Headlights dim only at idle...please help

[pudgewack 10+ year member]

I have an problem w/ my electircal system that I was hoping someone would be able to assist me with. My headlights dim when my car is turned on but while at idle. As soon as I hit the gas, the headlights turn on to regular brightness. When I come to a stop, my lights die down to about 50% the brightness. The dim has nothing to do my my stereo b/c it happens while the stereo is off and still happens while listening to extremly loud music.

The car is a 99 Honda Civic. I have upgraded the "big 3. " I have also installed at HO alt (150 amps) that supposedly puts out 70 amps at idle.

Anyone have any ideas what the problem is?

Thanks,

Matt

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[btnhfan 5,000+ posts]

how many watts go you have running through your system?

 

[DJ FURY 10+ year member]

Where did u get ur alt from?alterstart?

 

[pudgewack 10+ year member]

how many watts go you have running through your system?

Roughly 2000 watts total. Currently running Phoenix Gold 1200.1 and 400.4

Where did u get ur alt from?alterstart?

Yes, I got the alt from http://www.4alterstart.com

Thanks for the quick replies....any ideas?

Matt

 

[DJ FURY 10+ year member]

I have an alt from alterstart and it does the same thing.....worse thing u can do is try it out.If it dont work out get in touch with dominick@tds.com (the guy builds great alt's)i think is his email address.Thats what i did.....His alt's have a higher output at idle.....

 

[boister77 10+ year member]

I have an alt from alterstart and it does the same thing.....worse thing u can do is try it out.If it dont work out get in touch with dominick@tds.com (the guy builds great alt's)i think is his email address.Thats what i did.....His alt's have a higher output at idle.....

unfortunately, i too have the same problem. also upgraded the big 3. i was told my 160A alterstart alt should produce 80A at 800RPM. however, i'm pretty sure it doesn't because my console dims at idle and my voltage reads around 12V at idle then jumps to around 14V at 2000RPM. what did you do with your alt from alterstart? was dominick able to rebuild it?

 

[DJ FURY 10+ year member]

Well i left mine in until i got my new one from Dom.Its like pudge said it dimmed with or without the stereo on.Now i find out urs does the same.Alterstarts response to this was "that it didnt affect battery maintenance"

 

[boister77 10+ year member]

Well i left mine in until i got my new one from Dom.Its like pudge said it dimmed with or without the stereo on.Now i find out urs does the same.Alterstarts response to this was "that it didnt affect battery maintenance"

yeah...4alterstart made a smart *** response when i called them about my problem. i had my alternator checked out by three different places. all of which reported that it was an alternator problem. anyways, the reponse 4alterstart made was "without a $30k machine, there's no way you can test the alternator". i know ho alts can produce less output than a oem alt, however i was told 80A at idle.

 

[Skaal-tel]

Is the moral of the story here to not buy an alterstart alternator?

 

[boister77 10+ year member]

if you change the ratio of alt pulley, will it alter the performance of the other pullies? the good thing about changing the pulley is higher output at idle, however that also means the alt will spin faster when driving which could lead to premature failure or alt overspeed.

 

[BooLeaN 10+ year member]

Ya it could lead to premature failure. Talk to Rob V.O. he makes killer alts. Mine does a meare 172 amps at idle

vvanoverdyk@shaw.ca

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

4alterstart is cheap, maby thats the reason they ****. i was gonna get an 180A alt from them but after reading this im thinkin NO. How much was your alt from rob v.o. im lookin for somethin under $180 U.S, that puts out alot at idle 80A+ and 180A+ peak. the alterstart 1 i was lookin at was 180A for $147 shipped.

 

[98redrocktj 10+ year member]

same problem and got my 160 amp from alterstart too, because i live in dallas and could get it same day. i had mine checked out by a mechanic i know and he tested it and he said it was my alternator. Their response from alterstart was he needed a 30k machine to really test it ,and as long as my battery wasnt going dead ,that it wasnt my alternator.

 

[boister77 10+ year member]

same problem and got my 160 amp from alterstart too, because i live in dallas and could get it same day. i had mine checked out by a mechanic i know and he tested it and he said it was my alternator. Their response from alterstart was he needed a 30k machine to really test it ,and as long as my battery wasnt going dead ,that it wasnt my alternator.

lol....they gave you the exact same reply as me. does anyone here know where i can test my alt on a "$30k machine"? it has to be a "$30K machine", no less or no more. hmm...maybe if we can compile enough unhappy customers, they may except an exchange or refund. all we need is proof that they don't putout what they advertised.

 

[pavengmike6 10+ year member]

I read i here about changing your pully ratio. Well depending on the size depends on the results. I had to slow mine down on my street dragster because I kept throwing belts. But if you go down around an inch in diameter you will not produce premature failure. You only want it to spin a small bit faster. maybe 1000 RPM. So unless you redline you car all the time you are not overspinning the alts. Seeing most of these alts are designed to spin A LOT faster than your car can you do not have to worry about that. The only thing it will effect with the other pullies is having to get a different belt size.

This is an easy fix. Size your pully and then get one a little smaller. DO not go drastic or like you said you could over spin them. Or better yet throw the belt.