[V8] flickering lights, voltage regulator?

[Ed Kellock]

Just revisited this tonight when I brought the car home from sanctuary
in the parking garage at work after a month.  The flickering changes
with engine rpm.  The alternator was replaced with a Bosch reman
almost exactly 2 years ago.  I've noticed this flickering for a while
now.

Going to go out with a meter and see what I can see.

Ed

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>
To: "V8" <v8 at audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: [V8] flickering lights, voltage regulator?


> ... one key piece of information is whether or not the fluctuation
> frequency varies as a function of the engine speed.  If it does not
that
> does not completely exonerate the alternator, but it does tend to
cause
> one to consider other possibilities ...
>
> ... could you have a bad connection to the field line to the
alternator?
> ... is there possibly some load that is switching on and off in a
> rhythmic fashion ... say something like the A/C Compressor clutch or
> some other high load item ... seat heater perhaps?
>
> IME alternators are pretty robust and consistent in their operation.
> That said, I have replaced the alternator on one of my V8s ...
>
> Good luck!
> Steve B
> San Jose, CA (USA)
> >
> > I just went down to the parking garage. The condition exists
> regardless of
> > whether the headlights are on. I was struggling to think of a
better
> term
> > than flicker. It's more of a pulsation, barely noticeable, but not
> > imperceptible. If it's not dark you can still see it but sometimes
you
> have
> > to kind of blur your vision and look just to the side. This was
all
> based on
> > my observation of my center dome light.
> >  I think I'm going to go after the voltage regulator. In a rebuilt
> unit, it
> > may have been given only quick consideration and thought good.
I'll
> see what
> > tests I can run on it.
>
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