how slobbered I was ( I know I know i shouldn't have been driving..stupid and all that), but I think the Close Encounters thing sobered me up quite a bit!.