-
Dimming Lights
Alright I have a 95' Galant for the past few months I have been having trouble with my lights on my dash, and my clock, and even the headlights dimming when im in idol, or when the fan turns on with the heater, or when the gears shift. Here is kind of a break down from starting up the car to truning it off. When I start the car it seems to be fine, but once it warms up, and the rpms go down they tend to start dimming, I then switch it to drive, and they dim even more. After that I start driving, and they start to get brighter, then I break and they flash right when I hit the break pedal. I then put it back in park and the light get a bit brighter. Then I turn it off. First I thought it was the battery so I bought a brand new one, and it helped a little because my lights were always dim before that picked it up to normal brightness while im driving. I then bought a new alternator, and that has helped a little bit more, but im still having the same problem. The problem began before any mods to my car including the intake, or the system, or even the foglights (which dont work anymore). I also just installed some new gauge faces the El 6 glow ones, and they dont flash when i put on the break or dim when the tranny switches gears or anything, but the lights behind them do (the stock ones)any suggestions would be much appreciated. By the way love the site I cant believe I didnt find it sooner ive only been searching galant stuff for about a year and just came accross this site last week so I hope to become a valued member.
-
Stupid question, but did you check your dashboard lighting control to the left of your steering wheel? You know, the little roller thingy that makes the interior lights brighter and dimmer? Just check that and make sure your lights are set to their brightest setting.
-
yep i have definately checked that i did that about 50 time and even made sure it was still on the correct setting when i took out the trim so i could paint it.
-
have your battery checked, it could be a weak battery.
-
Possibly a bad alternator??
Just a guess here...
-
Well I guess i could get the alternator checked since i just bought a new one about 2 months ago for $300, and i also replaced the battery with a brand new one at the same time. If I get a voltometer will that tell me any info on what volts i should be getting durring idle, and driving, and if so what should i look for. Thanks for the help tho any other suggestions could it just be bad wiring maybe a new ground wire for the battery or something if that doesnt work? Sorry if this is all kind of a run on sentance or something I got my wisdom teeth pulled, and im on some heavy drugs so im real tired and stuff.
-
i would say the altenator. i know my battery puts out abut 14.2 v while at idle. what rpm do you idle at? normally if it gets down to about 500 or so ( on my car at least) it will start to die and the lights and shit will dim or something like that.
-
You could have a shitty ground. But prolly the alternator.
-
I know i dont go below 500 rpms I idle at about 900 - 1000 rpms my car doesnt even pass inspection I have to pay someone to pass it https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ault/laugh.gif, Ill get the alternator checked then and see if I can get the tripple gauge pod, and put a voltmeter in there to check for sure. And one more thing could it be the ground to the alternator, or the battery cuz I had to reground the alternator once I put the new one in the old ground broke off, and was grounded onto a screw on the oil filter ummm holder thing cant think of whats its called are all 7gs that way, or would it most likely be the batteries ground?
-
Ok well I noticed today that my car does idle arround 500 rpms (sorry im an idiot) so if it is then how can I get the idle higher?
-
i blieve theres an adjustment screw on the throttle body to change the base idle...
-
and the alternator might test good but be bad... mine did (lights flickered constantly when i pressed the throttle and dimmed when i hit the brakes), got reman'ed alternator for around $150 and all is solved
-
Hey thanks for the info. I think i will try both see what goes on cant hurt to try anyway so if I get some more problems with that ill let you know. I when you had the problem yourself did it also dim when the fan turns on or is that just mine?
-
i never noticed it w/ the fan... however there is a common problem (even has a corresponding TSB on it) of the dimming lights when the fan kicks on while youre slowing down... not really a huge problem though so there wasnt a recall.
-
Thanks seriously Ive tried looking up info on it and I couldnt find anything so this is real good info. I went home extremely ill yesterday from work so I didnt wanna work on my car, but ill be doing that soon prolly tomorrow.
-
first, check your alternator belt tension - that's for dimming lights
as for the idle, it's not a good idea to adjust BISS to correct idling problems. you are masking the problem instead of correcting it. look for vacuum leaks, check your O2 sensor. rpms just don't go down for no reason.
-
Alright well I read through some more forums, and everything I dont remember where I came accross this, but alot of people were talking about using throttle body cleaner. I did that instead of adjustin anything on the throttle body, and I think that worked alittle, but im beginning to think the problem is more with the battery because I also noticed that I have the same problem with my lights dimming when the car is off. Lets say I have my door open so the light is on, and I step on the breaks, or try to roll up the window the interior light will dimm. Could it be a problem with my battery even if the car is on such as "the alternator belt isnt tensioned right" like Russian7G said? and If it is alright should I just go and buy another new battery just to be sure?
-
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mitsubishi_Lover)</div><div class='quotemain'>I think that worked alittle, but im beginning to think the problem is more with the battery because I also noticed that I have the same problem with my lights dimming when the car is off. Lets say I have my door open so the light is on, and I step on the breaks, or try to roll up the window the interior light will dimm. Could it be a problem with my battery even if the car is on such as "the alternator belt isnt tensioned right" like Russian7G said? and If it is alright should I just go and buy another new battery just to be sure?</div>
if hte car is off then the lights will dim when you are using other accessories at the same time since the car isn't producing power anymore. its just relying on the power that the battery has in it.
if you think its the battery, most auto parts store will check your battery for free. if its still good they'll charge it. if its not, they'll sell you a new battery. same thing with an alternatore, if its good, they'll tell you if its bad they'll sell you a new one.
-
Alright so I woke up today, and I was thinking that I should go move my car cuz it was parked in front of the mail box (in case they decided to show up) and I had some sort of feeling that I should go for a drive so I asked my gf if she wanted to go, and she got outta bed we got our dog and started driving. I made it about a mile, and I stopped at a light. By the way it was raining so I had my windshield wipers on, my heater, and of course my system. So the light turns green, and my gauges start turning on and off, my rpms rapidly go up and down, and im pushing on the gas and not getting any where. So my car dies and there is a cop that was waiting at the light that had just turned. I turned on my hazard lights and of course people are honking and going arround me. I put the car in park and try to start it a couple of times, but it wont the cop goes and directs traffic to go around me, and some lady in a van comes to my car and I roll down my window she asks if I need help pushing the car to the side of the road I say maybe, and I turn off my sterio cuz it kept trying to come on when I would turn the key to start, and I turned off my headlights. I then try to start my car a couple more times, and it works. I start going forward, go through the intersection, and stop on the side of the road next to the park. The cop comes up behind me and askes if im ok, and if ill be able to make it home. I tell her its probably no big deal, and that I dont live to far away thank her for the help and I try to get on my way. So I get to the next light which unfortunately is red, and I stop my gf was like did you know that was going to happen, and I was like I kinda had a feeling this morning, she was like oh thats wiered its like you and your car share the same heart. So we make it home with pretty much no problems, but the odd thing is is that this same thing happend to me about 2 months ago in the middle of an intersection I just blamed it on not driving my car for a couple days, and it was raining then 2 so it was kinda cold, but I drove my car yesterday, and today it did this to me does this mean anything to anyone, im going to go buy a new battery today no matter what to see if that helps at all, I realy hope its not the alternator, cuz i had a hell of a time with that when I got the new one so... sorry for wrighting a novel any way.
-
u should definitely check out the alternator if u get a new battery or not...i went thru something a bit similar becuz of a dead battery, even tho the battery was only 3-5months old.after getting a new battery i still had flickering here n there...my systems capacitor would work every other day so i had my alternator checked and found a chewed up belt. :? ...and to this day it acts a little rough but from what im told its just my car fighting the cold weather
-
ok well i guess ive just been trying to not have to deal with the alternator again, cuz that was a pain, but if I have to do it i guess ill just do it. One thing im worried about is that it might just pass the test at autozone, or whatever but it might still be a problem does anyone know of a performace alternator I know that stinger makes some, but I dont know if they are for our cars I went to go check it out, but they didnt seem to know what they were talking about at RCWilley wich it said on the stinger website was an authorized dealer I did see that on ebay they had one for a civic (not saying that I was gonna buy one for a civic) but it was a 200 amp alternator so im hoping they make one for a galant or u know eclipse. Is there any more info on a better alternator for out car?
-
ok so I was looking arround and I found this http://verizonsupersite.com/4alterstartcom...nt&catuid=10013 will it fit since it works for the 1g I figured it would just from the 4G63t swap sticky, but I want to make sure or are there other Hi Output Alternators that any one would recomend?
-
I know that in my 96 G, I have belt slip issues and mine does the same thing. Extreme pressure on the alternator can do that. Maybe you should check that out...?
-
Alright guys I think I FINNALY found the issue I have been installing my new gauges (voltmeter, oil pressure, and air/fuel) and while I was trying to get my allen head bolt out from the oil filter housing I noticed that THE GROUND WIRE FOR MY ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CONNECTED!!! The bolt most likely fell out when I was driving some time after I installed it. So what do u think of that?
-
I think your crazy, man just replace the bolt and tighten real good so it doesnt come off again.
-
Yep did that replaced it and IM STILL GETTING DIMMING LIGHTS. Jees this is makin me crazy my voltmeter is tellin me im idiling at about 10volts then ill let go of the break and it goes to 12 volts then i push the break again and it stays at about 12 then I drive and its up to 14ish. And when I first start it its up to 14 in park, and a few stops after that, but I dont know whats going on. Im gonna try getting new battery terminals in case its losing power cuz the ones I have suck, and Ill take the alternator to get it checked real soon also.
-
If it is the ALt, Buy one from me and support the 5spd fund.
-
ahhhh great now i gotta support some sort of fund.. naw just kidden actually im gonna get a hi-output alternator so unless u have one that will fit sorry. Im also gonna swap to 5 spd, and do a 4G63t/4G64 hybrid so...
-
Well if you gonna do the 5spd, I know seth has a complete 5spd swap for sale at a great price. Should hit him up.
-
Damn dude.. You and I are having the same exact problem.. I guess ill check that ground wire.. Thanks
-
Well im hopin I wont continue having the problem for 2 much longer Im expecting it to go away no matter what with the engine rebuild. Im gettin real tired of it, but what can ya do... I cant wait till I can get that done my gf and I work together so we can carpool in her 96' civito (which has a long lasing engine, but everything else has even better fallapart-ability) meh whatever. The gauge installs went good then I found out I have a loose wire in my turn signal so everytime I signal all my lights flash even more now like completely turn off so I tried soldering the power wire back on, but the solder just broke so Ill be resoldering again later. Im still Idoling at way to low a voltage so I'll be gettin a new battery, batt terminals, and a Hi-Output alternator that oughtta take care of it. Ill also be cleaning out and resealing the IAC soon so hope that helps. I'll keep posted on everything till I get it fixed hopefully it will help someone else out like shadow.
-
Yea man as soon as you find out the compete problem please keep us updated cause i am having the same proble minus the blinker. And i honestly dont know if it can hold a system because i plan to put a 3000 watt power acoustic amp with 2 12's power acoustic FUBAR subs, Alll audiobahn highs and Audiobahn amp 600 watts. And i seriously dont even think the car can hold the 600 watt amp with the lights and shit the way it is.
-
Lemme tell you something I have a 2000 watt amp pushin a 12" 2000watt Orion H2 Sub, and NO CAP, and when I turn up the volume yeah the lights dimm a little with the bass, but guess what when I turn it off guess what happens. NOTHING same ammount of dimm minus the bass, but still the dimming lights seems to be only coming from stock shit nothing ive added. I dont know if it makes sence, but maybe I should just post vids of me driving arround with and without the amp the only accessories that seem to make a difference with the dimming is just the stuff that came with my car nothing Ive added. Example My car is dying while im at a stop light so I turn off the amp, and my fog lights what happens NOTHING my car continues dying then what I turn off my umm windshield wipers, and my heater then I start getting volts and rpms back. So I figure I can run my amp as long as I want, and if my car starts dying Ill just turn off my windshield wipers and I'm good... https://www.thegalantcenter.org/styl...ault/laugh.gif
-
Hahaha i wish it was that easy for me.... my car dies like a mother fucker doesnt idle when its cold but it gets a little better when hot, cuts off at stop lights, misfires like a mother fucker, all kinds of shit.... Ive replaced the headgasket, Fuel pressure regulator, Map sensor, Checked all the other fuckin sensors, all kinds of shit but now.. it still does the fuckin same.... I dont know what the hell it is but the good thing is that my check engine light is on so now i can go to autozone and umm get their little tool to tell me whats wrong with it. The lights and shit still do dim. If either one of us figure it out then POST PLEASE. Maybe just maybe (this thought just hit me) the damn pulley on the alternator needs to be a different size... hmmmm. i dont know im no mechanic... But ill post if i figure something out.
-
Ok I found out where the problem is....well what systems are causing the problems not exactly what devices. Alright there is definately a problems somewhere in the throttle or IAC cuz Im gettin low Idle, but I think thats only part of my issue. The other problem is in the charging system, and I guess the lights them selves. How I found this out my gf and I went to go get some food last night, and I was watchin my voltmeter the whole time as I kept driving I found out that the charging system isnt working correctly because I was first idling at 14v then it gradualy went down to 10v so I would rev the engine and get it up to 14v again, but after driving for a while I couldnt even get it to go up to 13.5v the most was 13v even in park and reving the engine up to 2000rpms which I think our alternator tops out at about 1000rpm-1500rpms cuz thats where i noticed it wouldt make any more power. Also while I was waiting at the wendies drive thru I turned off my headlights, and all my other gauges, and my idle went up to 13v just with that so I have to figure out if its my stock shit, or if its my new gauges that is causeing the issue in the electrical. Im thinking its gonna be the battery cuz the alternator seems to be doing its job, but the battery seems like its not being charged also I think this cuz now when I open my doors the interior lights are wwwwwaaaaaayyyyyy more dim than they used to be or even than they are if I just start my car for a second then turn it off. So im thinkin I realy need to replace the terminals, and I think im gonna get a dyna-batt. From Overboost.com what do you guys think.
-
Hi:
for future reference.
By the way, on 95's there is a TSB dealing with this type of problem, the voltage regulator on a number of alternators was bad. In addition, the switch for the rear windshield heater did not have a control to shut it down when certain time have passed. So this problem could (it did to me) drain the battery in city driving.
Im happy it was only that nut :roll: on the ground screw.
-
hnmm good to know ill look into it (not being a smart ass) I truely will.
-
OK I feel like a dumbass.... I checked into my rear defrost It wasnt off i havent had it off for about 3 months turned that off and my volts shot up....crazy, but I dont think it will last I still need to check into fixing my wiring cuz I think it will fix it for a few months, but it will go back down again.
-
This car is a BIG learning curve. It never stops anoying you.
You can get a list of TSB from (autotozone, and the ALLDATA, and a few other places) the web. you can also go to mitsu cars and pay to get in for a day and you can even see some of the TSB's fixups.
Right now I only have problems with the SRS, see my post.
Good luck. (If you do not need the defroster in the rear, just pull the fuse)
The alternator - if is original then check it out, but must be done only after you pull it from the car, the regular freeby tests around and even the one on sears do not show all the problems. I had problems with mine and pull it out and took it to an alternator place and they found the problem with the regulator.
-
Well it didnt work I havent been driving my car for the last few days, and I dont think I will be driving it again for the next couple months. Im just gonna do the engine hybrid, and the tranny swap. Hope that works. By the way I was going to tell you guys the whole story of what happend to me, but i figgured I would save you guys the brain cramp. Thanks for the help guys Ill notify you if I have more issues even with the rebuilt engine im thinkin my cars just getting to the end of its life 177,000 miles. I also think the timings off so...