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Headlights flicker with bass

Ok...so the dimming is ALOT better. I have an Optima battery now, brand new O' Reillys alternator (dont know if thats a good thing or not), and I have NOT done the big three wires.

My power steering was leaking like a mutha...so I changed it last night, cleaned the pullies and such off, and put on a new belt. The idler pully and the tensioner are NEW Motorcraft parts. It did have a Motorcraft belt till it got soaked in power steering fluid....so it now has a Gates belt. Well the dumb thing still slips at high RPM's. Does anybody else have or have had belt slipping issues?? I am getting pissed....about to sell this heap!!
 
Idk if its belt slipping because I dont hear it...it just flashes the battery light and dims everything and seems like its kiling the juice. Idk....help needed big time.....or this thing goes in the classifieds.
 
It doesnt stay on though. I mean when I romp on it...it will flash on and off and go away. So I think the belt is slipping. If its this new motorcraft belt tensioner...I am gonna be ticked. It will be the third tensioner I have put on this thing. I mean I dont drive it any harder than most of you guys I am sure. We are guys...and thats what we do...drive the wheels of ••••.

What belts and tensioner brands do some of you guys have? The dimming is so slight now...so if I can get this belt to quit slipping at high rpms....then I will be good. And no I wont drive easier. haha
 
Can you hear the belt slip? Its probably your alt. My NEW motorcraft alt is going out. On high rpm pulls after 6.8K my battery light comes on meaning the alternator is starting to float. It pisses me off that I have a 3 month old alt and its going bad again.. they suck to replace. You'd know if the belt was slipping, it would sound like tires sqealing. I get a "chirp" from the belt when driving hard and shifting into 4th and 5th but that's common.
 
^^Thats what I am thinking...cause I dont hear the belt sqeaking. But if its another alternator.....I am selling this •••••
 
Ok I just had some time and decent weather to play around with my dmm and this is what I came up with:

I measured with on hu volume on 38/40(most I ever go), my gain is set to 37.4 vac or the equivalent of 1400rms at 1 ohm, I have not figured in when the headunit clips so it most likely is lightly clipping at max volume

Music with engine off: 11.7-11.8v
Music with engine idle: 12.0-11.9v
Music with engine steady at 1750-1800rpm: 13.5 with occasional dips to 13.2v

My electrical is 100% stock and the songs were by Skrillex and Lil Wayne, so there were constant heavy bass notes played.

Amps- Rockford Fosgate Punch 1000.1bd (140a internal fuse) and Alpine MRP-F300 (50a of fuses onboard)

If I would have known how bad of a voltage drop I have with the car off vs revved, I could have gone in a higher, more competitive class at MECA but would have broke 140db.
 
Translation?? lol

Ok...so after running the wee outta this thing...I still dont know. The lights will dim in the dash....and the battery light flashes on and off....which would make me think slipping belt or the POS alternator again. I dont hear belt sqeak...everything is fine driving normal.....if I crank it out to 7k...it does this. Any thoughts. Is the damn tensioner weak? Its a brand new Motorcraft tensioner...it seems tight....so I really doubt that. New belt....pulleys were all cleaned with brake cleaner and a rag thoroughly after the power steering took a ••••. Thoughts?

Voltage stays at 13.9 to 14.5 the whole time...the Snap On Solus scanner was along for the ride. I am baffled...
 
Lights dimming is usually a sign of the voltage dropping but yours is staying pretty good. The alternator could be slowly failing, hence the light flickering on and off :shrug:

Translation to above is stock electrical system can handle upwards of 1500wrms if the engine is revved above idle. My lights only dim on idle if I have the volume up and its surprising to see others with dimming on far less power.
 
79mustang351w said:
Translation?? lol

Ok...so after running the wee outta this thing...I still dont know. The lights will dim in the dash....and the battery light flashes on and off....which would make me think slipping belt or the POS alternator again. I dont hear belt sqeak...everything is fine driving normal.....if I crank it out to 7k...it does this. Any thoughts. Is the damn tensioner weak? Its a brand new Motorcraft tensioner...it seems tight....so I really doubt that. New belt....pulleys were all cleaned with brake cleaner and a rag thoroughly after the power steering took a ••••. Thoughts?

Voltage stays at 13.9 to 14.5 the whole time...the Snap On Solus scanner was along for the ride. I am baffled...
Click to expand...

Come down to STL, i will swap your alt out for some Smirnoff :laugh:. They are pretty easy just time consuming, just get a buddy to talk to while your down under.
Don't sell your SVT, it would be the worst choice you'd make ever. Mine is doing the same thing, i say just drive it until the battery light comes on around 5K then you need to worry.
When i replace my alternator again, i am going to get an orielly or autozone one so it has a lifetime warranty. I paid to much for my motorcrap one for it to fail this early without lifetime warranty.
 
79mustang351w said:
^^Thats what I am thinking...cause I dont hear the belt sqeaking. But if its another alternator.....I am selling this •••••
Click to expand...
Did you buy a remanufactured alternator? My original quit on me. So I put in a re-man duralast because it was all they had in stock. (Autozone was down the street and my car literally died in my driveway. Plus I had to be at work the next morning so it didn't leave me many options.) The duralast alternator made my headlights pulse with the speed of the alternator. No stereo on or anything! I ended up having to swap it for a new one weeks later. I have no problem with Duralast, but stay away from remanufactured alternators.
 
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