guess this and i will buy you dinner

[night]

:D


ok, im cleaning up my car tonight to go to a meet. put a new headlight in, clean up some junk inside, the usual 'make ur car look as good as possible to show off'.

so i finish all that, go inside and sit down for a few til i need to leave.
go outside check the headlights, blinkers and brakes. all good. start the car up, pull out and get around the corner leaving the neighborhood. only to notice my headlights arent on :confused:.

turn around and drive back home. turn the car off, headlights come back on strong as ever :wtf:.

so thats is. headlights are great when the car is off, but start the car and they dim down to almost nothing.
battery is good, charge is good. i tried pulling a few things (coil plugs) with it running to see and they do not come on until the engine is stopped. if it were electrical they should come back on as soon as i pull the plug (assuming those the coil was the prob).

[Vanilla Sky]

alternator, bad ground, or a broken wire... could be a bad fuse, too

Derick

[Vanilla Sky]

or a bad relay or ignition switch

Derick

[GDGuy11B]

i'd bet it's the alternator. check your belts

[night]

hehe...

ok, but think about it. how can any of that stuff not effect it when its off.
and the alt is good, everything else is fine. parking lights, brake lights, cluster, etc. if the alt was dead they would still run off the battery.

[Vanilla Sky]

well, i listed about everything, so get me food

Derick

[night]

haha, not quite.
im gonna fix it tomorrow and we shall see what the hell is going on.

[pimp86LX]

:sadwave: can i just have some food? i'm sick of KD, it makes me barf

<-------see

[POS carb]

efi or carb...
i would run the car then put your palm on the fuse box, see if you notice anything getting warm, it's probably a short

[POS carb]

maybe also you should check the motor ground straps

[YK86]

My Accord did that when the voltage regualtor in the alt started going bad. My radio and dash also dimmed after a bit but the car kept running normally. I made the trip home with the car running normally but no accessory stuff working including VERY dim lights.

[1988starter]

Check your brushes just in case

[night]

well, i dont have any accessory stuff to compare. but all the dash lights and parking lights seem just as strong.

i was gonna look at today but it was raining when i got up.

although at 14.1 volts i dont think the regulator is going. when they go it goes up to 16+ and fries batteries :)

[YK86]

By accessory, I just meant lights, dash lights, stereo, etc. Anyways, my alt had new brushes so I know it couldn't be that. And the charging system warning light never came on which I thoguht was weird. Everytime I stop on the side of the road and rev it, it would charge just enough to make everything bright again (about 12V). When you go back on the road, it drops to about 11V and everything dims. When the voltage regulator goes or starts screwing up, isn't it possible for it to both undercharge in some cases and overcharge in others??
But anyways, if your dash lights are bright and voltage readings and stuff are fine, maybe it isn't the alt.

[ACCORD EX]

see the battery's voltage out put when car 's running should be 14 > 15 volts , if so your charging is ok ! if not check the charging system !

may there is some kinda of short when you turn on the engine ! does this happen to the lights only ???

MIKE

[carobotics]

I've gone through a voltage regulator dieing, and it didn't put out any voltage at all. my battery showed under 12 volts whether the car was on or off. It did not go up to 16volts. It depends on how the regulator fails.

[3rd GEN]

I have a problem with my switch..

you know how when you turn on your lights, the end piece turns, so you can turn your lights on...or your park lights on...

well mine... the whole thing turns now...like the whole god damn thing... I have to hold onto the thing, and then turn the end piece ....otherwise.. I can just twist the entire thing.....
i think it broke somewhere near the base in the steering column

[YK86]

Hey 3rd GEN, I have a spare one if you want to buy it off me. I'll PM you.

[89accordlxi]

Hey night, try unplugging the alternator and start the car up. If your problem is still there then the alt. is not at fault. If the prob goes away, then you know it has something to do with the alt.

good luck ..

peace..

[rallyeNate]

you can check to see if the voltage reg has gone bad by putting a volt meter on the battery and rev the engine. if its bad, the volts will not change or go threw the roof when you rev your engine