Fluctuating electrical power?

[454cid]

It could be worn or sticky brushes in the alternator. Maybe time to pull it out and see if the regulator is worn out, or at least give it and the stator a good clean. It could be carbon build up in general in there.

Neil.

I'm trying not to do that....I'm not super excited about pulling the upper radiator hose, and unbolting the PS pump just to get to an alternator.

This problem is so intermittent that it's making it hard to trouble shoot. I've done voltage drop tests, and a diode test, and everything looks good. I may do them again and actually write all the results down, so I can refer back to what's good/bad with certainty, as there's all kinds of general specs online, and I have an issue recalling numbers. They all looked low, though.

I have yet to go through that thread you linked earlier.... still plan on it though.

I've thought about just going ahead and buying a regulator. As I understand it, it is possible to install it with the alternator mounted in the car. Weirdly, according to the listings I'm seeing online my alternator isn't supposed to be on a 1996 (2.4L NA), but a 1997 so I've been searching by part number rather than using the year/make/model look up. My car isn't even late production, it's early.... actually built in 1995.

[scot850]

I think you could uprate the alternator from I think was a 100A to 120A. So it could be someone has replaced the original with a larger output model. You will have to try and see if you can see any identifiers on the alternator.

Neil.

[abscate]

Replacement and remanufsctured electrical parts have gotten so bad it’s worth looking for an auto electrical shop local and have your rebuilt locally. My guy takes a week and charges $100 parts+labor

Finding that shop…see if there is a British car club locally, those guys will have auto electronics on speed dial

[454cid]

I think you could uprate the alternator from I think was a 100A to 120A. So it could be someone has replaced the original with a larger output model. You will have to try and see if you can see any identifiers on the alternator.

Neil.

I've got the 100A alternator. It's got the same numbering on it, as other 96 pictures I've seen. I have no doubt it's original, and it's the parts listings that are incorrect/incomplete.

[454cid]

Replacement and remanufsctured electrical parts have gotten so bad it’s worth looking for an auto electrical shop local and have your rebuilt locally. My guy takes a week and charges $100 parts+labor

Finding that shop…see if there is a British car club locally, those guys will have auto electronics on speed dial

I'll do it myself, if it's not too much of a pain. I had the alternator apart on one of my 69 Buicks and it was kind of fun. However, I actually do have a small starter/alternator shop not too far away. I've already got a starter for him to rebuild, but it hasn't been a priority so it sits on my parts shelf.

Unless this issue gets a lot worse and/or more frequent, I think it's going to wait until warmer weather.

[foggydogg]

You seem to be working through your troubleshooting chart, and as you mentioned, being intermittent makes it whack-a-mole.
I only mentioned the B+ wires as another path, my '97 T5 had the issue when I got it.
I replaced some internals on my old '00 V70 alternator, I'm pretty sure I took it out the bottom.

[befarrer]

My car seems to do the same, I notice it mostly when radio is off and heater fan is low, I can hear fuel pump noise change pitch, then return. Sounds the same as when you first start the car, when the alternator starts charging. I figure it could be something like the rad fan coming on causing a voltage drop in the system then the alternator catching up to the demand. My alternator is fairly new, new battery, been doing it 2 years with no change, so I account it as normal.

[454cid]

My car seems to do the same, I notice it mostly when radio is off and heater fan is low, I can hear fuel pump noise change pitch, then return. Sounds the same as when you first start the car, when the alternator starts charging. I figure it could be something like the rad fan coming on causing a voltage drop in the system then the alternator catching up to the demand. My alternator is fairly new, new battery, been doing it 2 years with no change, so I account it as normal.

You can hear your fuel pump? I've never identified that sound on my car..... of course, I only noticed my door chime a couple of days ago.

[befarrer]

You can hear your fuel pump? I've never identified that sound on my car..... of course, I only noticed my door chime a couple of days ago.

It's not very loud, just a light humm, but I also have an AWD, so they are closer and pointing forward.

[454cid]

The door closes completely in recirc mode. You can check my lifting the cabin air filter and looking down at the door

I finally got a chance to check this today (64F today), and I made some adjustments/mental-notes.

Recirculate was not completely closing the door, so I turned the arm to move the "bushing" (it's threaded) on the pushrod, thus pulling the door a bit more. I don't think the door completely seals but it good enough... I was having a hard time getting the arm back on the actuator, so it'll do.

What I find strange is that when recirculate is not turned on, fan speeds 1-3 are closer to fully open to the outside air than speed 4. Speed 4 moves the door somewhere in the middle. I can have the fan set on 3 (or lower) with recirculate off, and bumping the fan up to 4 causes the actuator to partially close the door.