Pulsing headlights

[boxboy]

A week or so ago I had a dash "ign" indicator light pulsing while I drove, but I wiggled the leads going into the alternator and it stopped. Last night I drove in the dark for the first time in a while and my headlights are now doing it. "ign" light is good, but the headlights have a pulse that follows the idle speed.

 

I know absolutely nothing about wiring, but I have checked to make sure all has ground. Could the loose wire I wiggled be doing this? Or, I did tighten the alternator belt recently. Could it be too tight?

[Skib]

my 510 lights (headlights and gauge lights) used to have a subtle pulse to them.....

idk what it was but I had a brand new alt and had gone threw and redone all of my wiring already *shrug* it was just odd more than anything was never really a problem lol

[datzenmike]

If it dims slightly at idle and brightens up only when revved then that's normal. The alternetor isn't very high output in the 521 maybe 28 amp and 35 in the later ones like the 620. And thats when revved up so idle has way less. That's not much to work with what with all the running lights and head hights. With heater and wipers on even worse. Make sure the headlight fuse is clean and making good contact. and the black ground wires from the lights are secure to give the least resistance. Don't over tighten the belt it will only wear out faster and wear out the water pump bearing.

 

The only good cure for this is a larger output alternator that makes more power at idle.

[boxboy]

The problem isn't that they get brighter at higher revs, but that as the revs get higher the pulsating gets faster. When you drop to idle the pulsating continues, but at a slower pace. I believe the book says its a 35A on the 520. Are they spendy? I am assuming they are easy to come by. Just don't want to unless I have to.

 

As to the loose wire leads coming out of the alt., can a rookie resolder them, or do I need a pro? Not much room to work in that little access panel.

[hang_510]

as long as the rookie can solder, its a great idea.

often the crimped connections inside the connector get corroded.

replacable, but not simple

 

 

poor ground(s) are also symptoms of pulsing wild electrons w/nowhere to go

[datzenmike]

Make sure the regulator is well mounted and grounded to the fender.

[Paul G.]

Does this vehicle have a mechanical voltage regulator? That is normal for a vehicle with a mechanical reg, they function by swapping the rotor current between full on, on through a resistor and fully off (sometimes 2 resistor values.) Especially at idle, this may be visible. Sometimes at idle you can even see the fuel gauge and temp gauge wiggle a little bit. A modern electronic regulator, including newer alternators with internal regulators, do this so fast as to not be visible, even at idle.

 

When I read the thread title my first though was to come in here and quip about you turning the bass on your sound system to far up. :D

[Cuts metal like mad]

I have a stock alternator in my 521 and H4 headlights, I have an electronic regulator like mike was talking about and with lights, wipers, and heater all going the lights don't even dim. Its GREAT!

[boxboy]

When I read the thread title my first though was to come in here and quip about you turning the bass on your sound system to far up. :D

 

Funny. I don't even have an original a.m. radio. Just the delete plate.

 

So, I don't know if I have an electronic regulator or a mechanical one. It looks larger and is black plastic as opposed to the smaller brass looking ones that I see for sale on RA.

 

So are there upgrades for the 520 alt.? How spendy are they? I notice the mounting is different than the 521, so I don't know. Since I don't drive in the rain, I may just get the loose wires fixed and remount the reg. to make sure everything is good and drive it. I only put on about 20 miles a week.