Just did a swap in a 97 EK. Now the lights are dim under 3500 rpm and at idle, as soon as you go past 3500 the headlights and interior lights brighten up. I have checked alternator and battery connections. Any ideas?

 

ground?

 

Does your alternator have a removeable voltage regulator?

 

i've checked the engine grounds and the battery ground. I plan on using bigger wires for them, so maybe that'll help solve the problem, it's just really annoying right now.

 

Get your alternator checked. Sounds like it's not doing its job under a certain rpm.

 

its your ground wires

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ek4b18c_r &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">its your ground wires</TD></TR></TABLE>

no its not got same problem its just how it is. Once you get the rpm's going the alt is just doing its job, if it didnt get brighter after reg rpm idle then i would say you have a problem

 

I had this problem, make sure that the belt is tight on your alternator, if its not, then it will not be charging the the battery. Check that and you should be all right.

 

yeah what they say ek

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EeeJaySixxx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">after talking to a friend, i think the problem is the alternator charge wire. the ecu decides when to turn the alternator "on" or "off". and the alternators peak output is at 3500 rpm hence the threshold. i'm just going to remove the pin from the ecu and see how that works.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So what you're saying is that by unpinning that wire, the alternator is always "on"? That won't lead to any premature alternator problems?

I'm using a p75 ECU, and I didn't have this problem at all before.

 

I have the same problem. I always thought it was the cheap *** refurb alternator I bought at Pep Boys. I brought it back to pep boys and got another one, still the same problem. Maybe i'll try cutting the wire leading to the ECU as well unless someone points out it's really bad

 

it has to be the alternator not putting out enough power. now when you tested the battery did you do a load test on it? or just stick a meter to it? you probably just need a performance alternator. but do like the other guys say, check all your connections to your grounds. also if you know how to use a meter, check for resistance in the circuits too.

 

This is the same problem as a lot of people have when they swap a OBD1 ECU into an OBD2 car. There is a function on the OBD1 alternators that OBD2 cars don't have. Maybe the P75 ecu has some OBD1 fuctions in it? Just as someone above said, removing the ALT-C wire from the harness should fix the problem.

 

is there enough water in your battery?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MichaelJComputer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">is there enough water in your battery?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought it might be the battery in my case, so I decided to buy a new one. The lights still dimmed out

 

I had the same prob in my 96 cx and changed the alt twice. We ended up jumping 2 of the wires in the harness. It hasn't had the problem since. Oh yeah it is the stock engine and ecu

tommy

 

its the thick white alternator wire for sure, the connection is corroded, not tight, rusty, etc, what u want to do is either cut back untill u find some nice clean wire and get a new connection thing to crimp on if not, strip back the plastic on the white wire till about 1 inch of good wire is exposed, find some wire laying around 12 or 14 gauge or watever is thick enuff for u strip off all the plastic insulation and just expose all the copper wire, use this wire to wrap the exposed white wire starting from the good side, wrap it tight and close all the way to the connector ring and back, then wrap it up in electrical tape and bam ur done!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AzG35 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is the same problem as a lot of people have when they swap a OBD1 ECU into an OBD2 car. There is a function on the OBD1 alternators that OBD2 cars don't have. Maybe the P75 ecu has some OBD1 fuctions in it? Just as someone above said, removing the ALT-C wire from the harness should fix the problem. </TD></TR></TABLE>

can someone explain this ALT-C wire? i really do not understand thank you...

 

bump