The car when warm will idle at about 900-1000rpm, but when I need to turn on the headlights (sidemarkers also tap into headlights circuit) the idle will drop to 400 and the engine wants to die

I also have a power wire coming straight off the battery to a switch and then to multiple assecories in the car (4 gauges, wideband, shiftlight)

When this is turned on it will also lower the idle a good 150 or so rpm

The headlights are Ebay projectors but I never had this problem last year. Why would the car idle so dam low and why would the load make such a difference?

I did just put in a new battery

 

could be the alternator is going.
have it checked at a local parts store, its free

 

Alt is fairly new from a junkyard, pushes 14.5V all day

I lied though, the rpm drops almost 400 with the accesory switch on

 

was the alt tested by the junk yard or by a parts store

 

 

agree, sounds like alt prob..

 

why would an alternator cause a 500rpm drop in idle?

Anyone heard of an electrical load detector?
where is it?

 

either diode is going or a wire is grounding out causing the alt to take a bigger load with the lights on. The alt cant produce enough volts for the car to run, then the headlights on. So, the sensors can't function properly and hence the low idle.

 

When i swapped the motor in my EK the lights would flicker and it would show that the alernator was not charging and the CEL was on. I found out the CEL was for the Electrical Load Detector which is also controlled by a fuse under my dash. Replaced the fuse and all my problems went away.

 

ELD - I thikn throws a code 17 right?

Ive gotten that one before

Whats the fuse for?

No way to disable it? I know this alternator is good

 

 

code 17 means VSS (valve speed sensor) located in your tranny

 

change your battery and check all the grounds on your engine especially the one on your alt.

 

or code 71 means 1st cyl. miss fire

 

for low idle

 

bump bump

 

 

 

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