| busboyjake |
Mon Jan 06, 2003 8:31 pm |
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tell me if i'm crazy, but my generator light seems to glow very dim (only visible at night w/lights on)is this some indication of a weak generator (with the added load of the lights on etc.)- or is it an all or nothing idiot light deal - and this is just passive glow
none of the other idiot lights glow like this! what the hell! |
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| tictori@adelphia.net |
Tue Jan 07, 2003 7:34 am |
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My guess it is a weak generator or you have a short somewhere or even the worst case.....your fan belt is malajusted or even slipping, which during the summer will cause your van to overheat constantly. It will overheat at least slightly, even in the winter!
Play around with the infernal shims on the belt pulley until the light stops. Once I accomplished the proper belt tensioning, and it is very very precise, I am able to drive in the winter nights, with headlights, windshield wipers, and 2 count 'em TWO bilge blowers running full blast in the heater system.
Just in case I am wrong, have the battery tested.
Good luck. |
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| chabanais |
Tue Jan 07, 2003 1:14 pm |
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| Could be that the generator is fine but that the wiring, because it's old, is leaching over onto the wire. My generator light did that only when I'd turn my headlights on. |
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| Amskeptic |
Tue Jan 07, 2003 6:57 pm |
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| My nice healthy 55 amp alternator-equipped Bus does the same thing. Old resistant wiring. It is not a problem. However, that does not give you a free pass. You must join the millions of other ACVW owners who have laboriously sanded each and every ground connection, polished each and every terminal and spade in the entire car and dabbed anti-oxidant gel on every connection and light bulb socket, and cleaned their starter solenoid connections, battery posts, transmission ground straps, generator brushes, voltage regulator mounting screws and surfaces, only to find the damn light still glows. |
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| Mr Miggins |
Tue Jan 21, 2003 8:58 pm |
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| I have had a similar problem and found (after being told by a local "SPECIALIST" that I needed a new generator) that the brushes needed replacing. This is worth a try as it is relatively inexpensive. |
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| paulstohlman@mac.com |
Tue Jan 21, 2003 9:15 pm |
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Just a crazy idea...
Turn on your headlights, and dim the dash lights to nothing ( I can do this on my 70 )
If the gen light still glows, you can follow the ideas above, if the gen light is out, then your dash lights are leaking by somehow.
BTW does it change with engine revs? |
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