Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting flickering battery light, only at LOW rpm's

Did a search and turned up a large number of posts about a battery light at HIGH rpm's being an alternator problem. I've had a hunch my problem is also the alternator but its a bit different than all these other posts. And the weirdest part is, it seemed to go away today.

Anyway: Drove 4hrs home from the end of summer bash we had in SE MI on a beautiful sunny day, and once I got off the freeway and my RPM's lowered down to about 2500 (were steady at ~3250 or so on the freeway at 80 mph) my battery light was coming on. Punch the throttle and it goes away. Let the RPM's drop or car idle it would come back. Since Sunday and these initial symptoms, its been coming on less and less, but when it does its when the RPM's are droppping or almost idle. But today, I didnt get the light at all yet.

Here's my last log entry for an alternator:

2/7/03 100,500 Miles

Replaced Alternator and Tensioner Pulley

Mileage on the car is at 151,000 now.

What do you all think about this wierdness? Maybe I should replace the alternator anyway?

Try cleaning the wiring terminals first (battery clamps, terminals, alternator terminals and wiring). Also check to see if any of the wiring is chafed or bent or exposed (metal portion).

or you can try this wiring fix. I had the same issue but and it also included dimming lights specially at start up.

http://www.fastcougar.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=80&threadid=81742&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=&STARTPAGE=2

let me know if you have any questions.

Good find Crystian. Thanks.

good suggestions, I'll try those out. So this doesn't seem to be an alternator problem then?

Certainly does seem to be the alternator; However, you should always try the cheaper (inspect wire, etc) things before yanking the alternator.


Ray

Goldentour if this works out and fixes my flickering problem.. I will be permanently indebted to you. My car flickers so so so so bad. Like road signs flash at me because my lights flicker so bad. I've read everything i can on this topic, everyone says replace the alternator. Well that didn't help. I've made posts before, but no good help. I regrounded everything in the engine bay area with nice new thick cables. No help.

Sorry bout the complaining but this has been driving me up the wall. OK so as far as this fix goes.
1. Cut the red wire on the 3 wire harness.
2. Attach it to the thick alternator wire via a round cable end or something of the sort.

Is that it??
do i leave the other end of that wire attached to nothing??

You are correct.

but let me summarize:

1. cut red wire from 3 wire plug from alternator.
2. extend the red wire STILL HANGING from the connector to the main CHARGING wire.
3. the red wire going into the harness is no longer used. TAPE IT UP!!

Heres a Pic of the final wiring. The PINK wire is your new extension.


AGAIN, i cant take credit for this, and yeah i really feel for all of us who have replaced the alternator and did not see any benefit.