Help! battery light flashing alt and batt working fine.

[Manderson]

Hey everyone

I ran into a unique problem on the way to work today. My battery light is going off and on in no specific pattern. it may stay on for 10 minutes, blink a few times, kind of "fade" in and out and flicker, etc. might happen at a high rpm or even a low rpm. ive driven it over 50 miles today and it still starts and runs great.

the car runs and drives normal. I had the battery and alt checked at 2 different locations (advance auto and oreilly) with 2 different machines and the electrical system passed all tests. both gave me a similar answer that it must be a bad light or something...(geez thanks) starts every time...no issues.

things ive tried today so far...

-removing and cleaning terminals on battery, alt, and under hood fuse box.
-2 electrical systems tests from auto parts store.
-checking and cleaning every possible electrical connection i can find under the hood (yea i waste time at work).
-researching online.

I should also mention that the car had a new alt installed when i got it around 6 mo ago, and it tests fine. all belts are tight and in like new condition. it also has a new batt that is less than 2 mo old that tests fine. (the old batt was replaced as a preventative maintenance and had no issues).

im stumped...everything works great but i have a light that is annoying me. please help me! maybe a ground issue??? where would i start? im fairly handy with a multimeter also but this one has me whipped today. I should also mention that i have no amps or anything installed in this car...never have...just an aftermarket cd player. Thanks!

Manderson

 

['92EG8]

id start simple look for bad grounds or even bad positive cables that run from the fusebox to the engine harness or something similar

 

[umair]

+1 but if you can tension the belt a bit more try that.

 

[Manderson]

yep its tight...real tight.

update by the way, the starter solenoid went out yesterday (bad day for me with the car, ha) I replaced the whole starter. still have the battery light that comes on from time to time. Had the electrical system tested for the third time while i was at the auto parts store...still perfect. I have checked and cleaned every electrical connection i can find. still stumped. car still runing great.

 

[EJAaron]

maybe your alternator is over charging the battery its happened to me before

 

[Manderson]

Hmmm, i never thought of that. not according to the printouts they gave me from the electrical tests, but im willing to look at anything at this point.

 

[jimjamkk06]

get a multi meter and put the red prob on the alternator body and the black prob on the earth of the battery use 20 v scale on the meter, make sure car is idle check the voltage you should get about 14v give or take 5 v any higher battery is over charging one other thing switch off all electrics and drive the car and see if it comes on. best of look

 

[I Got Sol 93]

Did the battery light flashing start happening before or after the starter solenoid problem?

 

[Manderson]

i believe the solenoid has been on the way out for a while. there have been 10 or so times that i have had to hit the key a few extra times to get it to turn over, but i never had a battery light. it wasnt acting up tuesday morning when the battery light started happening, i started it several times that day and there were a couple of times i had to hit the key two or three times. when i went to leave work that afternoon, it wouldnt start, i just got fed up and push started it, installed a new starter (hoping that it could be related to the bat light issue), and still have the battery light flashing, etc. i believe it was a pre existing problem, but im open to any theories. it was the orig starter from 94 so i think it was just on its last leg.

 

[Manderson]

so after trying everything to get the batt light to go off, testing the electrical system many times, i believe its just a glitch. Anyone agree or disagree? There has to be something that triggers the light on and off...short in the cluster? something with the computer (ecu)?? lemme know what you think...thanks for all the help so far. you guys are great.

 

[Manderson]

looks like its an alternator after all. believe it or not, i had it checked at several parts stores and they told me its fine. finally had it checked again yesterday at advance. he said "its fine", everything working ok. I asked how many amps its putting out? he said "i dunno, let me check...looks like 43.5" I said Hmmm...why would you check it 3 times and tell me its ok when its a 70 amp alt? I had to explain to him that just because its putting out 14v doesnt mean its supplying the correct amperage. geez...advance should put me on the payroll. finally took it to an alternator repair / rebuild shop who comfirmed its "on the way out"...acting up periodically.

i have some repair work ahead of me...rats.