For some time now, when my car was on, intermidantly the lights on the gage cluster, and the headlights would flicker faintly. This generally happened, or at least I took notice more when it was raining.

Now its there all the time. The flicker is rythmic, a rapid brightening and dimming of all the powered accessories. Headlights, interior lights, map lights.. Everything.

I took a measurement at the battery with the car running with the headlights off. 14.68-14.75vdc... It raised and lowered but generally stayed in that relm.

I installed several new grounds, rewired the aem spark amplifier (original wiring was a bit quesitonable) and still the problem persists.

I pulled the negative terminal off the negative post while the car was running and found that the voltage was 15.0-15.5. Right away the flicker grew worse, or atleast more pronounced. The dimming of the lights was quite noticable and correlated with the 15.0 readings.

Im starting to think the voltage regulator is on its way out, but with my mods my alternator isnt underwarranty etc.

Figured Id bounce it off evom, prior to just taking the shotgun approach and replacing the alternator.

Thoughts and suggestions?

Dan

 

Could anyone post up the normal output voltage of a n04 evo's alternator, with the battery disconnected?

 

sounds like you generator is on his way out, you measure the output voltage of the generator with the car running grab a volt meter and test the charging system it should be around 14 volts, if the charging system is fine you would have to do a load test you might have a short to ground somewhere,if i were you i disconnect all the aftermarket electric components that you have and see if it makes any difference. good luck

 

This has happend to me also! It happens when it rains. When I asked Mitsubishi about it they asked me to buy a cover for the open grill on the hood! Thanks Mitsubishi!

 

Might as well bite the bullet.
Do they make a good high amp aftermarket alternator for these cars? Something designed to charge harder for excessive aftermarket electronics?

 

it should be closer to 12.6v, anythin over that (from the battery) is overcharged.

 

Well, add me to the "me too" list. I noticed this just last night driving home in the rain. I actually noticed my omori boost gauge color to fluctuating slightly and I thought my wiring might be loose. Now I'll have to watch things more closely and see if it is more than the gauge flickering.

 

17k miles on the car.
Im curious how many stock cars are experiencing the same issue.

 

wow, good job

 

bump

I started having similar issues

 

put your volt meter on AC voltage.......see if you have any AC voltage...you shouldn't..that will tell you if diodes are going bad in the alternator

 

AC voltage? where should I put my volt meter gauge? Where can I get a readin for AC voltage?

 

alternating current.
With the car running, pop off the negative battery terminal, and take a voltage reading from the possitive side to ground, using a digital multimeter set to AC.
With the battery disconnected you can measure the output voltage from the alternator -any draw from the car itself.

Normally I would check the dc voltage from there and verify if its constant or wavering. I never thought to look for AC.

Since I have regrounded the car, and ran new power lines to the alternator, the problem as gone away.

 

I have an 03 and my car is doing the same thing now. It only seems to happen when the car is at idle or when I am deccelorating. Since the car is over 4 years old I figure it is probably the alernator. Any other ideas?

 

Mine triggers the door lights. My voltage on the sportsmeter is between 13.9 and 14.2