volts drop under initial load, lights flicker when brakes used

[ianwells100]

just a quick question

i just got my car back from the body shop, (had someone hit my front end - not that bad, all body work) - but now i have a couple of problems, when i start the car from a stop, and if i let the rpms drop a little low (not stupidly low), the volt meter will drop really low, the lights will dim, but then it will go back up...
under normal driing all is well, the charging system works fine, etc... except for when i use the brakes, the headlights flicker, and the dash lights do the same (the volt meter drops a very little bit)

what would u say the problem is? bad grounds, need new alternator, need new battery??

the alternator was replaced last year, and i have no stereo in my car right now...

oh yeah, also on this past sunday, early in the morning, for my 2 minute drive to work, my abs inop light came on, and my emergency brake light stayed on (the e-brake was down).... yet later that day, after work, all was fine again in that regards

thanks for any help

[Mr. TroPiCal]

you have foreign battery somewhere


haha i love that term

[ianwells100]

you have foreign battery somewhere



could u explain please?
and tell me how to fix it
thanks

[Mr. TroPiCal]

well that term means that there is either a short like some wires crossed or whatever thats draining power from where it should be going

but i have no idea if thats whats wrong..

[79 Z28]

same thing is with my 95 v6, been doing that since i owned it. less the park brake thing. i need to go over the wiring sometime, if you find out what it is, please let me know :D

[Drakar]

well that term means that there is either a short like some wires crossed or whatever thats draining power from where it should be going

but i have no idea if thats whats wrong..


yup my moneys on wiring being f'ed up, check up front on your head lights and make sure none of the wires are stripped or frayed.

[Wagonized]

you say your car was hit in the front end?

was the charging system an issue before that?

if not, id think it may have knocked your brush holder loose in your alt perhaps. If it was an issue its not that big of a deal most alts dont charge very well anyway until 2000+ engine rpm

as for the brake lights id say you have yourself a ground loop...check all grounds in there. Figuring out your ground loop can be a very frustrating thing :-\

[79 Z28]

mine when i start it the volts flicker up and down not much but enough to pulse the lights and it dropes down too when the rpms go low or i hit the brakes. mine was hit in the ass before but the alt failed on it (the origional) one in there, i put another on it crapped out too in 3 days, and im on my 3rd now, its been fine for the 12,000k ive driven it, but i got the same problem as ian here, so whats thsi bushing thing your talking about?

[Wagonized]

its just a holder for your contact brushes inside the alt...the electrodes spin and contact the brush (eventually friction wears them down and you need an alt rebuild kit)

[79 Z28]

its just a holder for your contact brushes inside the alt...the electrodes spin and contact the brush (eventually friction wears them down and you need an alt rebuild kit)
ahh, im on my 3rd lol and this one only has like 8,000 on it topps

[89vert]

if your alt. was replace 9 times out of 10 you should replace your battery too

do not buy cheap ass reman. alts, buy delco or brand new aftermaket all the other 1's are shit nothing but problems

alts. don't just up and quit it happens over time, slowly putting out less and less power

this puts more strain on your battery, making it weak

then when you put the new alt in, it is working to keep the weak battery charged, causing shorter life

never put a new alt in with a battery that isn't fully charged

i've heard people say it doesn't matter,
but the alt. will die almost instantly sometimes, it happened to me at work

[79 Z28]

when i put the car on the road i put in a new battery with it, i know the battery is a- ok cuz i can have the car sit for a week and it starts fine and charges fine. no problems there. and yea i used a remanufactured alt cuz these ones are like 200 bux aftermarket reman., delco is like 300 its retarded. comes with 1 year warranty though so it cost me nothing to keep replacing them lol