• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

possible ground issue

LTL4life

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
704
Loc.
The FROZEN TURDRA
Well the sun is out and it warmed up to 26degrees today. time to get back to work after a miserable 5 month winter. all body panels are welded in, steering column replaced and wired in. all lights work.started up and headlights and marker lights flicker from normal to brighter while running. should i be looking for a ground problem or is it time to replace the alt. and regulator?:cry:
 

Crewwzin

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
1,087
Loc.
Freeport, Fl
Please clarify...the lights are brighter while the truck is running? If that is the case, then you just have a weak battery and the alternator is providing more voltage to the lights...making them brighter.
 

Crewwzin

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
1,087
Loc.
Freeport, Fl
Hmm...I'm still not sure if I understand you. Regardless, I would run new grounds on sheer principle. In the car stereo world, we do an upgrade called "the big 3". To do this, you replace three primary cables in the electrical system.
1) The main charging cable from the alternator to the battery.
2) The main ground cable from the battery to the chassis.
3) The main ground cable from the block to the chassis.

This ensures a good grounding and charging circuit from alternator to battery to chassis. I usually use at least 8 AWG wire, and sometimes go up to 4 AWG or even 1/0 depending on the demands from the vehicle.

I know a lot of this might not be relavent to your situation, but 1) its good practice to make sure the vehicle is properly grounded, and 2) its just good information to log away in the memory banks.

Hope it helps.
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
If you have the stock electro-mechanical voltage regulator, the lights will flicker at idle. If it bothers you, replace it with a solid state regulator. I believe one from a 79 Granada is a direct replacement.

But it sure won't hurt to verify that you have everything grounded properly. Will save you from lots of problems in the future. Negative battery cable to the engine block. Then ground straps from the engine to the body, and from the engine to the frame.
 

RRRAAAYYY2

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 10, 2004
Messages
1,684
Loc.
Brantford, Ontario
I would verify what exactly the voltage is doing. i.e. it might be going from 14.5 to 15.5, and that is not good. Probably not doing that, but better be safe than sorry.
 
OP
OP
LTL4life

LTL4life

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
704
Loc.
The FROZEN TURDRA
Actually when i ran a multimeter across the battery while running it was moving from14 to 15 volts back and forth. what next?
 
Top