OK, thanx to you guys I 've got my 89 rollin. Now when I drive with the lights on they get real bright and then they go dim. When they do that my charge gauge goes way upand then to the middle of charge. I'm sure that's elementary, but I figured one of you could tell me a quick fix. Thanx

 

Typical for when the grid heaters are working. They cycle on and off every few seconds.... Only happens when the outside temp gets cold... (forget the exact temp... )

 

The regulator may be gettin bad. I had one go bad and it blew my headlights and it also blew the caps off the battery. Also as stated above if its cold out the grids will cycle until the engine gets a little heat. Mine would cycle for a couple of minutes after start up.

 

I would suggest , if your gauge goes way toward the upper hand side and the light's go bright, then goes down to the middle of the gauge and they dim then you have a regulator issue. The problem is Not your grid heater,as a properly working regulator with the grid heaters "on" the lights go dim and the gauge goes down,to about the first mark on the gauge, then the light's brighten and the gauge gose to about the mid range. thats just the way my trucks have worked.

 

A lot of these regulators will flicker the lights, even when new.

If you want a good regulator, have a Dodge/Mopar parts-man order you a couple of the ones listed in my sig.

They are BLUE and hold a steady voltage regardless of engine RPM, whereas many will flicker at idle.

I have them on all of my Dodges.

 

It's 40 degrees out, so I wouldn't think it would be the grids. I'll order the blue one today. Thanx

 

Is this one of them?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=200287660906

 

i was about to post the same thread, this explains it. only happens to mine for the first 3-5min from a cold start in the morning

 

The part-number is correct.

 

Bearkiller: Is the regulator inside the brain box or somewhere else? Is it difficult to replace. I ordered a blue one today. It Should be in Monday. Thanx

 

On your 89 its on the firewall. It is a stand alone unit. Right above the engine kinda in the middle.

 

Like he said, on a non-I/C truck, the voltage-regulator is fire-wall mounted just above the last valve-cover, sheet-metal-screwed to the fire-wall.

If someone hasn't already done so, it is a good idea to make up a 10AWG GROUND wire, with ring/eyelet ends, that goes from one of the regulator mounting screws to the ground-wire on the grid-heater, located where the intake-air cross-over mounts to the engine.


It is also a good idea to buy TWO regulators, mounting the second "spare" regulator right beside the factory one, such that, in the event of a failure, all that needs be done is to move the wire-plug over to the spare.

There is also a big "COOL" factor in this, as in anyone that notices the second regulator will get to thinking that you just might be smarter than the average bear.

 

mine used to flicker alot. My advice is to delete all fuse links under hood
an replace with a fuse block. ive done this and along with a headlight relay i have no more flickers or worries