Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting battery light, loss of power, lights dimming..

when i take my '98 e1 svt past 6k rpm, the lights dim, the battery light on the dash comes on, and there's a considerable power loss. just wondering what this could mean? bad alternator? it's bone stock, 57k miles.

sounds like an alternator to me. when mine went, it blew an inline fuse i belive, so check your fuses under the hood if you change the alternator or you still may have the same problem.

Yup.


Alternator How-To


Enjoy..

You don't have much time left.. once that light starts flickering, the brushes are worn and floating... bank on replacing it in AT LEAST the next weekend, or so. (could CERTAINLY last longer, but it would SUCK to be stranded if it doesn't....)


IF by chance your light stays on, and your alternator fails completely..


ALL ELECTRICTY off... lights, radio, interior lights, anything... drive moderately.. don't overuse the gas.. You have to power the ignition circuit and fuel pump to get you home. 80-100 miles on a GOOD battery shouldn't be a problem, but don't use electricity or you will easily make that in to about 15 or 20..


Ray

k im gonna bump this from the dead, cuz ive still got a few questions.

ive been driving on it since i posted this, and its been completely fine. the light only comes on for a SPLIT SECOND when i rev past 6k, then the lights dim. otherwise, its totally fine. ive read that sometimes it could be a loose belt, but the belt seems to be tight (there's only 1 belt, right?)

i dont wanna go spending 130 bucks and several hours on something that's not the problem...

Same thing was happening to my wifes car. We drove on the alternator for a year after it started. Just didn't rev it often. What I found was uneven wear on the shaft the brushs ride on. It wasn't round any more. I think once you get in the higher RPMS it jumps off. I had it turned down and replaced the brushs and regulator while I had it out. It isn't a process every one can do. Wires need to be unsoldered and then I turned it on a lathe. It would probably be good to replace it. The brushes were fairly worn at 80k miles.

Loss of alternator output at high RPMs means the brushes are "floating".

Time for an alternator rebuild or replacement.

Steve

I've been having a similiar problem with a 98 SE, the battery light doesn't come on, but the headlights and interals dim a bit.

damn sounds like it's inevitable.. but only 58k miles? lol [censored] my alternator on my honda was fine after 130k :-/

ok the battery light flashes at 2500rpm and goes sold at 3000+rpm

at idle and upto 2499rpms i can turn the ac to max, crank the stereo, turn the lights and rear defroster on and have no battery light come on at all

is this the same thing? or different?

same thing.... Your brushes in the alternator are floating above that RPM, causing no charge to your system.


Check under Duratec Maintenance, pinned at the top for a detailed How-To for this job.



DON'T GET INTIMIDATED!!!


Ray