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Battery Light On - Flickers at High RPM

Knauberized

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 20, 2000
Messages
127
Location
Laurel, MD, USA
Hello,
I had my clutch replaced at a local shop, I've always liked their service and price and never had issues with them. When they replaced my clutch last year the battery light came on. They tested the alternator and battery, all fine. Car runs fine, and they checked for any ground cables that weren't connected or loose and found nothing. Car runs and starts fine. Sometimes stalls at low speeds, but I think that's just me needing to adjust my Pro Flow maf with the plug in tool.

When the car is on it's solid red, when I get to 5,000-6,000 rpms it flickers and disappears. then flickers and comes back on solid when it goes below those rpm's. Any idea's on the issue?
 
Everyone on ceg has had that issue lol Most likely it's the alternator, but there's always a slight chance it could be a loose belt or something, I dunno. I changed my alternator, battery, and serpentine belt, and it fixed the problem temporarily but then it came back a few weeks later.
 
"Floating" brushes. Alternator may be on its way out. Do the battery and alternator test in the M&M how to.
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=56


if I am not mistake this sounds the opposite of that ... isn't the floating brushes a flickering alternator light at high rpm? The high rotational speed of the alternator would cause the brushes to float not low rpm. So that would be a flickering light at high rpm and off at low since the floating causes the alternator to stop charging. The problem was discribed as on constant at idle the flickering and off at high rpm ... I am thinking that the refernece wire could be the problem.

I would follow the pin point tests from ford to test for why the light is on.
 
if I am not mistake this sounds the opposite of that ... isn't the floating brushes a flickering alternator light at high rpm? The high rotational speed of the alternator would cause the brushes to float not low rpm. So that would be a flickering light at high rpm and off at low since the floating causes the alternator to stop charging. The problem was discribed as on constant at idle the flickering and off at high rpm ... I am thinking that the refernece wire could be the problem.

I would follow the pin point tests from ford to test for why the light is on.

You are correct on that. One always at idle and flickers at high RPM. Where are the pin point tests from ford? I've been out of the contour loop for quite some time and don't know what this is.

Oh and what's the reference wire?
 
You are correct on that. One always at idle and flickers at high RPM. Where are the pin point tests from ford? I've been out of the contour loop for quite some time and don't know what this is.

Oh and what's the reference wire?


the reference wire is the wire that runs from the under hood fuse box to the voltage regulator so the alternator knows what voltage to put out ... best bet is to get a shop manual as it will have the pin point tests ... you can get the service cd from todas for a few dollars
 
this sounds similar to my problem. when it first happened, i was on the highway heading back home. the light dimly light up then kind of flickered on and went away. it did this several times at 60mph. then it did a bunch of flickering while going through the gears. after about 20 miles, the light stayed on full for 2 minutes and went away. from there it dimly light up at low rpms then went away at high rpms. so i figured when i got up to 70mph all would be fine. pretty much was, flickered a few times.

then i get a mile from my house and notice low rpms it wouldnt come on. i get around 2500 rpms, and light barely comes on and steadily got pretty as the rpms went up. now today i go to get it tested and light was on constantly after i started till i hit 20mph and didnt come back on. i drive 15 miles, and nothing. have it tested and light was barely on, then when the load hit, battery light was light up. test showed no signal from alternator. i decide to pick up an alternator since im in a pinch and have to drive 250 miles tonight.

does that sound like the typical alternator problem? but after this, im about to sell the car. i cant keep spending money on a daily driver that is far from reliable.
 
Yes. Or the infamous Goldentour alternator wiring fix issue.

From Duratec Maintenance-Read First
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=41

I took a look at that thread and it doesn't appear that it was updated after anyone did the "fix".

Has anyone recently attempted this fix?

My '00 CSVT has been getting the Battery light on after ~4500 RPM almost as long as I've had it. Battery has been replaced and AutoZone/Advance Auto guys have hooked up their diagnostic machine to the Alternator and it appears to be fine.

I worked on Helicopters (UH-60 Blackhawk... WOOT) for 4 years with the Army, so I'm no stranger to turning a wrench and getting dirty, but when it comes to Electrical... I'm a complete moron. We had Avionics/Electronics guy for that. :laugh:

From my trolling through the threads looking for a fix to my Battery light issue, I have gathered that I should check the "megafuse" and connections to the alternator, which is easy enough... but permanently altering the connector to the Alternator... makes me a little uneasy.

So someone tell me to suck it up, not be a pu$$y, and cut the freakin red wire and call it fixed! :help:
 
Here you go!

suck it up, not be a pu$$y, and cut the freakin red wire and call it fixed!

Always glad to accomodate. :laugh:
 
Battery light on - Engine starts and stops

Battery light on - Engine starts and stops

Hi again! This monday my sister drove the car to her school. After 8 miles the engine died, she is a 35 mi/hr driver. She says that the engine stopped when she was turning, so she lost the power steering and brakes and almost crashed.

After the frightening, she started the car again and after she made the turn the car stopped again, and again and again....until she arrived to the school.

We took the car to the Ford dealer but they say "we don't know what's the problem with your car" since Tuesday. I can't believe it!!!

The car seems to start ok but the battery light remains on, then after some time (a couple of minutes they say) the engine stops. I've searched in forums since tuesday and I'm as clueless as the Ford mechanics (lol)

My first symptoms were some hesitation when accelerating in park and neutral at 1/4 of the throttle. Ford dealer mechanics changed spark plugs 3 weeks ago and I suppose, they cleaned the throttle body and injectors.

Hope somebody help me!

2000 Contour LX 2.0L (Zetec)
 
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I took a look at that thread and it doesn't appear that it was updated after anyone did the "fix".

Has anyone recently attempted this fix?

My '00 CSVT has been getting the Battery light on after ~4500 RPM almost as long as I've had it. Battery has been replaced and AutoZone/Advance Auto guys have hooked up their diagnostic machine to the Alternator and it appears to be fine.

I worked on Helicopters (UH-60 Blackhawk... WOOT) for 4 years with the Army, so I'm no stranger to turning a wrench and getting dirty, but when it comes to Electrical... I'm a complete moron. We had Avionics/Electronics guy for that. :laugh:

From my trolling through the threads looking for a fix to my Battery light issue, I have gathered that I should check the "megafuse" and connections to the alternator, which is easy enough... but permanently altering the connector to the Alternator... makes me a little uneasy.

So someone tell me to suck it up, not be a pu$$y, and cut the freakin red wire and call it fixed! :help:


if your battery light is flickering at high rpm the wiring fix will not do anythign for you, your alternator is on the way out .... time to replace it ...


again this thread was about the oposite issue, battery light on all the time and flickering and off at high rpm .... completely opposite then the light being off then flicking at high rpm and going solid ....

if you battery light is flickering at high rpm you need a new alternator ...
 
I agree what's the voltage at the battery posts when the light is on?Should be over 14volts if not, better get ready to change out the alternator.
 
I agree what's the voltage at the battery posts when the light is on?Should be over 14volts if not, better get ready to change out the alternator.


voltage across battery terminals

car off: 12 ~12.5 volts
running: ~ 14.7
light on: 12 ~12.5
 
I agree what's the voltage at the battery posts when the light is on?Should be over 14volts if not, better get ready to change out the alternator.

BINGO, alternator died about a month ago. Had it replaced. My shop had mentioned it before that it was most likely on it's way out (according to them) but I didn't remember that, could be the fact I'm working 7 days a week. It's replaced now, and what do you know, the light is out. I think this is the first time in 2 years my dash does not have a light on of some sort. LOL
 
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