Got the pulsing lights to stop....new issues now.

[GreenReaper93]

Hey everyone! Here's the rundown -

1999 Cherokee Sport. Inline 6 Cylinder.

Last week I noticed that my lights (dash, exterior, etc.) were pulsing. After discussing the issue with some jeep friends it was dedused that my alternator was shot.....which it was....badly. Today I installed the new alternator. It stopped pulsing, but now I have another problem. Whenever I rev the motor the lights (again...dash, exterior, etc.) get brighter. Also, when I stop/idle the voltmeter drops; sometimes it'll drop all the way and the 'Check Guages' light will come on. So what's the deal??? I'm getting slightly frustrated. Any help or information anyone has would be awsome! Thanks!

[tjrubicon]

This might sound weird, but it could be your problem. Check your connections at your starter, mainly your main wire from the battery to the starter. I had an old Chevy truck that started doing this and after replacing the battery, alternator, and voltage regulator it still had dim lights, strange readings on the gauges and just seemed weird. Turned out my header had contacted the battery cable to the started and melted into it, which was cuasing it to lose power when it hit the header and get power back after it came off the header.

Just a thought, but it might be in the right direction.

Off topic: Do any wheeling around there (Elkart)? I don't think thats too far from me.

[GreenReaper93]

Thanks! I'll look at it in the morning. Worth a look-see. Eh, wheeling around here consists of utility trails. I've been wanting to hit the Badlands or Red Bird, but haven't been able to get down there. Where's Tipton at???

[tjrubicon]

I checked yahoo maps, elkhart isn't as close as I thought it was. For some reason I thougt it was around elwood. You're pretty far up north. To get to Tipton you'd take US 31 south until you got to HWY 28, which is about 92 miles. I myself would like to go to Red Bird, Badlands is a pretty fun place to wheel, but I'm ready to try some new places.

[Venomized]

Another Hoosier. Welcome. Right now I am working in Ft wayne for 2 more weeks and then back home to Valpo.

Been to Elkhart a few times. Bought my camper there.

[GreenReaper93]

Cool! Good to see some more hometown boys around! if you guys are up to it we should get together for a Red Bird run sometime. Here's an update on the pulsing lights deal....


Taking a chance and a hunch, I tore apart the plastic shielding from some of the wire harness looking for the elusive (my spelling's gonna suck this morning) dark green wire with the red stripe from the wire diagram and guess what I found.... some dilweed has rigged the ignition coil to the battery instead of from the alternator. I tried to put things back to stock, but it looks like there might be a short somewhere in the stock wiring. My question is this... can I temporarily splice a 30A inline fuse and switch from the alternator wire harness plugin to the coil without melting something? Thanks so much guys!

[tjrubicon]

That might work, but I'm not sure. Theoritically it should pop the fuse before melting, I think. I'm not that good with electrical stuff, besides your normal wiring for lights and other gizmos. I'll check it on my 01 cherokee sport and see what I find.

[GreenReaper93]

Thanks TJ. I'll let ya know if I melt down the Jeep or not.

By the way, does a Hoosier trail ride sound like something you'd be interested in?

[tjrubicon]

I couldn't do too much searching on the XJ, it's my girlfriends and she's not too fond of me experimenting with her vehicle. Sorry I couldn't be more help on this.

Yeah, I'd be up for a trail run. Name the place and day/time so I can make sure I don't have to work. Saturdays are my best days to go wheeling, I work 3rd shift so Fridays are shot and then it's back to work on Sunday.

[Dukes69]

Sounds like a bad voltage regulator to me. If I remember correctly those are internal regulators. Is this a "New" alternator or a "Reman'd." one? If its a remanufactured one, I would suspect you got one with a bum regulator.

Just a guess.